Dr. Lisa Toppin, Global Head of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Illumina Inc.
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In 1979, Brenda Russell released an R&B song called "Think it Over." The lyrics “Ageless minds attract each other. / Learn from love and not from numbers. / Think it over...” resonate with me because I believe we have something to learn from these words. As business and HR leaders, we need to consider that when we factor age and dismiss someone because they are older, we might miss out on something special.
I watched Tom Brady almost mount another stunning victory in the most recent NFL playoffs. The conversation following the Buccaneers’ loss quickly turned to Tom’s age and his intention to keep playing or retire. He has now answered that question, and we will celebrate his well-earned retirement. This is a prime example for the business industry, though, prompting us to ask: What does age mean in the workplace, and how do we consider it? Better yet, should we even consider it at all?
Brady's example gives a great view that an “older” worker can deliver great value well beyond the point that others might believe they can. It shows how outcomes are individually driven. We know age discrimination happens and is often not seen because everyone is largely considering age the same way. When do “older workers” get by the discriminatory gauntlet?
The answer can be found in three variables: their level, their time served and the perception of their contributions. Exploring how these variables impact our thinking can help us be more inclusive of our maturing workforce.
Consider your Baby Boomer employees who occupy junior levels in the organization, and you will quickly see how the level of position, time served and perception of contribution significantly influence how these employees are perceived. Senior-level positions in the workplace are usually expected to be filled by Baby Boomers or Gen Xers, since they typically have the work experience it takes to lead at that level. This outcome does not tug at our sensibilities about who fits where.
Consider the Baby Boomer or early Gen Xer who holds a junior position. Without saying it, some might immediately conclude that this person is not smart enough to hold a more senior position and thus discount that person. For instance, one person shared with me that she was not considered for her company’s mentoring program because of her age and level. She explained how her family needs drove her career decisions, and she chose less responsibility at work to manage more responsibility at home since she was a caregiver.
How many people have had to make these choices? How many feel discounted because we still hold preconceived notions about age and achievement? Place is most often dictated by circumstances, not by capability.
Given our current war for talent, we can’t afford to discount and discard people. It has never been right to do so, but I believe we still need to proactively reframe our perceptions that still linger. I’m not saying the New England Patriots might have been better off with an aging Tom Brady over their other choices. I am saying the Buccaneers have had more post-season success than the Patriots have since Tom left. The guy could still perform.
Time served is another influential variable, where a worker who has so much organizational history that their archival history can take on mystical powers. It is not uncommon to treat this person as though they hold certain trade secrets that the organization could not survive without. Whether it is true or not, people take comfort in knowing the information is there, just in case. It also gives the holder of said information a certain power — different than senior-seat power, but power nonetheless. If an employee does not have much longevity or did not serve in a capacity that allows them to have historical knowledge, then time works against them. You either become special because of your senior position or special because you have archival, organizational history. If you have neither, you could very likely run into some marginalization.
Contribution is our third variable. What do we expect of the contributions from Baby Boomers and Gen Xers in organizations? Simple — their contributions must be extraordinary.
To avoid marginalization, older workers in junior roles might feel like they have to outshine everyone. They might feel that people should regularly talk about how good their performance is since that’s a tell-tale sign you have achieved the legendary status needed to thwart being overlooked. Our mental model tells us that people who are a standout at a job might do it for decades. Tom Brady is a prime example as he is considered one of the greatest quarterbacks of all time.
The best way to understand this is to test it in your network. Explore your immediate assumptions about people and dig into the conclusions you draw. We know that everyone matters and that more experience is valuable, yet we struggle to apply it universally. We look for our mature colleagues to fit into one of three buckets — high level, niche and the extraordinary. Unfortunately, these buckets don’t capture the expanse of our talent and we can no longer afford to look past great people because of age.
We are working with an antiquated mental map. It’s time to upload new thinking, which really should value diversity and seek to include everyone. Our challenge is not to look past talent because we are expecting a certain package. Russell’s lyrics remind us to clear our minds of what we think we know by what we see and anchor in what we do know by what we experience. Let’s hit the “you matter” button for everyone, pivot away from asking about retirement and instead ask how you can help with the work.
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