Gendered Ageism: Understanding why midlife women leave corporates and how organisations can retain them
By Helena Wacko, Equity, Diversity & Inclusion Researcher
People are living and working longer than ever before.1 Already, women outnumber men in older age groups across global demographics.2 What does this shift mean for the future workforce? Here, ageism comes into play. Age discrimination, or ageism, manifests in various forms — both conscious and unconscious — and involves making assumptions based on a person’s age. Despite being a protected characteristic, like gender, race, religion, or disability, age bias has largely gone unchallenged and is frequently overlooked in equity, diversity and inclusion initiatives (EDI), broader intersectional research, and even public discourse.
A “systemic problem of gendered ageism”
Ageism has worsened in the wake of the pandemic; in England and Wales, the number of age discrimination claims brought to employment tribunals increased by over 30% in 2021.3 Ageism can affect anyone across the gender spectrum, however, for women in the workplace this is not a new issue — because ageism, like other forms of bias, is rarely gender-neutral. Research has highlighted how women in leadership roles continue to face ageism at every stage of their careers, and how ageism and sexism intersect to create a “double whammy.” This results in a persistent perception that there is “no right age” for professional women and a so-called “never the right time” bias.4 As a result, professional women are perpetually seen as either too young or too old, but never exactly right.
Midlife women, in particular, face a combination of sexist and ageist assumptions that often force them to step down — or worse, leave the workforce altogether. Dr. Lucy Ryan highlights this “systemic problem of gendered ageism” in Revolting Women: Why midlife women are walking out, and what to do about it. Paradoxically, this occurs just as many women are being freed from family responsibilities and are positioned to make significant strides into more senior roles — essentially when they are at the height of their careers. Yet, ageist myths persist around midlife working women, such as a false “decline” narrative that deems them unsuitable to continue.5 These assumptions and societal expectations about older women are powerful and may even become internalised, in turn, risking a self-fulfilling prophecy. Ultimately, the stepping down or out not only diminishes women’s post-retirement savings but also contributes to their underrepresentation in senior roles; globally, women hold fewer than a quarter of board seats.6
Midlife women want to advance — “not out, down, or sideways, but up”
Dr. Ryan also discusses why midlife is a particularly critical juncture for women’s careers, marked by a convergence of biological, social, and psychological transformations. Challenges such as menopause, older motherhood, and caring for aging parents — which typically occurs according to traditional gendered caregiving patterns — create a perfect storm that inadvertently pushes midlife women into that perceived stereotype of decline. Menopause can be a significant challenge in the workplace with serious symptoms limiting workplace performance and wellbeing. In the UK, 80% of women experience menopause during their working lives, yet many workplaces lack adequate support and adjustments to accommodate this transition.7 However, Ryan’s survey revealed that these challenges do not equate to a desire to exit their careers. On the contrary, 70% of the women surveyed wanted to advance, “not out, down, or sideways, but up”.8 This finding, supported by other research, underscores that midlife women wish to reject the decline narrative and instead seek flexible solutions to navigate the challenges of this stage in their lives, while still pursuing career growth. If they cannot find this within their current organisations, they are prepared to seek it elsewhere — or even create it on their own.
A triple threat: The compounding experience of ageist discrimination
Crucially, research has also shown how ageism not only sits at the intersection of gender, but also race. For black women and women of colour, this intersection creates a “triple threat” of potential bias and discrimination, where the compounding effects of ageism, racism, and sexism can severely impact mental health and job satisfaction.9 For instance, a 2022 UK study found that while older White British and Black British individuals face job constraints and lower pay compared to younger White peers, Black British women experience the highest levels of age discrimination.10 This pattern reflects broader prejudices and stereotypical beliefs that unfairly devalue the capabilities and performance of women and racial minorities.
