Essay Sample on Equality of Aging in the Workplace

Introduction

The elderly tend to be treated differently in various settings because of their age and the challenges that come with aging (Little & McGivern, 2014). However, in the workplace, it might be different when looking at the duties of an individual and the expectations of the institution regarding discrimination against workers based on age (Brownell, 2014). I work in a hospital that employs all types of healthcare professionals. In the workplace, the organization has set work rules and regulations to be adhered to by every staff irrespective of their age. Discrimination against workers based on age is highly discouraged. The essay explores a selected older adult in the organization I work for and explain how equality among the staff was considered when assigning duties in the respiratory therapy department.

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Exploring the Older Staff and the Way He is Treated Equally in the Workplace

Mr. Oman is a 56-year-old respiratory therapist with experience in the specialty for over 30 years. His age has caught the attention of fellow staff in the department, and they think that he needs to be reassigned from some of the duties undertaken by the younger workers and especially during emergency situations. During training programs, the younger staff in the respiratory therapist department thinks that Mr. Oman does not need further training as he has substantial experience in the field. However, the department manager seems to take a different view and action on the way all the employees are treated in the organization including the allocation of duties, compensation, and participation in training programs organized by the hospital.

Allocation of Duties: Bridging the Age Gap

In the allocation of duties, the respiratory therapist department ensures that all employees work for a 12 hours shift. Oman is not an exception, and he is assigned similar responsibilities to fellow respiratory therapists in the hospital. Oman works 12 hours in the day shift and attends to inpatients, outpatients and those requiring emergency responses. The department considers that his age does not limit his ability to respond to patient care needs. Therefore, Oman attends to patients by helping them to get their breath back to normal. He gives medication to help the patients open the breathing passages, receive enough oxygen for proper breathing and provides life-saving procedures to any occurring emergencies.

Compensation Equity Across Generations

The compensation for Oman in the hospital is not lower than the other respiratory therapists. The respiratory department does not consider his age to award Oman a lower pay than his counterparts. However, all respiratory therapists in the department get their salary based on the standard range of $42,120 to $ 83,030 annually (Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2017). It shows that Oman is not disadvantaged as an older employee in the hospital by getting a lower remuneration based on the assumption that aging employees are less effective in their jobs.

Inclusion in Professional Development

Oman is never excluded from the career programs developed by the hospital for training the respiratory therapists. Such programs are organized every year, and all employees in the respiratory therapist department are allowed to participate. Participation in job-related training for Mr. Oman helps in obtaining more and new skills for better patient care like the fellow staff within the department. Therefore, Mr. Oman is never left out in meeting the current and future needs of working as a respiratory therapist.

Conclusion

Mr. Oman as an older work in the hospital where I work is a good example of how employees should be treated in the workplace irrespective of their age. Mr. Oman is treated equally by the respiratory therapist manager and everyone in the department. The hospital considers equality as an essential aspect in creating a fair society whereby everyone has the opportunity of participating and fulfilling their potential. The elimination of discrimination among employees helps the organization deliver services that make patients happier and satisfied.

References

Little, W., & McGivern, R. (2014). Chapter 13: Aging and the elderly. In Introduction to Sociology. 1st Edition. Open Book publishing.

Brownell, P. (2014). Ageism in the workplace. Encyclopedia of Social Work. Retrieved from http://socialwork.oxfordre.com/view/10.1093/acrefore/9780199975839.001.0001/acrefore-9780199975839-e-844?print=pdf

Bureau of Labor Statistics. (2017). Occupational employment and wages, May 2017: 29-1126 respiratory therapists. Occupational Employment Statistics. Retrieved from https://www.bls.gov/oes/current/oes291126.htm