June is Pride Month, thirty days in which to advocate for – and indeed celebrate – the LGBTQ+ community. And while Pride Month focuses
on LGBTQ+ issues such as discrimination and inequality, June is also Age Without Apology Month, a month in which to celebrate age and aging.
And this means that when it comes to discrimination
and inequality there’s another group to consider: older workers – whether they want to stay in the workplace, or whether, especially in these cost-of-living crisis days, they have no other choice.
One of the objectives of Pride Month is equality in employment for the LGBTQ+ community, and even though Age Without Apology Month started as a skincare company’s promotion I hope it will, in years to come, keep drawing our attention to the discrimination faced by older employees.
This discrimination includes unfair treatment during the hiring process, age-based stereotyping, and unwarranted limitations on their career prospects.
By addressing age-related discrimination, we can speed up the progress towards an inclusive society that values individuals of all ages, sexual orientations, and backgrounds, particularly - from an HR point of view at least – within the workplace.
Inclusive workplaces are a key focus during Pride Month when organisations of all sizes are encouraged to create an environment embracing diversity and providing safety and acceptance for LGBTQ+ employees.
And creating a diverse and inclusive working environment also means creating an environment where the skills and experience of older workers are accepted and appreciated.
Promoting diversity and inclusivity in the workplace offers benefits for employees and employers alike, and by understanding the connection between challenges faced by older workers and the goals of Pride Month, we can get closer to becoming a society that celebrates diversity, respects individuals of any age and sexual orientation, and ensures equal opportunities for all.