BNP PARIBAS Bank Polska S.A. implements the strategy of sustainable development and activities in the field of CSR. Part of this strategy is the “Women UP” program. As part of this program, women submitted ideas for projects to be implemented by the Bank. One of the projects is “AGE in size XL”. During the project, its name was changed to “Agave Age” to avoid negative associations.

The project “Age in size XL” was implemented from February to November 2021. As a result of internal arrangements, the project was renamed “Agave’s Age” to avoid pejorative associations with the age of older workers.

Assumptions of the project:

• the lower age limit is set at 50
• they need to start with education and a diagnosis of what are the regularities, trends and attitudes towards people aged 50+,
• activities should be taken to support people aged 50+ so that they are treated without discrimination, to achieve better communication between employees of different ages and to support intergenerational management.

The point was to counteract the war of generations, stereotypes and ageism. The aim of the project was also to improve intergenerational communication and show the potential of the elderly.

Benefits:

• greater involvement in the work of 50+ employees and people who are approaching this age,
• building a D&I culture,
• developing strategic competencies of people Agave’s age,
• better self-esteem of older workers,
• better cooperation of people of different ages within the organisation,
• professional activation in various substantive areas.

As part of the project, the following activities were carried out:

• Future competence test for people aged Agave. Respondents were given individual feedback on how to live in the times of VUCA (Volatility, Uncertainty, Complexity, and Ambiguity), how to adapt and be flexible,
• An international debate was organised in the form of a webinar entitled: “The Power of Agave Age Maturity”.
• Website dedicated to the project,
• As part of the annual festival on D&I, another webinar entitled “Age at work – where is the problem? In numbers or in the way of thinking?” was developed

The originator and the project team want to continue their activities.

Age management activities bring tangible benefits, so these cannot be incidental actions, but long-term rolling projects.

Projects aimed at better adaptation of Agave age employees at work should have their source of financing and separate budget resources so that as many valuable events as possible can be organised.

Intergenerational projects should also be joined by representatives of the younger generations of employees (not only people of Agave age).

The shape of the cited project, as well as its content and approach to implementation, can be an inspiration for those decision-makers and managers who want to take action in the field of age management in their own companies. The described case study is an excellent example of a project that can bring benefits to many companies that will implement the recommendations related to age management.

We have to consider:

• How to engage the employees of the organization to undertake grass-roots initiatives in the field of age management and to prevent age discrimination?
• How to improve intergenerational communication and show the potential of older employees (50+) to improve sustainable management in the organisation?
• How to live in the times of VUCA (Volatility, Uncertainty, Complexity, and Ambiguity), how to adapt and be flexible?

What actions can be taken when it is planned to implement an internal project in the field of age management and counteracting age discrimination of employees?

Agave Age, individual diagnosis of the needs of 50+ employees, comprehensive educational project, age management as a permanent process, times of  VUCA