Creating Positive Change With an Older Workforce
By Ellen Crane, APR, Fellow PRSA
June-July 2023
In a 2021 survey of workers ages 40 and older, 60% of respondents said they had encountered ageism in their professional lives, the research and consulting firm Werklabs found. Among those people, a whopping 75% faced age discrimination in their job searches.
Other research suggests that women experience ageism more often than men. A study in the Journal of Women & Aging found that “Ageism is a significant issue for older adults, particularly for older women.”
According to the World Health Organization, it is a global issue. “Ageism has serious and far-reaching consequences for people’s health, well-being and human rights,” the organization stated. “For older people, ageism is associated with a shorter lifespan, poorer physical and mental health, slower recovery from disability and cognitive decline… one recent estimate shows that ageism costs society billions of dollars.”
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Ellen Crane, APR, Fellow PRSA
Ellen Crane, APR, AARP member and full-time PR professional, is the owner of an independent PR consultancy in South Florida and has been a PRSA member since 1981. She also is a certified coach and founder of Women Elevated, an organization dedicated to supporting and empowering women. Connect with her on LinkedIn or visit ellencraneapr.com.