A quiet departure
Despite evidence, this phenomenon remains underdiscussed. Stepping down into so-called “great aunt responsibilities” — such as overseeing or mentoring — or quitting often happens quietly. As Dr. Ryan aptly notes, “the disappearance of middle-aged women from our organisations is enabled through silence”.11 And, when lawsuits or criticisms do arise, they receive minimal attention, reflecting society’s reluctance to address midlife women’s needs. This silence is further compounded by the exhaustion many women feel after a lifetime of navigating a system not designed for their success. A lifetime of gender prejudice, combined with mounting challenges like menopause, can lead to overwhelming fatigue.
Recommendations for organisations
The silence surrounding gendered ageism must be confronted. To build a more inclusive and effective workforce, managers need to actively identify and eliminate ageist biases, particularly those affecting midlife women. What steps can your organisation take to address and eradicate gendered ageism, ensuring that midlife women within your workforce can truly thrive?
- Integrate age into EDI initiatives: Include ageism and its intersections with other biases (e.g., sexism, racism) in your EDI strategies. Use intersectional data to identify at-risk groups for exclusion in promotions, pay, training and more. Update communications and training to address how intersectional microaggressions result in compounding damage.
- Revise recruitment and promotion practices: Eliminate age-related biases by ensuring job descriptions and recruitment processes are inclusive and value experience regardless of age. Use language and imagery that counteracts ageism and avoid unnecessary requirements that might cause self-deselection. Use positive action where appropriate and explicitly share efforts to address biases in the process.
- Conduct regular check-ins and career discussions: Implement routine check-ins with midlife employees to understand their unique midlife career barriers, challenges and aspirations. These conversations should focus on career goals and how to best support the worker’s needs.
- Implement a menopause policy: Ensure a comprehensive policy that considers needs in all life stages, including menopause. Outline potential workplace adjustments for menopause and provide clear guidance on symptoms for awareness.
- Monitor and evaluate workplace culture: Regularly assess policies and culture to identify and address ageism, using methods like listening exercises to gather feedback. This helps reveal the depth of issues and provides powerful data for senior leadership to dismantle stigmas. Gathering feedback also prevents assumptions about the needs of aging employees, ensuring policies are relevant and supportive. Use this data to measure progress and adjust practices accordingly.
- Promote flexible work arrangements: Offer flexible working options to accommodate the diverse needs of all workers across life stages — including midlife workers — such as part-time roles, remote work, and adjusted schedules, to help them balance their professional and personal responsibilities effectively.
Shape Talent are gender equity specialists, providing strategy consulting, women’s development programmes and a suite of resources to help your organisation accelerate gender equity. If you’d like to discuss how we might support your organisation’s gender equity strategy, do get in touch.
Helena Wacko is an Equity, Diversity & Inclusion Researcher at Shape Talent, the equity, diversity and inclusion experts for complex multinational organisations who are serious about gender equality – and what it can achieve for their business.
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References
2 https://www.pewresearch.org/short-reads/2022/08/31/global-population-skews-male-but-un-projects-parity-between-sexes-by-2050/#:~:text=Because%20of%20these%20patterns%2C%20females,to%20be%2054%25%20by%202050.
3 https://www.theguardian.com/money/2021/may/31/ageism-work-tribunal-claims-soar-covid-lockdown
4 https://hbr.org/2023/06/women-in-leadership-face-ageism-at-every-age
5 https://books.google.no/books/about/Revolting_Women.html?id=9xmHEAAAQBAJ&redir_esc=y
6 https://www.deloitte.com/global/en/about/press-room/deloitte-global-latest-women-in-the-boardroom-report.html
7 https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/no-time-to-step-back-the-governments-menopause-employment-champion/no-time-to-step-back-the-governments-menopause-employment-champion
8 https://books.google.no/books/about/Revolting_Women.html?id=9xmHEAAAQBAJ&redir_esc=y
9 https://www.forbes.com/sites/sheilacallaham/2022/10/31/age-race-and-gender-create-a-triple-threat-of-workplace-bias/
10 https://www.iza.org/publications/dp/15567/a-field-study-of-age-discrimination-in-the-workplace-the-importance-of-gender-and-race-pay-the-gap
11 https://books.google.no/books/about/Revolting_Women.html?id=9xmHEAAAQBAJ&redir_esc=y