Is it fair to get higher pay solely just because of age?
Question
Real life context: a friend of mine who is considered a fresh Poly grad joined as an intern with Company A. However, my friend has 5-month of relevant internship experience with another company before joining Company A. After his internship with Company A, they decided to convert him as a full-timer.
Another intern, let’s call him Person A also joined Company A, same internship period as my friend but different department from my friend. After completing his internship, the company also decided to convert him as a full-timer but he requested to work in the same department as my friend.
So they offered Person A higher pay compared to my friend just because he is older by around 10 years with no relevant experience in the job.
Do you guys think that this is fair?
Netizens’ comments
- Too little information to judge. Maybe there’s something he brings to the table that he mentioned to the management only, or he is a super good talker that managed to negotiate a higher pay. Alot of things that could have happened.
- Well.. if the person has nv worked b4, it could be unfair. But this person has working experience, maybe different field. So this person would have maturity and know how to handle issues etc better than a fresh graduate. Who u have to teach everything. Frankly Soft skills are harder to gain
- First, you mentioned that Person A doesn’t have the relevant experience, but older workers often have a wealth of knowledge and experience in other important areas that younger workers simply do not possess.
While younger workers may be more technically savvy or have a fresher perspective, they may lack the depth of experience and the ability to navigate complex business situations that come with age.
As a result, companies may be willing to pay a premium to bring on an experienced worker who can hit the ground running and help the company achieve its goals.
Second, older workers may be more likely to stay with a company for the long term. This is because they have likely already reached their peak earning potential and may be less likely to be tempted away by higher salaries offered by other companies.
Additionally, older workers may be more invested in the success of the company as they approach retirement age and are looking to establish a stable financial foundation for their later years.