We Combat Ageism by Valuing Wisdom as Much as Youth.

A recent AARP survey estimated that two-thirds of workers between the ages of 45 and 74 reported witnessing or experiencing ageism, which is a growing problem in the U.S. workforce, according to author Chip Conley in the Harvard Business Review . "The brisk march of progress from the industrial to the tech era has created a strong bias toward digital natives who understand gadgets and gigabytes better than those of us who didn't grow up 'byting' from the Apple in childhood," he writes. "One paradox of our time is that baby boomers enjoy better health than ever, remain vibrant, and stay in the workplace longer, but feel less and less relevant. They worry, justifiably, that bosses or potential employers may see their experience and the clocked years that come with it as more of a liability than an asset." Conley stresses that a change in attitude toward modern seniors must happen, and "mining mastery in organizations fosters more meaningful collaborations between generations and creates the conditions for greater wisdom and success." He writes, "Given that someone who is moving into a retirement home today is, on average, 81 years old, we have many productive seniors in our midst who are growing whole, not just old."