My age has never been a huge deal to me.
But, turning 60 this year, gave me cause to reflect. My life doesn’t exactly mirror the life of what I thought a typical 60-year-old’s life would look like.
Retirement is not on my current agenda – or even in the near future – but it also struck me that it’s not going to be easy to get employed. Despite strides in gender equality and changing mindsets due to an aging population, subtle biases still permeate workplaces, especially in Singapore.
We are all aware of glass ceilings in society, that unacknowledged discriminatory barrier preventing certain people from rising up in an organisation into leadership roles. In most cases, it’s usually women or members of racial minorities.
Now, with Singapore’s population pyramid growing ever heavier at the top, there is an additional factor thrown into the mix: Age.
Advertisement
The Truth About Ageism: It’s More Common Than We Think
As it is, the subject of age is already a sensitive issue. Imagine how much worse it can be when discrimination at the workplace comes into play.
Ageism plays out like this – someone, usually an older employee, is perceived to be less capable of a task, or less “trainable” because of their age. They are assumed to be “set in their ways”, “past their prime”, or “over the hill”.
These common phrases are baked into our everyday vernacular and therefore, sear ageism into our subconscious thinking. It’s no wonder that ageism remains one of the most under-recognised unconscious biases, even today.
Even seniors like us are guilty of it. When then-Deputy Prime Minister Heng Swee Keat decided to step aside, age (a short runway) was one of the reasons he cited. And how often have you handed over your handphone to a younger relative or friend, just because “they know how to do it faster”?
The consequences of ageism go beyond stifled employment
Singaporeans have the distinction of being one of the world’s longest living people. Our average life expectancy has soared in a generation – from 59.4 in 1957, to 80.6 in 2016 for men, and from 63.2 to 85.1 for women, according to Singapore’s National Statistical Office.
Birth rates have been declining. Singapore’s total fertility rate dropped to a historic low of 0.97 last year. For a population to continue in a sustainable fashion, the birth rate has to be 2.1.
Given this decline, it seems ever more important to keep the older workers employed, for as long as they are willing and able, to contribute to the economy and enable them to secure the retirement adequacy they deserve.
This reduces the potential financial burden on the Gen X-ers, many of whom are already sandwiched between raising children and caring for aged parents. Those on the upper end of the scale might even be facing ageism themselves.
This kind of stress has very real consequences. Ageism affects health and it can contribute to depression. Over the long term, these attitudes shorten lives.
Ageism cuts both ways
On the flip side, younger employees are experiencing their own form of ageism – where they are considered misinformed or naïve, with opinions dismissed as the folly of youth.
This can be detrimental to confidence building, especially in our young workforce.
It can also lead to inadequate succession planning, where budding leaders aren’t given the mentorship they might need to excel, and are left in the lurch when senior leadership has to take a sudden backseat.
Silvers can add a silver lining to the workplace
Now that we’ve made strides forward in terms of female participation at the workplace, it is time to examine our attitudes towards both older and younger employees and embrace multi-generational diversity at the office.
Singapore’s only resource is its people. Finding ways to utilise this key resource, who have accrued decades of experience and skills in their respective industries, should be a priority.
Government policies like the slashed CPF contribution rates after 55, and raised retirement and reemployment ages (which will be going up to 65 and 70 respectively by 2030) are a double-edged sword.
They are well-meaning policies aimed at improving senior employability – but they also reinforce the insidious belief that older workers are worth less.
It certainly doesn’t help that we are regularly bombarded with images and language in the media about disease and disability that might have reinforced the notion that life after 60 can only go downhill.
In a country that’s trying to promote active ageing, it would not sit well if workers were at risk of age-based discrimination for nearly half of their working lives.
We have our own part to play in all this too. Even as we age, we need to keep empowering ourselves with knowledge, skills, and confidence. Don’t be afraid to lean into your ambition and advocate for your worth, at any age.
I will not be winding down. I’m not stepping away. On the contrary, I’m taking everything I love and bringing it closer, albeit in slightly different capacities.
I’ve always embraced challenges as opportunities for growth, and that every step forward is a step toward shattering that glass ceiling. It’s the same me, just with new adventures, new perspectives and new altitudes.
And one more bonus? At 60, I received the PAssion Silver Concession Card which gives me discounted fares on Singapore’s public transportation on both buses and MRT. My 60s could well be my best period in life, yet.
