By Naazi Morad
There’s a quiet grief that settles in when a seasoned employee is asked to step aside, not because they’ve failed, but because they’ve aged. In boardrooms and HR memos, it’s often framed as “succession planning” or “retirement strategy.” But for the person behind the desk, it feels like being erased. Not for lack of skill, wisdom, or loyalty, but for a number.
The Myth of Obsolescence
Let’s be clear: slower does not mean lesser.
Older professionals carry institutional memory, emotional intelligence, and time-tested interpersonal skills that no algorithm or onboarding manual can replicate. They understand nuance, diplomacy, and the rhythm of a workplace. They’ve mentored, mediated, and managed crises long before Slack channels and AI dashboards.
Yet, in many South African workplaces, employees are quietly nudged toward retirement at 55, even though the Employment Equity Act explicitly prohibits age-based discrimination. This contradiction leaves many feeling discarded, despite decades of contribution.
📊 What the Data Shows
A 2022 study on ageism in Gauteng’s public service revealed that older professionals (aged 50–65) often experience diminished self-worth and exclusion from decision-making roles. Their expertise is undervalued, and their integration into evolving workplace cultures is neglected.
Globally, ageism is one of the most tolerated forms of discrimination. In South Africa, while legal protections exist, enforcement is patchy. The South African Human Rights Commission acknowledges that age-based bias remains prevalent, especially in hiring and promotion practices
🧘🏽♀️ From Therapist to You: Reclaiming Purpose
To those who’ve been asked to leave because of age, do not sit back. Do not internalize the lie that your value expired with your youth. From a therapeutic lens, this moment is not an ending. It’s a reframing.
- Erikson’s Theory of Generativity reminds us that later life is a time to pass on wisdom, mentor, and create legacy.
- Logotherapy, Viktor Frankl’s approach, teaches that meaning—not status—is the cornerstone of fulfillment.
- Neuroplasticity shows us that the brain continues to adapt, learn, and grow well into our 70s and beyond.
So start something of your own: - 🍞 Bake and sell from your kitchen.
- 🧠 Consult in your field.
- 📚 Tutor the youth who need your grounding presence.
- 🧵 Craft, write, volunteer, temp, whatever stirs your soul
💬 Is 55 the New 80?
No. It’s the new renaissance.
You are not obsolete. You are a wellspring of lived experience, emotional depth, and quiet power. The world may not always recognize it—but you must.
Let this blog be your permission slip to begin again. Not despite your age, but because of it.
