Ageism Rises 133% in 2025, Hitting 6 in 10 Older Workers

133%

Mentions of ageism on Glassdoor surged 133% YoY in Q1 2025 and remain 20% higher than the last peak in Q3 2024. Nearly 6 in 10 job seekers over 50 say they’ve been excluded due to age bias, a trend costing the U.S. economy trillions annually. Surveys also show older workers feel underpaid, overlooked for promotions, and pressured to retire, signaling widespread workplace age discrimination.

2%

Quit rates have dropped to 2%, pushing 2 in 3 employers into hiring freezes, with 22% halting all recruitment and 44% limiting it to certain roles, a Careerminds survey of 600 HR managers found. Nearly 50% expect freezes to last a year, and 43% are turning to upskilling in areas like tech, cybersecurity, and leadership to fill workforce gaps. Meanwhile, U.S. job growth stalled with just 22,000 jobs added in August and a 13,000 loss in June, signaling rising economic pressure.

51%

Hybrid work has leveled off since late 2022, with 51% of workplaces maintaining hybrid models compared to 55% earlier, Gallup reported. Remote-capable teams spread across locations jumped from 13% in 2023 to 27% in 2025, while hybrid employees now spend 46% of their week—about 2.3 days—in the office. Flexibility in scheduling remains key, with nearly equal splits among self-set, team-set, and leadership-set schedules.

13%

A Stanford study found a 13% drop in employment for U.S. workers ages 22–25 in AI-exposed roles, with young software developer jobs plunging nearly 20% by July 2025. While entry-level jobs tied to automation are shrinking, health aide roles are growing, and 47% of Gen Z and Millennials worry AI could replace their jobs.

1000

Kroger plans to cut nearly 1,000 corporate jobs, just months after eliminating 200 positions in February, as it shifts investment toward stores and customers. The layoffs won’t affect workers in stores, distribution centers, or manufacturing, with leadership framing the move as part of a cost-cutting and streamlining strategy.