One of the major issues facing a workforce which is composed of many older workers is that oftentimes their supervisors are younger (in some cases much younger) than they. Admittedly, this can be a challenging situation for older employees but by keeping some key strategies in mind, a comfortable and productive working relationship can be established. by Jenny Ho
Key Strategies:
1. Treat your supervisor with respect at all times. After all, s/he must have been promoted into the position for good reason and you will need to accept that they have earned their title and responsibility. Recognize that your experience and knowledge can prove to be very useful to a younger supervisor and remain open to opportunities in which you may offer valuable assistance.
2. Focus on the positive aspects of the situation. For instance, it is highly likely that your supervisor brings a great deal of energy and enthusiasm to the job and is open to your input and ideas.
3. Always keep in mind how many strengths you bring to your role in terms of managing different work roles, working effectively in a collaborative and team-oriented atmosphere, and problem solving, In all likelihood, you have also developed an extensive network of professional contacts. By focusing on your own strengths you may be able to significantly reduce any feeling of resentment.
4. Advise your supervisor of any specific skills you possess, as well as accomplishments you have achieved. This is not to be done in a boastful manner, but to point out how your specific background may be utilized to best advantage to meet the responsibilities of your position.
5. Ensure that your skills are current; this is especially so if you have been out of the workforce for any period of time. Research market and technological trends and request to enroll in a course or two in order to improve your overall job performance and effectiveness.
6. Tactfully assume the role of mentor and try to be a resource to whom you supervisor can turn to for advice and guidance with workplace issues. Allow your supervisor to come to you as you don’t want to appear condescending or too aggressive by taking the initiative to confront your boss with your impressions and advice.
7. Be proactive in discussing the age issue if it is bothering you to a great extent. In all cases, be tactful and respectful and ask to speak privately. As will be the case with any supervisor, whether older or younger, there will be times when workplace conditions need to be aired so that you can renew your energy and focus on the job at hand. Indeed, it may be that your supervisor is glad for the discussion as this issue has been on his/her mind as well. Together you may come up with strategies to work thought the age issue. It will also be very interesting for you to obtain your supervisor’s perspective on the age gap.
8. Make sure to dress professionally at all times While there is no need to copy your supervisor’s style of dress, ensure that your attire reflects current styles, well as the overall work culture, and shows that you take your role seriously.
9. Partner with your supervisor and take the initiative in seeking their guidance and assistance with any potential problems in carrying out your responsibilities. Make it clear that you value their feedback and request consistent evaluation of your performance.
10. Try to get to know your supervisor outside the workplace. While it may not be likely that you and your supervisor will become friends outside the workplace, it is a good idea to suggest that you, your colleagues, and your supervisor get together one evening after work to get to know one another a bit better. This will likely also make the supervisor a bit more relaxed as it is probable that s/he also has their own feelings regarding their supervision of older staff. Make this issue a part of your after-work discussion and be free to air any concerns. In this way you can all head back to work in a much more relaxed and comfortable manner.
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Nothing new here. There have always been work situations where nominal rank and age diverged widely. It is truly a little simple to equate age with relative authority.
I experienced this in my grey past of national service during the Cold War. As a wet behind the ears 20 year old , I was put in charge of a Scout’s platoon, stationed right next to the East German, Warsaw Pact, border.
With the benefit of a year’s failure doing Economics, a chequered career in Varsity rowing and the 6 months training Her Majesty’s finest could afford, I had the pip and little more.
Half my 32 national service heroes were older, my driver had a Master’s in Economics and my Platoon Sergeant was ancient at 38.
I quickly learned that the onus of dealing with the age issue was with the leader, not with the troops. Leadership is little more than paying a great deal of attention to the people you work with, capitalising on their experience and adding the larger picture, the thing you are hired to do.
Armies have worked like this for ages, bringing about the best in young officers.
Younger or not, the Leader, supervisor as you call him, drives initiatives and learns as much as he can about the strengths of his men and women, and optimises their skills to get the (his) job done. A boss too daft to see that does not belong in the job and the grovelling that your strategies promote only triggers the wrong side of his ego.
Frankly, you shock me with your premise: ”Help! My Boss Is Younger Than Me!”. If after a few years in the real world, you have not been promoted to a leadership position, you need to grow up and accept that you will always have a boss and simple math tells you that he may be a she and is increasingly more likely to be younger. So wake up, join the 21st Century and shake off the limitations of a stratified business environment. Today, we work in teams with different skills, outlooks and motivation.
As a management consultant, almost all my paymasters (bosses?) are older and I love to see them go out and make a whopping success of their businesses. I may have helped a little, I chewed some ass on occasion, but what matters is getting the job done. Reflected glory is not bad, trust me .
So enjoy working with a younger person, quietly take on a mentoring role and love her or him for doing good.
This is great sharing Eric. Thanks!
I am an older worker and have worked for many bosses younger than myself.
Some of my best bosses have been decades younger than myself.
I have no problem with the age of my boss, or the gender.
Most of the people I have worked with over the last 15 years have been the age of my children and a mix of nationalities.
This has been very enjoyable.
Problems only occur when bosses have little or no experience of the job their workers do. In this scenario if a boss does not trust his workers and cannot understand what they are saying then frustrations occur. This is not confined to younger bosses.
However we live in the real world and these situations occur. It just means that you have to have more discussion to get a point across.
I have found that many younger bosses are not really interested in the opinions of the older worker. This again is real world, after all who listens to their parents. The human condition is to learn by your own mistakes not others.
Age is usually not the problem, attitude is.
Mixed age environments are very stimulating so they should be embraced.
Yes Dave. Attitude is everything. This is one criteria that will never change when companies are looking for good people.
I was in a bookstore last weekend and saw a book titled “Age Doesn’t Matter Unless You’re a Cheese”. How amusing but true!
I agree that attitude is highly significant and it applies to both bosses and non-bosses. For that matter anyone else anywhere around the world. This cant be easily learnt in primary/grade school or graduate school.