WELLBEING

ASK Mariella

Feeling out of the loop at work? Here, our columnist shares tips on knowing your value and gaining energy from younger colleagues

Q I am 55 and have a senior job in marketing, but increasingly feel out of the loop as everyone I work with is far younger than me. How do I stay relevant?

‘ A question that you and I are not the only ones pondering!

A chill wind blew through the heat of my burning ambition when I turned 50. Suddenly, I became less desirable as a presenter and was relegated to the B or even C list of desirable women: no longer “sexy”, just brave in remaining visible!

It’s not my imagination. In February, an independent review of the BBC concluded that older women disappear off screen, while older men “gain gravitas”. There are 57 men over the age of 70 across the BBC’s three major divisions, but just 11 women.