The Primordial Nature of Ageist Stereotypes - An Ageist Series (1 of 3)

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Aug 2024
CPHR Alberta
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A person is playing a game of chess on a table.

Author: Manley Osbak 

While demographic shifts increase the percentage of older adults in society, unexamined motivations and pervasive biases continue to devalue this growing demographic. Ageist attitudes not only marginalize older adults but undermines the social capacity to organically develop through intergenerational exchange. Consequently, the impoverished environments we create—shaped by stereotypes—become the ones in which we find ourselves mired. This disconnect between demographic reality and societal response underscores the urgency to address our ageist perceptions.

In 1982, the United Nations highlighted the 'phenomenon of aging on a massive scale' at the first World Assembly on Ageing. The Secretary General of the Assembly, Mr. William Kerrigan, emphasized the broad economic and social impacts if the challenges of ageing were not addressed. He pointed out that before developing solutions, a fundamental shift in our attitudes towards ageing was necessary.

Four decades later, little seems to have changed. In 2021, the World Health Organization reported that ageism is widespread and deeply entrenched, impacting society on a level comparable to racism. Ageist stereotypes cast older adults as less productive, less ambitious, resistant to change, and less competent: implying a lack of capability, skill, and intelligence. This enduring prejudice not only marginalizes older people but ensures the development of an impoverished workplace, where biologically driven strengths are neither recognized nor leveraged.

While Kerrigan rebuked our attitude, Ronald Reagan, then President of the United States, clearly, yet unwittingly, expressed it. Speaking to the Assembly, he said, 'Older persons must have a secure place in society. They must be given the opportunity to contribute both socially and economically. Above all, they must not be denied the dignity that comes from being wanted, needed, and respected.' His statement express the biases that Kerrigan warned us about: it is not older adults who need our noble egalitarianism, but rather, it is we ourselves who need to recognize the structure of our own loss.

Ageist stereotypes extend beyond superficial judgments about the specific traits of older people, but instead, reflect a deeper, more fundamental human concern. As depicted in Figure 1, the Stereotype Content Model categorizes these judgments along two primary dimensions: competence and warmth. These dimensions are frequently used as proxies to evaluate an individual's competitive potential. This assessment, in turn, gauges their perceived ability to enhance, undermine, or threaten our own competitive standing.

When people are perceived as competitive and having social status, they are seen as competent but lacking warmth, that is, they are seen as ‘cold.’ Conversely, those seen as not competitive and with low status are typically seen as warm but incompetent. Ageist stereotypes categorize older adults as warm but incompetent due to their perceived lack of competitiveness and low social status. Thus, stereotypes essentially assess a person's capacity to either threaten or support one’s self-enhancement drives and the groups with which one identifies, such as one's employer. Engaging in stereotyping involves making decisions about including or excluding people based solely on our perceptions of their potential to competitively threaten or support us.

Stereotypes distort the truth about people, imposing a false identity upon them and simplifying complex human attributes. While they may be intended to protect the in-group from perceived threats posed by the out-group, ageist stereotypes deprive us of the rich intergenerational processes that hold profound social and interpersonal value. This is the very dynamic that the Secretary General highlighted when he warned about the impacts of ageism. Ageist stereotypes overlook the vital contributions that different age groups make to each other’s development and well-being. Addressing ageism, therefore, is not about extending charity to older adults, as suggested by Reagan’s address; it is about recognizing that their involvement is crucial to our collective and individual development.

Ageist stereotypes are more than just superficial misjudgments about older adults; they represent a more primordial concern about competitiveness, resource allocation, and self-enhancement. As explained through the Stereotype Content Model, ageist stereotypes pigeonhole older adults as warm but incompetent, reflecting their perceived lower competitiveness and social status. Such misguided perceptions not only misrepresent individual capabilities but also hinder the potential benefits of intergenerational solidarity, engagement, and exchange.

Historical insights, such as those from the United Nations' World Assembly on Aging, reveal the persistent nature of these stereotypes and their detrimental effect on social exchange, particularly within the workplace. Importantly, human society is fundamentally intergenerational, with an evolutionary interdependence that strengthens communal ties and enhances collective growth. Recognizing and addressing ageism is therefore not an act of charity but a crucial step towards harnessing this intergenerational strength and fostering a more sustainable and productive society and workplace.

The views and opinions expressed in this blog post belong solely to the original author(s) and do not necessarily represent the views and opinions of CPHR Alberta.

Manley Osbak is a Workforce Development Specialist with Work Locomotion where he leads the development and delivery of supervisor training. As a Certified Training and Development Professional with over 25 years of experience in the energy, construction, and manufacturing sectors, Manley focuses on helping supervisors master their roles in an increasingly complex operating environment. Having authored and coauthored numerous journal papers and trade magazine articles, Manley is well known for his investigative approach and crisp delivery. Connect with him on LinkedIn and access his current work on worklocomotion.Substack.com.

The views and opinions expressed in this blog post belong solely to the original author(s) and do not necessarily represent the views and opinions of CPHR Alberta.



