In Part Three of our series on ageism, Jacqueline Freeman from the movement 58 & Unapologetic explains issues with unfair hiring systems, floats some possible solutions to ageism to spark conversations, asks for ideas from others, and explains why combating ageism is hugely important not just to individuals but also to our economy
In Part One of our series on ageism, we spoke to Jacqueline Freeman – the Auckland woman whose LinkedIn platform and movement #58andUnapologetic has gained more than 20,000 followers in less than a year – about the issue of ageism in general, including her personal story. In Part Two, Jacqueline – who has received tens of thousands of messages on LinkedIn – told us about the huge toll ageism is taking on people’s mental health.
That leads us to the next question – the biggest question. What can we do about it? Because yes, we can do something.
Unfair Hiring Systems
Let’s start with how hiring happens.
In Part 2, we briefly mentioned the problems with AI-powered automatic tracking systems [ATS], which can work out your age and prevent you progressing to an interview stage.
I ask Jacqueline how the age bias comes about. “The ATS is fed that information by a human being, who is likely a younger person,” Jacqueline says. “So their personal bias is fed into the system.”
So, she adds, the people being interviewed and ultimately hired, may not be the strongest candidates.
Also, more and more companies are implementing one-way video interviews. “As an applicant, you’ve got to record yourself responding to a series of questions in a very short time period. It’s demeaning. Horrendous. Almost everyone who has done it never wants to again. I’ve got lots of DMs from women in particular, fearful that their recordings will make them a laughing stock at a Christmas party. And one-way video interviews don’t mean you’re getting the best person – you’re getting the person best able to act in front of a screen.”
Hiring shouldn’t become theatre.
Jacqueline would like to see automatic tracking systems change markedly, and to see one-way video interviews ditched. “Even with an improved AI system, it’s unlikely it could go far enough to find that right person.”
Hiring decisions need to be made by humans, who devote more time and more scrutiny to finding the right person.
Jacqueline, who speaks to recruiters about these issues, would also like to speak to more employers.
“The hardest thing is to start changing the beliefs of employers around ageing. Some employers have contacted me saying that they have made changes, as a result of following my work. I’d like any employer to ask me what they can do. Just DM me. They should know that I’m not asking them to favour someone who’s 50 or above. I’m asking for them to practice true equality. That could mean that a younger person or an older person gets the job – it’s just about finding the best person for the job.”
So what about self-employment as a solution? It works for Jacqueline, who runs Lone Wolf Media, advising organisations on media strategy and placement. As part of her portfolio work, she’s General Manager of Communications at ThinkTV, leading industry communications for New Zealand’s television broadcasters
“Lots of people say, ‘oh, self-employment is the way to go’. It’s been the way for me. It’s great, but it doesn’t suit everyone. Self-employment should not be the panacea for a broken system.”
The Silver Economy
On a personal level, not getting a job because of ageism is soul-destroying. At a societal and economic level, the ripple effects of ageism will be devastating. Why? Because we’re ageing out people who are important to the economy.
Between 35% and 50% of the Western world’s population is aged 50 or over, Jacqueline says. “That number is increasing every day. Not one government in the Western world is prepared for it. Something has to change because we’re heading headlong into a crisis. We’re reaching a critical state where we can’t afford our country’s own pension schemes. And that pension is an amount that can’t sustain someone financially. So let’s have older people working, contributing to the economy.”
Last year, The Independent story ‘Baby Boomers Urged To Stay In Work As 70 Is The New 50’ said that the International Monetary Fund “coined the term ‘silver economy’ to refer to the rising opportunities of an elderly working population as the average of the world’s population is projected to increase by 11 years between 2020 and then end of the century.”
The story adds that the IMF “warned that governments in debt could not afford to let this growing number of fit and sharp older people go into a long retirement, instead suggesting that these people should be encouraged to stay in work to offset a growing imbalance between workers and retirees.”
So combating ageism is very important for everyone.
An Army
Jacqueline wants you to join the movement. “I’m a big voice, but I’m only one person. I collaborate with Stuart Neilson in the U.K. and Annette Magnusson in Sweden. We share each other’s work, ideas and thinking. But what if we get an army of people speaking out, and talking about what we’re going to do about ageism?”
If you want a place to start contemplating this, see one of Jacqueline’s LinkedIn posts, called ‘What Are The Real Solutions To Age Bias? Where Do We Start?’.
Naming the problem is not difficult, she writes.
“What matters now is how we fix it.”
