Discrimination and Equal Employment Opportunities Specifically Regarding Ageism in the Workplace

Literature Review

Business 7310

Submitted to:

Dr. Any Warren

Faculty of Business Administration

Memorial University of Newfoundland

Submitted by:

Alexandria Batten

201225232

April 6, 2018

Purpose

        The purpose of this literature review is to research discrimination and equal employment opportunities, specifically regarding ageism, in the workplace. This review will use the research found to compare and contrast conclusions on this topic.

Introduction

Do the current Human Resource (HR) practices in the workplace satisfy the necessary ethical principles to avoid discrimination? With sustainability and corporate responsibility becoming increasingly important for organizations, it is vital that business professionals and analysts clearly understand their impact on society within the realm of sustainability, ethics and responsibility. This includes, but is not limited to, equal employment opportunities. 74% of Canadians believe that workplaces discriminate against older workers; similarly, 51% of Canadians believe the same for younger workers (Ispos, 2012). This paper will focus on equal opportunities, specifically age discrimination and generational differences in the workplace. It will discuss material such as equal employment opportunities, diversity and inclusion, and backlash and discrimination. It will also suggest potential HR practices that could be implemented to aid equal opportunities in the workplace. Finally, this paper will mention research that may be conducted in the future to expand on this important topic.

Background

There are currently four generations in the labour market; Veterans, Baby Boomers, Generation X, and Generation Y. The Globe and Mail claims this range is to do with the decline of mandatory retirement, low returns on fixed-income investments, and a demographic bulge. This combination is delaying retirement of older workers, who are staying in the workforce longer than ever before (Gray, J. 2014).  Managers are becoming more aware of the presence of these four generations in today’s workplace, and the challenges associated with having employees from each generation. For many managers, getting employees from differing generations to work together is an issue. This may be based on actual individual differences, or it may be based on presumed qualities derived from generational stereotypes.

Equal Opportunities in the Workplace

“How organizations deal with their personnel is now considered a fundamental concern and a matter of their highest priority”, which is why Equal Employment and Opportunity (EEO) is so important (Tower et al., 2009). Equal opportunities can be defined as “the policy of giving everyone the same opportunities for employment, pay, and promotion, without discriminating against particular groups” (Collins Dictionary, 2018). While employment laws such as the Equal Opportunities Act are present, there are still an overwhelming number of discrimination charges filed in the private and public sectors each year (Occhialino & Vail, 2005).

Inconsistencies in pay are an example of a violation of employment laws. Studies across 28 European nations found that income inequalities for older individuals are mainly explained by perceived age discrimination (Palmore, 2015). According to the Ontario Rights Commission, “age discrimination involves treating people in an unequal fashion due to age” (2018). The Human Rights Code prohibits age discrimination in: housing, accommodation, goods, services and facilities, contracts and membership in trade and vocational associations. Human rights principles require people to be treated as individuals and assessed on their own merits, instead of based on assumptions, and to be given the same opportunities and benefits as everyone else.

Age Discrimination in the Workplace

Discrimination can be defined as “the preferential (or less than preferential) treatment on bases not directly related to qualification of the job or job performance” (Sexty, 2014). As discussed in the theory of this course, it is vital that Human Resource practices be put in place to follow Human Rights laws, and to establish ethics guidelines within a particular company. This includes, but is not limited to, employment equity and equality of opportunity. This means that employers must allow individuals or groups an even chance to respond to a condition in society. In other words, employers must consider candidates of any age when hiring and they also must do their due diligence to ensure that they are being treated fairly, once hired.

Age-based discrimination once explained the process of stereotyping a person because they were “old”. However, ageism is now “conceptualized more broadly, referring to potential prejudices and subsequent discrimination against any age group, including bias and unfairness toward employees on the grounds of being too young, as well as too old” (Palmore, 1999; Duncan, Loretto, & White, 2000; Snape & Redman, 2003).

Some of the selected articles argue that generational discrimination is a phenomenon that does not exist, due to a lack of evidence. Costanza and Finkelstein argued that there is no research to support that generational differences exist in the workplace and that and presumptions on generational bias are not factual (Costanza, D.P. & Finkelstein, L.M., 2015). To further their point, they explored research on age and period, based on individuals at a specific life stage and maturity with certain experiences. This research was intended to prove that generational discrimination does not exist however, the results showed inconsistent patterns. An opposing argument to Costanza and Finkelstein was made by Brink et al. but they too were unable to use scientific evidence to confirm or deny such a theory (Brink, Crenshaw, & Zondag, 2015). 

Backlash of Discrimination in the Workplace

Generational stereotypes are often the result of misperceptions and miscommunications. Whether they are consciously made or not, these stereotypes can prevent the acquisition of an employee or their development of talent. For this reason, it is vitally important that Human Resource professionals do not allow such discrimination to influence their decisions. As mentioned earlier, generational discrimination can have just as harmful an impact on an individual as any other type of discrimination, such as racism or sexism. When an employee is discriminated against, they often feel a sudden lack of interest in job responsibilities, career advancement, and the company’s welfare. This might result in absenteeism, disregard for others’ time, and lack of motivations to complete assignments on time. It is also common for individuals who experience this to feel anxious and unwell (Finn, L. 2017). This increases an employees’ sick days which is neither good for the individual or the company.