An Update from your Board of Directors - June 2026

By Marina Perkovic • June 16, 2026
As the governing voice of CPHR Alberta, the Board of Directors meets quarterly to provide oversight and guidance across key strategic and operational priorities.  To maintain transparency with members and stakeholders, we continue to share post-meeting updates to highlight progress, key decisions, and how we are advancing the HR profession while ensuring a strong and sustainable organization. The Board of Directors met in June 2026 to review organizational performance, governance priorities, and long-term sustainability. The Board’s key messages for the membership are as follows: Continued Membership Growth CPHR Alberta continues to grow, with membership increasing by 4% year-over-year to 7,559 active members. Growth is being driven by strong engagement from students, future HR professionals, and members pursuing the CPHR designation, demonstrating the continued strength and relevance of the HR profession across Alberta, the Northwest Territories, and Nunavut. Strong Financial Position The Board reviewed Q1 2026 financial results and continues to closely monitor financial performance and long-term sustainability. CPHR Alberta remains committed to responsible stewardship of member resources while investing in programs, services, technology, and professional development opportunities that deliver value to members. Investing in the Future of the Profession Advancing the visibility and influence of the HR profession remains a strategic priority. A new province-wide marketing campaign has launched to position CPHRs as trusted business leaders and strategic partners, while increasing awareness of the value of the designation among employers and the broader business community. Supporting Future HR Professionals Student membership continues to be a key driver of growth, reflecting strong interest in HR careers and the CPHR designation. CPHR Alberta remains committed to supporting students, candidates, and emerging professionals as they progress through their HR careers. Continuous Improvement in Governance and Member Service The Board and its committees continue to strengthen governance practices, review policies, and enhance Board effectiveness. This ongoing work ensures oversight remains aligned with leading practices and supports a strong, sustainable organization for members. Focus on Long-Term Sustainability The Board continues to review long-term financial planning, revenue diversification, and future membership dues strategy. These efforts are aimed at ensuring financial sustainability while maintaining the value delivered to members. Looking Ahead The Board’s focus for the remainder of 2026 includes: Continuing to grow membership and engagement Expanding the visibility and influence of the HR profession Supporting a future-ready HR community Maintaining strong governance, risk management, and financial oversight Delivering high-quality programs, services, and member experiences The next Board meeting takes place in November 2026, after which we will again share our key messages. If you have any questions regarding these key messages or the Board of Directors, please contact chair@cphrab.ca . We welcome your feedback!

