According to new Harvard Business Review research, women encounter age prejudice at all stages of their professions. As they enter middle age, women are seen as being too youthful, too preoccupied with family, or past their prime. The study polled female executives from a variety of industries, revealing the widespread problem of gendered ageism in the workplace.

Working women frequently struggle with balancing a profession and a personal family life. It's critical to emphasize good time management and flexible work arrangements like remote or flexible hours to manage this balancing act.

Delegating chores at home might also help relieve some of the stress. Collaboration with spouses and including older children in domestic duties can help to achieve a more peaceful and satisfying work-life balance.

GWL explores the study to enlighten your thoughts about women being occupied with not-so-work friendly environment. The survey provides a grim picture, indicating that women are never regarded to be at the appropriate age for leadership positions.

Women face prejudices in their jobs that label them as too young, too involved in family duties, or too near to retirement. The study surveyed 913 female executives from various industries, highlighting the prevalent and distressing issue of gendered ageism in the workplace.

This new study shines light on an often-overlooked hurdle in a society where women try to smash the glass ceiling: gendered ageism. The Harvard Business Review study methodically investigated the experiences of 913 female executives in four key U.S. industries: higher education, faith-based charities, law, and healthcare.

What emerged was a disappointing reality: women are continually regarded as being too young for leadership positions.

Here, what the study reveals. Have a look!

The data reflect an unsettling tendency that cuts across industries. Younger female leaders, those under 40, were frequently misidentified as support workers. Instead of being treated with the dignity their jobs demanded, they were referred to as 'missy' or 'kiddo.' This not only undermined their authority, but also highlighted the fundamental bias against women in positions of power.

Women of colour had credibility issues, forcing them to provide lengthy descriptions of their credentials during introductions to substantiate their qualifications. The experience of continuously being questioned and undercut stifles the progress of these outstanding people.

Women between the ages of 40 and 60 faced a new set of prejudices as they approached middle age. They were unfairly saddled with the perception that they had too many family duties, making them "difficult to manage." Menopause was shockingly used as a reason for avoiding recruiting older women, furthering age-based discrimination.

Women beyond the age of 60, on the other hand, found themselves in a catch-22 predicament. They were seen to be too near to retirement to invest in their professional development, ultimately stalling their career advancement. This prejudice reveals that there is no ideal age for a woman to take on a leadership role at work.

No Ideal Age for Female Leadership

This study's consequences are vast and alarming. While men in their 40s and 50s are often perceived as having the knowledge and skill to flourish in their jobs, women confront a starkly different picture. Women at similar career phases are frequently perceived as less skilled, less important to the business, and less capable of taking on leadership roles. This stark gap demonstrates that there is no optimal age for a woman to want to be a leader.

Amber Stephenson, one of the report's co-authors and a professor of management at Clarkson University, captures the essence of the issue succinctly, stating, "Being perceived as less competent or less valuable to the organization, less innovative, not promotable, or less capable of assuming leadership responsibilities," reflects the gendered ageism that is deeply embedded in our workplaces.

Unlike earlier concepts of 'sweet spot' in a woman's career when she is seen as the most talented or experienced, the research unambiguously states that no such 'sweet spot' exists. Women face systemic disadvantages at all stages of their professional careers.

Leanne Dzubinski, a co-author of the paper and a leadership professor at Asbury Theological Seminary, emphasizes the importance of tackling this issue. She contends that removing gendered ageism from the workplace necessitates a thorough reworking of organizational cultures, structures, and preconceptions. It is not simply a matter of changing attitudes; it is also a matter of changing the core fabric of how firms operate.

'Flip it to Test it': Challenging Age-Based Biases

Leanne promotes the 'flip it to test it' strategy, which encourages leaders to examine their prejudices. She suggests that if a woman is passed over for a job because of her age, executives should consider if they would make the same decision about a male colleague. If younger males are seen as having promise but younger women are disregarded as 'too young,' and older men are praised for their knowledge and wisdom while older women are dismissed as 'beyond their prime,' then gendered ageism is at work.

The researchers provide a light of optimism by claiming that gendered ageism is not an insurmountable issue. We have the expertise and the resources to deal with it. They argue that it is the role of organizational leaders to establish inclusive and equal work environments. Leaders may pave the path for women to flourish in leadership roles at any stage of their careers by questioning and correcting age-based prejudices.

 

“Kuddos to all the working-women out there! Gratitude abounds for those incredible women who effortlessly balance their careers and personal lives, proving that strength and grace are woven into the fabric of every day”