Enough of the "Us vs. Them"! It's time to ditch outdated thinking about older workers and DO SOMETHING (Part 2)

What is "Us vs. Them"?

In 2017, I was part of the first group of 12 people that FrameWorks Institute trained in reframing aging, based on its research about how people thought about older adults and aging in the U.S., or in their words, our "cultural models."

One strong cultural model was "us vs. them". As FrameWorks describes it:

The Us vs. Them model contributes to the idea of separate fates for older Americans and structures zero-sum thinking. Separating older Americans off as “other” opens a space for thinking, at best, about the concerns and needs of older Americans as somehow distinct from those of the rest of us. At worst, this can contribute to zero-sum thinking wherein policy discussions around aging become characterized as fights for limited resources in which more for “them” means less for “us.”

Soon after returning from the training, I facilitated my first workshop on Reframing Aging, explaining us vs. them as well as the other patterns of thinking about aging and older adults.

After the workshop, a longtime friend approached me, asking:

Well, Janine, if we as older people stay in the workforce, aren't we taking jobs away from younger people?

I paused and looked at her, this force of nature social change agent who led a premier advocacy organization, and is nationally known for her expertise in hunger and designing effective systems change strategies. I asked:

So, let's say you stepped down to make way for someone. Who would demonstrate to the young people who come through your offices how to navigate systems and influence elected officials? Would people experiencing food insecurity be better off? Why would that be a good idea?

I'm grateful that seven years later, she's still at it, taking names and making change.

I've thought of this story several times in the last few weeks, as opinion pieces appeared in the Washington Post and in Axios with these headlines:

As a champion for age inclusion in the workplace, and one who understands its real benefits, I have to say "here we go again" and encourage all of us to say "not us, not here." Here's why.

This playbook is old and outdated

• We've seen it expressed throughout history in anti-immigrant policies, with charges that immigrants are taking "American" jobs.
• As the country industrialized, we saw it in the rise of mandatory retirement policies to make way for younger workers.
• We saw it post World War II, when women who had worked in the factories and other industries to support the war effort were encouraged to go back home and engage in homemaking activities.

Why we need to rethink and reject this

1. We are living in a time of rapid demographic change. Across the world, the population is aging, a function of both advances in public health and science, as well as declining birth rates. Regardless of monthly ups and downs in job growth, long term, we need workers of ALL ages if we are going to have a strong economy.
2. It's ageist. Demonstrating this form of prejudice against older adults in the workplace is ageism, pure and simple. And companies that choose to act on this form of prejudice can be sued for workplace age discrimination.
3. It's self defeating. I speak and write frequently about the business case for older workers and intergenerational teams, and facilitate workshops for employers on effectively leveraging the benefits of multigenerational workplaces. Simply stated, age inclusion is good for business, resulting in more creativity, better team problem solving, higher productivity and profitability. And not to mention the ability to tap into the longevity economy and the market it represents.

What can we do

We can all learn more about the benefits of age inclusion and age equity, so that we are prepared to refute this outdated thinking when it pops up (and it will again).

Here are a few upcoming workshops that I'll be appearing at.

• My friends at the Center for Workforce Inclusion and CWI Labs are hosting an Equity Summit, which will be livestreamed, on September 24. You can learn more and register here.
• I'll be speaking at my friend Sheila Callaham 's Global Fall Forum on October 15. You can learn more and register here.

And here are a few terrific books to read:

• Susan Golden 's Stage, Not Age
• Dr. Joe Coughlin 's The Longevity Economy
• Bradley Schurman 's The Super Age

Together, we can end ageism.

? Janine Vanderburg, 2024.

Janine is a trainer in #ReframingAging, and frequently speaks on the Business Case for Older Workers and Intergenerational Teams, and on Ending Ageism Together.