Age is Just a Number –

But What are Numbers to Older Decision Makers?

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Dr. Julia Nolte

Tilburg University

AGING AND…

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NONE OF US ARE OLDER ADULTS!

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MAYBE ONE SLIDE ABOUT A TESTIMONIAL/ACKNOWLEDGING WE DON’T’ KNOW WHAT IT’S LIKE FOR OLDER ADULTS? OR BRING IN SLIDE WORK FROM GROUP DYNAMICS

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DEMOGRAPHIC AGING

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https://www.researchgate.net/figure/sualization-Pablo-Alvarez-Source-United-Nations-World-Population-Prospects-2022_fig1_376075178

In 75 years, ¼ will be over 65… and that might be even more (e.g., 1/3 to 1/2) depending on where you live!

(United Nations, 2022)

‘AGE’ OFTEN OVERLOOKED IN DEI

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Callaham (2019)

‘AGE’ OFTEN OVERLOOKED IN DEI

Age is prioritized less than gender and race/ethnicity in DEI initiatives

• Age often missing from DEI statements
• BUT: Inclusion of ‘age’ in DEI statements increases age-balanced team formation (no obvious negative outcomes)
• Universities in particular rarely focus on age representation!
• Topic currently gaining a lot of traction

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Chakraborty & Baltes (2025), de Saint Priest & Krings (2025), Montepare et al. (2025), Morrow-Howell et al. (2024)

FLIPPED CLASSROOM

SUMMARIZE | QUESTIONS | DISCUSSION

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https://www.stuttgarter-zeitung.de/media.media.68a11cb9-e39e-4173-8843-0b2b53c8aa0f.original1024.media, https://lifespan.stanford.edu/anna-pot, https://www.ugent.be/pp/pao/en/research/maaikeschellaert

Dr. Georg Henning

Post-doctoral Researcher

German Centre of Gerontology

Dr. Anna Pot

Post-doctoral Researcher

Stanford Psychology

Maaike Schellaert

Doctoral Student

University Ghent

DR. GEORG HENNING

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https://www.stuttgarter-zeitung.de/media.media.68a11cb9-e39e-4173-8843-0b2b53c8aa0f.original1024.media

DR. GEORG HENNING

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https://www.stuttgarter-zeitung.de/media.media.68a11cb9-e39e-4173-8843-0b2b53c8aa0f.original1024.media

DR. GEORG HENNING

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https://www.stuttgarter-zeitung.de/media.media.68a11cb9-e39e-4173-8843-0b2b53c8aa0f.original1024.media

Questions

DR. ANNA POT

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https://lifespan.stanford.edu/anna-pot

DR. ANNA POT

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https://lifespan.stanford.edu/anna-pot

Talking ‘Bout Your Generation: Young Adults’ Beliefs About

Older Adults

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• Individual presentations elicited less negative beliefs than generalized representations.
• Responses to hypothetical representations were less positive than to individual faces.
• Positive perceptions of older people were associated with greater intergenerational affinity. These findings suggest that beliefs about individuals tend to be more positive than beliefs about the category of “older people.” Thus, age integration may more effectively reduce age stereotyping than general discussions about older people.

DR. ANNA POT

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https://lifespan.stanford.edu/anna-pot

Questions

MAAIKE SCHELLAERT

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https://www.ugent.be/pp/pao/en/research/maaikeschellaert

Ageism on LinkedIn: Discrimination Towards Older

Applicants during LinkedIn Screening

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• LinkedIn screening is prone to bias against older applicants.
• Having a recommendation on LinkedIn that emphasizes warmth or competence is beneficial regardless of one's age.
• Younger applicants benefit more of a recommendation highlighting their competence than older applicants.
• Recruiters' positive stereotypes about older workers' competence had a positive effect on older applicants' evaluations.
• Counter-stereotypic information highlighted via a recommendation does not affect the effect of recruiters' stereotypes.

