I was horrified not because I realised I had become my mother (I had that epiphany years ago), but because I realised I was guilty of the very thing I caution employers against: harbouring a negative-leaning opinion, or bias, that can unwittingly result in discrimination against a particular group.

Ageism has traditionally been seen as something that older workers face, but the results from a recent survey conducted by ResumeBuilder.com has revealed that business owners and managers have a negative perception of working with Gen Z employees.

Of those surveyed, 49 per cent said they find it difficult to work with those born after 1997 “all or most of the time” and 74 per cent said they are the most difficult to have in the workplace. The reasons managers give are lack of technological skills (39 per cent), lack of effort (37 per cent), and poor communication skills (36 per cent), among other weak skills and traits.

Donna Reynolds is a Partner, Blackadders.

It may well be that these results simply reflect the ‘kids these days’ attitude held by many going back generations, including my mother’s generation, her mother’s generation, and, as I now know, my own. In the workplace, that can manifest itself as a manager’s expectation that young people should start at the bottom rung of the ladder and work their way up, be hard-working and keen to learn, but not too zealous. Perceived as ‘too young’ for their roles on account of their age, customers and clients can question young people’s skills which can affect confidence and satisfaction levels on both sides.

As the old saying goes, you don’t know what you don’t know and that’s the problem with unconscious bias. We all make judgements and decisions on the basis of our experiences (or the experiences of others), our own personal deep-rooted thought patterns, assumptions or interpretations, and we are not aware that we are doing it. The first step to tackling these biases and the issue of Gen Z ageism is to recognise that it exists. Next, we need to be mindful of the language we are using. Many of us would never use stereotypical language about age if we were talking about, say, race, disability or sex. This includes the use of adages that allegedly convey popular wisdom, but in some instances are simply ageism in disguise.

A happy workforce is a productive workforce as well as, hopefully, a litigious-free workplace. There are very few (if any) workplaces unaffected by ageism to some extent, so every employer has some work to do to achieve a happy, ageist-free workplace.

Employers should begin by revisiting their policies and procedures, and their practices as well as training and educating employees, including managers. For example, employers often set great store on years of experience, but that doesn’t always guarantee better skills or expertise - so many capable young people are overlooked for opportunities and promotions.

In short, don’t make the mistake I made, however innocent it might be (and it was innocent, I promise). Look at the individual and the work they do, and not their age, before making any judgement.

Donna Reynolds is a Partner, Blackadders

Ageism is not just about being ‘too old’: Gen Z staff can also be victims - Donna Reynolds