Reimagining Modern Fatherhood in the Corporate World

By Jessica Jaithoo • June 11, 2026
Author: Nidhi Gandhi , 2026 Social Media Committee Volunteer "By the time you truly understand your father, you have become one yourself, and your father may no longer be in the world for you to tell him." It's a thought that stays with Jitendra Das, and one that lands especially close around Father's Day. Jitu, to those who know him, is a Senior Human Resources Business Partner at Amazon, where he partners with business leaders on organizational effectiveness, talent strategy, leadership development, and culture. Behind that work sits more than 16 years of HR experience across India, the Middle East, Southeast Asia, and North America. Alongside his corporate role, he is an ICF certified executive coach at the PCC level with over 2,500 coaching hours, having supported leaders across Fortune 500 companies in unlocking their potential and navigating personal and professional growth. But the role that shapes everything else is a quieter one. He grew up watching a generation of fathers who showed love through provision, and made himself a different promise, to show it through presence. He wants his son, Ayaan, to remember the school runs, the bedtime stories, the nothing-in-particular evenings. As he puts it: "I am not building a career despite being a father. I am building it because of it." This Father's Day, we interviewed Jitu to talk about what modern fatherhood asks of men at work, the leave they don't take, the bias they navigate quietly, and what it really means for a working father to feel safe being fully himself. 1. You are uniquely positioned to advocate for policies like parental leave for fathers. Do you feel a personal responsibility to champion men’s work-life balance and mental health in the corporate world? Absolutely, and I think responsibility is the right word, not just opportunity. Men's mental health and work-life balance remain largely underdiscussed in corporate spaces, and the cost of that silence is real. Burnout, disengagement, and leaders who are physically present at work but emotionally absent at home, these are symptoms of a culture that never gave men permission to be human. In Canada, fathers have access to parental leave, yet the uptake remains far lower than among mothers, not because fathers do not want to be present, but because the culture has not caught up with the policy. I want to help close that gap. Not just through advocacy in meetings, but by modeling it myself, being visible about my own boundaries, talking openly about Ayaan and what being present for him means to me, and making it easier for the men around me to do the same. If I cannot use my platform to normalize that, then what is it for? 2. Working fathers often face a subtle social bias where they are viewed as the 'secondary' parent. How can HR teams and leaders shift corporate mindsets to recognize and respect men as primary, equal caregivers? The bias is real, and it often lives in the small things: a father who leaves early for his child's recital gets noticed differently than a mother who does the same thing, and a man who sets a hard stop for school pickup reads as less committed rather than more present. HR teams need to look at this structurally, because in Canada, parental leave is available to both parents yet the uptake among fathers remains significantly lower, and that gap is not about desire, it is about what leaders normalize. If no senior man in an organization has ever visibly taken parental leave, that silence is a message. I keep Ayaan's school events on my calendar and I do not hide them, because representation in everyday behaviour is more powerful than any policy document 3. There’s an old stereotype that fathers should always be the 'unshakable pillar.' How have you learned to embrace vulnerability, both as a dad and as a professional leader? When we moved to Canada in 2022, I went through a period of professional uncertainty I was not prepared for, having built my career across India, the Middle East, and Southeast Asia and then starting over in a new market without the network I had spent years building. My wife Megha held the family steady during that time, and watching her do that taught me the difference between being a pillar and being a wall: she was not unaffected; she was grounded. I have told Ayaan when I have had hard days, not to burden him, but to show him that naming something difficult is not weakness, it is how you move forward. That same principle lives in how I coach leaders now: vulnerability is not the absence of strength, it is the honesty to say where you are, and that honesty builds more trust than any polished performance. 4. What does psychological safety look like for a working father? Have you ever felt pressure to hide family obligations to maintain a certain professional image? Yes, early in my time in Canada I was careful about how much I revealed as a father in professional settings, because there is an unspoken test that working fathers navigate: prove your commitment by making your family invisible at work. But I think about Ayaan running to show me a drawing he made at school, not because it was perfect, but because he wanted me to see it, and that unconditional trust reminds me that the most important audience for how I show up is not in the boardroom. Psychological safety for a working father means being able to say I am leaving early for my son's event without it being read as a lack of ambition. The day that becomes unremarkable is the day we have actually made progress, and as HR professionals, building that culture is not a nice-to-have. It is the work . A Wish for Father's Day “Fatherhood did not soften my professional edge. It sharpened it, gave me a reason to build something worth being proud of, and a daily reminder of what I am actually working for. This Father's Day, my wish is simple: I hope working fathers across Canada and the world feel seen, take the leave they are entitled to, and show up for the bedtime stories. And I hope their organizations build cultures where none of that is a trade-off. Ayaan, this one is for you.” Jitu's wish is a modest one, but the shift it asks of our workplaces is not. It asks for cultures where presence, honesty, and a hard stop for school pickup read as strength rather than absence, where showing up for your child is never a trade-off against showing up at work. This Father's Day, that feels like a goal worth building toward. Wishing everyone a Happy Father’s Day!

International Wellness Day: Prioritizing Wellbeing in Our Everyday Lives

By Jessica Jaithoo • June 8, 2026
Author: Taia Northrup , 2026 Social Media Committee Volunteer Each year, on the second Saturday of June, people around the world come together to recognize International Wellness Day, a global movement dedicated to promoting healthier, happier, and more balanced lives. This special day serves as a reminder that well-being extends beyond physical health; it includes mental, emotional, social, and workplace wellness as well. As HR professionals, wellness is more than a personal responsibility, it is a workplace priority. The Chartered Professionals in Human Resources (CPHR) profession recognizes that healthy, supported employees are the foundation of engaged, productive, and resilient organizations. HR leaders play a key role in creating workplace cultures that foster psychological safety, work-life balance, employee engagement, and overall wellbeing. International Wellness Day encourages individuals, employers, and communities to reflect on the habits, environments, and relationships that contribute to overall wellbeing. In today’s fast-paced world, it can be easy to put our health on the back burner. This day provides an opportunity to pause, evaluate our wellness practices, and make meaningful changes that support long-term health and happiness. The celebration also aligns with the broader goals of workplace wellbeing initiatives, which focus on creating healthier organizations and communities. Research continues to show that employees who feel supported in their wellbeing experience lower levels of burnout, higher engagement, and stronger workplace satisfaction. Organizations that prioritize employee wellbeing also benefit through improved retention, productivity, and organizational resilience. From a CPHR perspective, wellbeing is not limited to wellness programs or fitness challenges. It involves taking a holistic approach that considers mental, emotional, physical, financial, and social health. Building supportive policies, encouraging meaningful work-life balance, and creating inclusive workplace cultures are all essential components of a successful people's strategy. Wellness looks different for everyone. For some, it may mean prioritizing physical activity, healthy nutrition, or quality of sleep. For others, it may involve managing stress, strengthening social connections, practicing mindfulness, or taking time for self-care. The important message is that small, intentional actions can have a significant impact on overall wellbeing. As we celebrate International Wellness Day, consider taking a moment to invest in your own health and happiness. Whether it’s going for a walk, connecting with loved ones, setting healthy boundaries, or simply taking time to recharge, every positive step contributes to a healthier and more fulfilling life. At its core, wellbeing is about creating environments where people can thrive—both at work and in life. As HR professionals and workplace leaders, we have the opportunity to champion initiatives that support our people, strengthen our organizations, and build healthier communities for the future. How will you invest in your wellbeing today? 
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