MAAIKE SCHELLAERT

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https://www.ugent.be/pp/pao/en/research/maaikeschellaert

MAAIKE SCHELLAERT

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https://www.ugent.be/pp/pao/en/research/maaikeschellaert

Questions

LIVED EXPERIENCES

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https://www.youtube.com/shorts/_sKWElhudSU; Ageism in job interviews | Too much experience; https://www.youtube.com/shorts/6zOY4mq1aoY

SEE YOU IN 15 MINUTES!

LET’S BRAINSTORM

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Pros & Cons?

THINK | PAIR | SHARE

• | (2-3) | ALL

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What are some negative and positive age-related stereotypes

in the workplace (i.e., about older employees)?

NEGATIVE STEREOTYPES

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• Out of touch with current/new developments

• Too expensive to hire (will require higher starting salary)
• Bad with technology/difficulty learning how to use technology
• Inflexible/unwilling to do things “the new way” (they ‘know better’ or always did it ‘the old way’)
• Will not get along/mingle with younger colleagues (different communication styles)
• Bad investment because they will leave/retire in a few years’ time
• May experience cognitive deficits
• May get sick/having partner caring responsibilities
• May resist instructions from younger co-workers
• May be less innovative and less risk-taking in their ideas

POSITIVE STEREOTYPES

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• Have a lot of expertise and lived experience
• May bring prestige and other benefits (such as existing industry contacts) with them
• Can serve as mentor to younger colleagues
• May wish to take on leadership/guidance roles less attractive to younger colleagues (similar to academic positions with admin responsibilities?)
• Will not have parental caring responsibilities
• Less likely to change jobs again before retirement/less likely to job climb
• Are more agreeable, conscientious and less neurotic; may feel ‘generative’ (desire to leave things better for next gen)
• Good work ethic/reliability

APPLYING YOUR KNOWLEDGE

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• Have a lot of expertise and lived experience
• May bring prestige and other benefits (such as existing industry contacts) with them
• Can serve as mentor to younger colleagues
• May wish to take on leadership/guidance roles less attractive to younger colleagues (similar to academic positions with admin responsibilities?)
• Will not have parental caring responsibilities
• Less likely to change jobs again before retirement/less likely to job climb
• Are more agreeable, conscientious and less neurotic; may feel ‘generative’ (desire to leave things better for next gen)
• Good work ethic/reliability

GROUP WORK

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1. Form groups of ~4-5 students

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• Brainstorm as a group for ~15 minutes

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• Be prepared to present your ideas for ~2-3 minutes

Apply the knowledge (e.g., from today’s session) to develop:

Based on the first video…

Yes! And then…

INTERVIEW GUIDELINES FOR RECRUITERS

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INTERVIEW GUIDELINES FOR RECRUITERS

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• Seeing older adults as individuals instead of part of the ‘older adult group’ reduces negative stereotypes (Pot)

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• Being mindful to ask/not ask about areas of concern/e.g., tech skills or willingness to learn (‘competence’ – Schellaert)

Possible examples

GUIDELINES FOR REVIEWING APPLICATIONS

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GUIDELINES FOR REVIEWING APPLICATIONS

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• Disregard or don’t look at LinkedIn pictures (Schellaert)

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• Specifically look for evidence of applicants’ ‘competence’ (Schellaert)

Possible examples

POST-HIRING/WORKPLACE INITIATIVES

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POST-HIRING/WORKPLACE INITIATIVES

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• Giving all employees training about ‘warmth’ and ‘competence’ (not portraying older adults as needing remedial interventions on their own) (Schellaert)

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• Matching initiatives: older adults can mentor younger ones and vice versa on their respective areas of expertise

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• Focusing on individual employees’ work/needs instead of discussing ‘older adults’ in general (Pot)

Possible examples

APPLICATION ADVICE FOR OLDER EMPLOYEES

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HIRE ME!

