Jul 27, 2021
Age is just a number. But in the workplace, your age can have a
negative impact - maybe you were passed over for that promotion
because your boss thinks you’re “too young”. Or maybe you feel that
you weren’t hired for a position because the organization implied
you were “too old”. Either way - this is ageism and we need to be
more aware of it so we can address it.
In data released by the Bureau of Labor Statistics, it is predicted
that by the year 2024, workers aging 55 and older will represent 25
percent of the United States workforce. This trend will permeate
many industries - and requires developing policies and protocols
against stereotyping and age-related discrimination for people of
all ages.
In this episode of This is Getting Old podcast, I share the screen
with investor, performer, media entrepreneur and "professional mom
to startups" Randi Zuckerberg and engage in an insightful
conversation on ageism in the workplace.
Key points discussed in this episode:
✔️ The truth about aging women in tech. The culture continues that
tech startups are mainly for young people.
✔️ Why starting a business late in life can be an advantage.
Despite the industry being youth-centric, Randi posits that instead
of feeling insecure about that, entrepreneurs should think of that
as a competitive advantage with wisdom and experience to lean on.
"You have such a bigger Rolodex at age 40 than you had at age 20 of
contacts who you could hire or work with or partner or raise money
from."
✔️ Seniors have high spending power. Women at 65 and older are the
cornerstones of purchasing decisions in many households in an age
where they have disposable income from their career, and they're
using it. According to Randi, this age group is also driving so
much tech adoption and the fastest growing demographic on social
media. "I think it is a smart business decision to think about that
woman as your customer. And I think more businesses are getting
savvy to the fact that not only can they not ignore that customer,
but they should also focus a lot of their efforts on her."
Connect with Randi Zuckerberg
Randi likes to call herself "a professional mom to entrepreneurs"
because nothing gives her greater joy than working closely with
startups and founders. Through her company, Zuckerberg Media, she
has created award-winning content and experiences that educate
families and bring to light digital literacy and safety issues. She
is the best selling author of four books, producer of multiple
television shows and theater productions, and hosts a weekly radio
show on SiriusXM. Randi has been recognized with an Emmy
nomination, two Tony Awards, a Drama Desk Award, and a Kidscreen
Award. Before founding her own company, Randi was an early employee
at Facebook, where she is best known for creating Facebook Live,
now used by more than two billion people around the globe.
When she's not Facebooking or actual written-word booking, she can
be found at the theater, on the golf course (newly obsessed
golfer,) travelling the world (physically or virtually) to speak at
conferences or doing her best to unplug at home with her husband
and three children.
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/randizuckerberg/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/randizuckerberg
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/randizberg
Twitter: https://twitter.com/randizuckerberg
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About Melissa Batchelor, PhD, RN, FNP-BC, FGSA, FAAN:
I earned my Bachelor of Science in Nursing ('96) and Master of
Science in Nursing ('00) as a Family Nurse Practitioner (FNP) from
the University of North Carolina Wilmington (UNCW) School of
Nursing (SON). I genuinely enjoy working with the complex medical
needs of older adults. I worked full-time for five years as FNP in
geriatric primary care across many long-term care settings (skilled
nursing homes, assisted living, home, and office visits), then
transitioned into academic nursing in 2005, joining the faculty at
UNCW SON as a lecturer. I obtained my Ph.D. in Nursing and a
post-master's Certificate in Nursing Education from the Medical
University of South Carolina College of Nursing ('11). I then
joined the faculty at Duke University School of Nursing as an
Assistant Professor. My family moved to northern Virginia in 2015
and led to me joining the George Washington University (GW) School
of Nursing faculty in 2018 as a (tenured) Associate Professor. I am
also the Director of the GW Center for Aging, Health, and
Humanities. Please find out more about her work at https://melissabphd.com/.