Retaining the Workforce: The Interplay of Ageism, Sexism, and Authenticity

As workplaces become increasingly diverse in age and gender, understanding how discrimination affects employees' experiences and decisions to remain with their organisations is essential. This study examined how perceived ageism and sexism relate to employees' authenticity and work retention intentions, whether these associations vary by age and gender, and whether authenticity mediates the link between discrimination and retention. Using multilevel data (Nemployees = 263,696, Nfirms = 832), we tested predictions derived from the double jeopardy framework, whereby holding multiple stigmatized identities (e.g., being both older and female) increases exposure to discrimination. Results indicated that women aged 55 and over reported the highest levels of both perceived ageism and sexism, consistent with double jeopardy. Both forms of discrimination were negatively associated with authenticity and retention, with ageism showing stronger effects than sexism. However, contrary to expectations, men and younger employees exhibited stronger negative associations between perceived discrimination and both outcomes. Authenticity emerged as a significant mediator at both individual and organisational levels, with full mediation observed at the organisational level. These findings suggest that although older women perceive the most discrimination, the downstream consequences of bias do not necessarily mirror its prevalence. Men may be more negatively affected by discrimination due to less developed coping strategies or greater perceived labour market mobility. Practically, organisations should foster climates that support authentic self-expression to improve employee retention across demographic groups