APPLICATION ADVICE FOR OLDER EMPLOYEES

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• Avoid ‘older’-looking LinkedIn pictures (Schellaert)

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• Avoid application/online information too indicative of age or too likely to cue age-related stereotypes (Pot)

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• Make extra effort to convey competence (Schellaert)

Possible examples

HIRE ME!

SUMMARY/NEXT

…

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References

Callaham, S. (2019). The one critical element missing from 92% of diversity and inclusion strategies/ Forbes. Retrieved March 11, 2026, from https://www.forbes.com/sites/sheilacallaham/2019/07/25/the-one-critical-element-missing-from-92-of-diversity-and-inclusion-strategies/

Chakraborty, S. & Baltes, S. (2025). A multifaceted view on discrimination in software development careers. arXiv. [2510.22457] A Multifaceted View on Discrimination in Software Development Careers

de Saint Priest, O., & Krings, F. (2025). The impact of diversity statements on age diversity: More than just window-dressing? Work, Aging and Retirement, 11(3), 213–229.�https://doi.org/10.1093/workar/waae012

Montepare, J. M., Bowen, L. M., Whitbourne, S. K., & Silverstein, N. M. (2025). Perceptions of age inclusivity in higher education by students, faculty, and staff: Broadening the view of diversity, equity, and inclusion. Gerontology & Geriatrics Education, 46(3), 357–369. https://doi.org/10.1080/02701960.2025.2471909

Morrow-Howell, N., Dinman, M., Mauk, S., & Galucia, N. (2024). Age as a factor in diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives in higher education. Journal of Gerontological Social Work, 67(3), 386–402. https://doi.org/10.1080/01634372.2024.2326691

United Nations (2022). World Population Prospects 2022. Retrieved March 11, 2026, from https://www.un.org/development/desa/pd/sites/www.un.org.development.desa.pd/files/wpp2022_summary_of_results.pdf

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Diversity and Inclusion at Work

AGENDA

Introduction

Building confidence

Engaging the audience

Visual aids

Final tips & takeaways

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OVERCOMING NERVOUSNESS

Confidence-building strategies

OVERCOMING NERVOUSNESS

Confidence-building strategies

NAVIGATING Q&A SESSIONS

VOICE MODULATION

This is a powerful tool in public speaking. It involves varying pitch, tone, and volume to convey emotion, emphasize points, and maintain interest.

• Pitch variation
• Tone inflection
• Volume control

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BODY LANGUAGE

Effective body language enhances your message, making it more impactful and memorable.

• Meaningful eye contact
• Purposeful gestures
• Maintain good posture
• Control your expressions

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EFFECTIVE DELIVERY TECHNIQUES

PREPARING FOR QUESTIONS

• Know your material in advance
• Anticipate common questions
• Rehearse your responses

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MAINTAINING COMPOSURE

Maintaining composure during the Q&A session �is essential for projecting confidence and authority. Consider the following tips for staying composed:

• Stay calm
• Actively listen
• Pause and reflect
• Maintain eye contact

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SPEAKING IMPACT

Your ability to communicate effectively will leave �a lasting impact on your audience

Effectively communicating involves not only delivering �a message but also resonating with the experiences, values, and emotions of those listening 

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DYNAMIC DELIVERY

Learn to infuse energy into your delivery to leave a lasting impression

One of the goals of effective communication is to motivate your audience

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DYNAMIC DELIVERY

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FINAL TIPS & TAKEAWAYS

CONTINUE IMPROVING

Seek feedback

Reflect on performance

Explore new techniques

Set personal goals

Iterate and adapt

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PRACTICE MAKES PERFECT

Consistent rehearsal

• Strengthen your familiarity

Refine delivery style

• Pacing, tone, and emphasis

Timing and transitions

• Aim for seamless, professional delivery

Practice audience

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THANK YOU

Petja Hrovat

petja@contoso.com

www.contoso.com

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