The good news is that fewer Americans age 50 and older appear to believe that “age discrimination is a fact of the workplace” than they did 15 years ago, according to a recent Age-Friendly Institute survey.

The organization has been conducting research with a nationally representative sample of this age group for more than a decade, and the percentage of people who answered “yes” to whether there is age discrimination in the workplace has declined over time – from 96% in 2009 to 83% in 2019 and 65% in 2024. According to the institute, the survey included 12,127 participants.

But the decline does not mean that there is no work. “In a society that is increasingly focused on equality and inclusivity, age discrimination lurks in the shadows,” the institute notes.

Workers who are now 50 or older are “healthier, better educated and make different choices about their work” than their predecessors, and they choose to stay in the workforce longer under the right conditions, according to the institute. And at a time when senior living employers are struggling to recruit and retain employees, any efforts to make the workplace more welcoming for this group should help.

Before a company can try to retain employees, it must first hire them. According to the Age-Friendly Institute, flexible working hours or the ability to work from home (where possible, of course) are one way to attract older employees. But survey respondents repeatedly told researchers about problems when they were not offered jobs – for example, after a video interview when a candidate’s age became apparent. Or, in the case of hiring managers, when they were advised not to hire candidates whose portfolio appeared to be outdated.

And working older adults told researchers that they had heard hurtful jokes from coworkers or been passed over for promotions or training because of their age.

The benefits for companies that proactively recruit and retain older workers include lower turnover rates, higher customer satisfaction and improved company culture, according to Age-Friendly Institute President Tim Driver.

And companies that don’t work to retain older employees do so at their peril. As the institute says, “From an economic perspective, age discrimination comes at a cost. The loss of experienced employees often leads to lower productivity as companies struggle to replace experienced workers with people who may lack the relevant expertise.”

If the economic aspects don’t grab your attention, maybe the regulatory issues will? The Institute notes the Equal Opportunity Employment Commission’s new enforcement plan, which focuses on addressing issues affecting older workers and other protected groups in recruiting and hiring practices.

For companies that want to become more attractive to older employees, the institute offers the “Certified Age-Friendly Employer” award. McKnights Senior Living As previously written, several of your senior living colleagues hold this designation (see the articles listed under “Related Articles” at the end of this column). These include 2Life Communities, Aegis Living, Benchmark Senior Living (recently recertified), Brio Living Services, Ecumen, Hebrew SeniorLife, Lasell Village, and Lutheran SeniorLife.

Lois A. Bowers is editor of McKnights Senior Living. Read her other columns here. Follow her on X (formerly Twitter) at Lois_Bowers.