Related Posts
More Posts
New to Fishbowl?
Download the Fishbowl app to
unlock all discussions on Fishbowl.
unlock all discussions on Fishbowl.
This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.
Download the Fishbowl app to unlock all discussions on Fishbowl.
Copy and paste embed code on your site

Scan your QR code to download
Fishbowl app on your mobile

I don’t buy the excuse that it’s about money. I make the same money as fellow CDs who are 15 years younger, and I run more accounts. But it’ll most likely be me they point to in a lay-off. Simply because I’m 15 years older.
I feel like the younger generation is wising up and realizing that working at agencies is bad long-term career. My hope is that there’s a huge talent shortage coming and agencies will realize the error of their ways. One can hope...sigh
There’s already a shortage of young talent across the country in some departments like Business Affairs/Talent Management. Not many people in their 20s and 30s. So one area where experience is winning and actually driving up the salary for “older” folks.
Discrimination against pregnant or disabled people wasn’t illegal until lots of people fought really hard to convince lawmakers that those things were wrong. We have some protections against ageism but certainly more should be done, and it means making a stronger case.
Ageism is rampant in this industry and yes, there should be a mass movement to combat this. I know for sure I was booted out of my last shop for being in my 40's. It's just as hurtful as sexism or any "ism".
Simple answer, yes, the industry has lost touch with this. Or maybe better said, never been in touch with the issue.
There are a number of industry movements and organizations, both within individual companies and industry-wide, that have addressed sexism and are proactively working to fix generational industry issues.
Disabilities are certainly not as common, but fill out any application for a job and you quickly see that there are proactive legal measures to ensure that people with disabilities get a fair crack at employment.
Nothing wrong with either of the above.
But what you will find is that rights for older employees don’t really kick in until your company is pushing you out the door, and these rights are more procedural/a set of steps they have to follow to protect their own hides.
It’s easy to say that there can and should be legal recourse, but any (at least recent) examples of legal action in our industry have been taken by very well established senior level executives that frankly have the financial means to sustain that costly and risky process. And, rightly or wrongly, these folks don’t tend to garner a ton of grassroots support or sympathy.
I also don’t think the issue is money in most cases. Sometimes it is with very highly compensated individuals, but not for the middle/upper (non exec) types. But that’s a different post altogether.
Its the difference between the public/legal argument (aka what a company would try to get away with saying is the reason... aka money or “best way to serve clients”) vs the perceived feeling of the person on the shit end of the stick.
The arguments do get made—and its not that theres no truth to it, its just a question of whether the company can look anyone in the face and say those arguments are more important than how they affect the employees’ lives.
Yes