“Gen X and Baby Boomers are the most educated and adaptive generations in history. We moved analogue to digital, paperwork to AI, local markets to global ones. We are still learning and fully capable of contributing. My own mother is self employed at 78 (and by the way, she is sharp as a tack).”
“Employers say they cannot fill capability gaps. At the same time, experienced professionals are ready to work but do not get a fair opportunity because of assumptions about age.”
“So let’s move into practical territory.”
Floating ideas
In her LinkedIn post, Jacqueline asks people for ideas on how to fix the issue. As a starting point, she floats six ideas, not saying these are necessarily the answers, but wanting to know what other people think of them.
• Should companies publish the age mix of their workforce, just as they report gender?
• Should recruitment software be reviewed so experienced applicants are not screened out by age?
• Should clear commercial data be gathered showing how mixed age teams perform best?
• Should roles be redesigned so experience, judgement and mentoring are formally recognised and valued?
• Would government policy help, or would customer and investor pressure move faster?
• Should we build stronger advisory and experience led firms that do not rely entirely on traditional hiring systems?
Jacqueline wants others to contribute to the discussion. Might these ideas make a difference? Might something else?
Because, as she writes in the post, raising awareness does not automatically change behaviour. “Legislation by itself may not solve it either. If we are the most experienced and cognitively capable generation in history, then surely we can design practical steps that make our value visible and measurable.”
“Over the next five years, what would genuinely change hiring decisions where you live? Be specific. Challenge this. Add better ideas. Repost if you believe this debate needs to travel further. If we are operating at our cognitive best, then let’s prove it by designing the answers ourselves.”
So far, 152 people from around the world have commented on this post.
Executive leadership coach Kathryn Sandford commented: “I see this play out at leadership tables all the time. Capability is rarely the issue. Often it is stronger than ever. What is outdated is the way we are assessing value. Many of our hiring systems are still built on assumptions about decline rather than data. If organisations want to shift this, they need to measure what actually matters. Quality of judgement. Stability under pressure. Long term impact.”
In another comment, executive-reset coach Isabel Hood says: “this articulates the problem so clearly, Jacqueline Freeman: our biology and cognition have moved on, but workplace assumptions haven’t. Dynamic Ageing means recognising that judgement, pattern recognition and strategic thinking peak later – not earlier. Publishing age data, redesigning roles and valuing experience formally all feel like practical, measurable steps toward healthier, longer working lives. This debate absolutely needs to travel further.”
Meanwhile, Brazilian longevity expert Eliane Kreisler commented: “Jacqueline Freeman, [yours is] an important reflection. We are living the Longevity Revolution and, despite cultural differences, the challenges described are very similar to those we face today in Brazil.”
“The Brazilian reality reveals the same paradox: while longevity is increasing and education levels are rising, professionals aged 50+ show strong adaptability from analog to digital and now to AI, yet the labour market still operates with outdated mindsets shaped by a narrative of decline.”
“I work with longevity, career transition and generational diversity through my consulting practice and the LongeTalks YouTube channel. In this work, I meet experienced, up-to-date professionals willing to contribute, but who still face invisible barriers in recruitment, organizational culture and management practices.”
“The challenge is not a lack of capability, but the need to update systems and narratives. More than discussion, we need concrete actions: transparency around generational diversity, visibility of multigenerational team results, strengthening intergenerational leadership, reviewing selection processes and expanding more flexible work models based on projects and consulting.”
“Longevity is already transforming society,” Eliane adds. “Now work needs to change too.”
Let’s start here
Jacqueline would like New Zealand to be a lighthouse for the rest of the world. “We were the first country to give women the vote. Why can’t we be the first country to truly practice equality rather than ageism in the workforce?”
Jacqueline acknowledges that bringing about change might take a while. In the meantime what can individuals experiencing ageism do? “Often people message me or comment on one of my posts saying, ‘I’m 65 and unapologetic’ or ‘I’m 83 and unapologetic’. So, I would say, be your own unapologetic self. Be proud of your age. Don’t hide from it. It’s actually your superpower. If you believe in your self-worth, that’s a great place to start. I would love people to believe that age is not to be feared, because you have got so much ahead of you.”
*If you have a personal story to tell about experiencing ageism, (anonymous is fine), or ideas for how to change things, please email hello@capsulenz.com
* Follow #58&Unapologetic on LinkedIn or Instagram. Listen to Jacqueline’s podcast 58 & Unapologetic here and visit 58andunapologetic.com to join the movement