Age and the workplace

For some, ageism in the workplace has become an increasing cause for concern, especially for those that believe they have lost out because they are older workers. However, age is a valid criterion on which to assess the ability to perform some jobs. For example, physical capabilities may determine a worker’s suitability in some roles, and of course physical capability falls away with increasing age.

In what can only be described as ‘double jeopardy’ for its practitioners, the issue of age may also become entangled with sex discrimination. Certainly in media jobs, where visual presentation and image is an important element, there is evidence of gender-based ageism.  In recent years, TV news has sometimes been in the headlines for the wrong reasons because of the alleged unfavourable treatment of older female anchors.

Age and creativity

When it comes to creative endeavours, I do not believe there is an upper age limit to creativity - everyone has the ability to imagine or create original content, regardless of age. Yes, there is some substance behind the common perception that people lose their creativity as they get older, but it is not so much a product of age-related ‘mental decline’ as it is of circumstance and the effect of established behavioural patterns.

There is a tendency for people to stagnate creatively as they settle into regular routines. This is known as ‘habitual ossification’ - the process of becoming set in your ways, as such. For example, if you try a sandwich from a shop and it’s delicious, it’s likely that you will reach for that same one the next time you visit. This becomes a routine procedure in which the sandwich-eater sees no need to deviate from said meal or experiment with other options (which may be equally or more so delicious).

The same thing can occur in all aspects of life, including work. Older employees have already determined methods that work for them and established ways in which they go about their work, whereas younger staff members are still learning and  exploring their capabilities thus allowing them more room for creativity.

Experience and responsibility may limit creativity

Expertise can also be detrimental to the creative process. Older employees with years of experience under their belt are likely to be quick thinkers. Whilst this sounds like a valuable attribute (and indeed it is in many areas of work), when it comes to creativity this may be destructive. Upon receiving a problem, experienced workers who instantly ‘get’ the solution are unlikely to pursue the idea any further as they have been in the game long enough to trust their immediate judgement/answer. Granted, those initial ideas may be of the utmost use, but in terms of creativity there has been relatively little exploration of thoughts and ideas.

With age comes greater responsibility, and with greater responsibility comes a greater reluctance to take risks. From a financial perspective, more senior workers have a lot more to lose, and the prospect of straying from their tried and tested approaches is a source of uncertainty for those reliant on their steady income. Creativity in the workplace is inherently risky - of course, you may come up with a million-dollar-idea and make a small fortune, but equally, you may not.

The nature of ‘creativity’ is essentially at the employer’s discretion; often they are looking for people who can be innovative in relation to social media (especially for marketing campaigns), an area in which the older generations are less likely to be fully adept. By this unfair logic, a graduate applicant may be more suitable for a creative job over someone with 30-40 years of employment to their name.

How to make the workplace more creative for everyone

• Make the office more creative
  • Think Google and then tone it down a notch

• Ensure people are chatting with people they normally wouldn't
  • Inspiration can come from who you least expect

• Ask for five ideas each for every problem
  • Don’t let anyone settle on their first thought without having considered others

• Let staff submit their ideas anonymously
  • Allow shyer members to put their thoughts forward

• Be spontaneous and have fun
  • Have spontaneous work breaks and use them to play office games

• Periodically change the layout of the office
  • To clear away the cobwebs both metaphorically and literally

• Implement innovation teams
  • To target different problems and create a sense of jovial inter-team competition

• Recognise creative achievement
  • Create a positive environment in which all creativity is appreciated and rewarded