Ageism in the workplace is alive and well.

A staggering 99% of professionals over 40 believe some degree of ageism exists at their organization, according to a survey of 1,003 American workers from MyPerfectResume. This cohort also largely believes that age-related stereotypes are a problem (81%) and that older workers are often targets of bullying (86%). 

“It was shocking to see the numbers come out, and I really hope that this is a wake-up call for organizations and people in leadership to think about,” Jasmine Escalera, a career expert for MyPerfectResume, tells Fortune. 

In an effort to avoid bias and blend in with a younger crowd, ageism is driving workers to change their behavior and hide their tenure. Many older workers (88%) admit feeling the need to adapt their behavior or language to get along better with their younger colleagues, and the vast majority (92%) say they have felt pressure to conceal their age or downplay their experience to avoid negative perceptions at work, the survey found. Another 95% say age-related stereotypes have affected whether or not they feel included at their company. 

“I think individuals who are experiencing [ageism] are feeling a lot of pressure to not necessarily showcase their age and almost assimilate or fit in,” Escalara says. 

When workers try to act younger, however, they may hide or avoid mentioning the decades of experience they’ve built up, which can actually hurt them professionally, Escalera says. She also notes that individuals are often hesitant to report this kind of discrimination because they feel they can’t trust HR, and are concerned the problem won’t be fixed.

Seven major lawsuits were filed by the EEOC during the 2024 fiscal year under the Age Discrimination in Employment Act (ADEA), which prevents age discrimination of employees over the age of 40. These included allegations of vocal harassment against older workers and instances in which employers refused to hire job candidates above a certain age.

In order to make headway on the issue, companies first need to identify it. One way to do that is through anonymous surveys, says Escalera. Hiring an outside firm to help combat workplace discrimination is also a smart move. “It’s very difficult to fix the problem internally,” she notes. 

It may also help to revisit training programs, company hiring policies, and career advancement procedures like promotions and bonuses, to ensure that a given company is not favoring a certain group of people, says Escalera. Creating mentorship programs that connect different generations can also be a great way to encourage employees to share their years of experience, she adds.

“Societal pressure is to stay very young, very fresh, and we don’t necessarily put the lens on age being one of the most important factors in the workplace and what you can bring to the table,” she says.

Brit Morse
brit.morse@fortune.com

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