How to deal with ageism (prejudice against the elderly) and age-related issues in the workplace? Today we’ll watch a few interviews with people from the companies that have introduced age-friendly policies. Their commitment to age diversity issues helped them get the best out of their employees and drive their business forward.

 

As we grow older, we must discipline ourselves to continue expanding, broadening, learning, keeping our minds active and open.

CLINT EASTWOOD

Pre-watching
The interviewees will talk about the need to dispel certain myths around younger and older workers and the way in which ageism/age discrimination can manifest itself in the workplace. Before you watch the video revise/make sure you know the following expressions:

 

Old age myths:

•   People over 60 are not very IT literate.
•   You can’t teach an old dog new tricks.
•   Older employees are likely to take more days off sick.

 

Discriminatory behavior:

•   flipping remarks/making statements about someone’s age
•   harassment
•   unjustified retirement age
•   age clauses/issues in the selection process
•   inflexible working policies
•   box-ticking*

* satisfying bureaucratic requirements rather than assessing the actual merit of something

 

Now you are ready to watch the following video:

The Modern Age - Age-discrimination in the workplace

Post-watching

Have a look at the age-related expressions and management strategies mentioned in the video. Match the verbs on the left with their collocates from the interviews.
 

1. We should implement	a. the upper age limit
2. It’s essential to remove	b. against somebody on the basis of age.
3. We need to make	c. amendments to redundancy schemes.
4. It’s illegal to discriminate	d. the law and the spirit of this age legislation.
5. The best solution is to be	e. with internal needs.
6. To drive the business forward tap	f. changes that employees go through in their live.
7. It happens that people are harassed	g. from the whole recruitment process.
8. We should remove age factort	h. by their colleagues because of age.
9. You should acknowledge the	i. into the experience of your employees.
10.Juxtapose external preconceptions	j. age neutral.

Key: 1d2a3c4b5j6i7h8g9f10e.

 

 

 

 

Maja Witowska-Rubaszek- ACT Advanced Corporate Training

Doświadczona lektorka języka angielskiego, specjalizująca się w przygotowywaniu i prowadzeniu szkoleń z zakresu Business English i ogólnego języka angielskiego dla klientów korporacyjnych. Ukończyła Nauczycielskie Kolegium Języka Angielskiego i Amerykanistykę na Uniwersytecie Warszawskim. Z ACT współpracuje od 2005 roku, prowadząc zajęcia regularne oraz szkolenia specjalistyczne dla pracowników działów HR, księgowości oraz dla finansistów, a także warsztaty z dyplomatycznych rozmów towarzyskich (tzw. small talk).

Swoim bogatym doświadczeniem dzieli się z innymi lektorami prowadząc warsztaty metodyczne w ACT oraz opracowując autorskie materiały szkoleniowe, które cieszą się wielką popularnością.