C
Comment | Catalyst
The newest age-old problem
W
hen the #MeToo
movement
gained traction
in late 2017,
the impact it
would have on consumers and brands
could never have been predicted.
Less than two years on, companies
such as Nike, Dove and Gillette have
committed to addressing sexism and
gender equality in their advertising,
while the Black Lives Matter campaign
has sparked its own moment of
corporate enlightenment.
But as companies become more
attuned to minority groups, will another
type of less obvious discrimination
form the next wave of the diversity
movement? One in three people
currently living in the UK will celebrate
their 100th birthday. In 2014, the
average age in the UK exceeded 40
for the first time and, according to the
Office for National Statistics, by 2040,
one in four people will be 65 or over.
In the workplace, while more
than 10 million workers are over 50,
only last year, the UK government
and the Equality and Human Rights
Commission were heavily criticised by
a select committee for not adequately
enforcing age-discrimination laws,
effectively locking over a million people
over 50 out of the jobs market.
From our own research, we expect
both consumers and brands to become
more aware of the need to rethink
assumptions around ageing. There is
no single way in which we age, and as
with other diverse communities, brands
must accept that one size does not fit all.
Businesses that stake a claim to
having a social purpose will have
to become more inclusive of all
communities, including the ageing
population. As a culture we have tended
to shy away from the reality of an ageing
population, promoting youthfulness.
Yet, to remain relevant, businesses will
have to embrace older people’s needs.
There is, however, a long way to go.
In Sweden, where over 60s make up a
quarter of the population, a 2018 study
of representation in the media, found
that this group occupied a mere 5%
share of total ‘media buzz’ in 2014.
From beauty products to clothing,
to tech, as our society ages, marketing
the concept of newness to a younger
consumer will no longer be financially
viable. Businesses will have to choose
between pursuing an ageless approach,
in which products are designed to work
for anyone, or tailoring products and
services to appeal to older consumers.
Arguably a good place to start is with a
more balanced workforce that includes
older workers. We should all consider
carefully how we think about and treat
older people. Because ‘old’ is the one
minority group to which we will one
day all belong.
Sarah Douglas is director of
The Liminal Space consultancy.
Sarah Douglas
“To remain relevant, businesses will have to
embrace the ageing population”
alexandermannsolutions.com
54
I
n companies, change
is a constant. With
research and
development spend
of 23.7bn, and
UK business employment
related to innovation up by
7.4% in one year, managers
and employees are endlessly
required to adjust.
However, even for
companies that embrace
agility and informal
communication, there is
often a tension between
st r u c t u r e ( h i e r a r c hy,
management layers,
boundaries between
departments) and the
suppleness needed for
continued adaptation.
To overcome structural
rigidity, manag ers in
the middle are often
made vessels for the
implementation of
innovation. Buffering and
bridging departmental
boundaries, they need to
create relationships of trust
with both top management
and employees.
Yet, in my study of change
programmes, in companies
of many sizes (from recent
scale-ups, to established
multinationals) I hear so
often how it is exactly this
middle layer of management
that is blamed for the
slow response, and slow
implementation of change.
Middle managers are at the
centre of an epidemic of