When Stephanie Elsy, 50, worked for a small organization where her boss and three co-workers were all younger than she, she had an epiphany.
"I had an 'OMG' moment when I realized that my co-worker was 22 and I was 50," she says. "I could have had a child in my mid-20s who would be older than she was!"
That was the first time Elsy really thought about the age differences between herself and her colleagues; it wasn't the last time, either. Today, she works as an accountant for Pop Labs, a digital media agency, where her boss (and owner of the company) is 38.
Unsurprisingly, Elsy is not the only baby boomer in today's work force who faces the issue of working with younger people. For the first time in history, there are four different generations working side-by-side in the workplace. Each one has its own attitudes, perceptions and values, which sometimes make it challenging for older workers to adapt.
Challenges older workers face
What seems to be the No. 1 obstacle baby boomers face when working with younger co-workers? Experts agree that it's got a lot to do with self-esteem.
"It's hard on the ego for baby boomers to have a younger boss," says Christine Hassler, a life coach, professional speaker and author. "Their parents taught them that seniority comes with age ... having to answer to a younger boss goes against the model they subscribed to. Not only are boomers often embarrassed and angry that they are answering to someone their child's age, they do not know how to relate to or connect with their boss and/or co-workers, which only makes them feel more separate."
Another hindrance separating boomers from younger generations is their tendency to believe that they have all the answers, says Rolfe Carawan, founder and CEO of Carawan Global Communications and Consulting. They want to tell people how to do something rather than ask someone how.
Beverly Mahone, 51, faced similar struggles when a woman 10 years her junior (and with no experience), was chosen for a news assignment manager position over Mahone, who had 20 years experience.
"She relied heavily on me to help her. She called me 'ma'am' all the time," Mahone recounts. "I didn't appreciate her lack of experience and the fact that she was getting paid nearly twice my salary. She had no clear-cut system in place on how she wanted things run."
Mahone, who now owns her own media consulting firm, eventually left the corporate world in part due to the fact that she disliked working for younger supervisors.
Frank Ricketts, 57, says he thinks the biggest challenge with working alongside younger people is their sense of urgency. Currently the second-oldest employee at his company, Ricketts has been the vice president of Colour, a Canada-based advertising and PR agency, since 1993. His immediate boss -- the president -- joined the company five years ago and is 16 years younger than he.
"We are not taking the time to sit and reflect on the solution to determine if it is the best [for our client]," he says. "Younger people are always looking at the next challenge before finishing the current one, resisting and sulking when their ideas are not gleefully accepted."
Benefits to working with youth
Despite all the challenges boomers face as a result of having a younger boss, it's important for them to learn how to deal with and accept it. As a result of more boomers staying in the work force while millions of Generation Y enter it, the chances of boomers having a younger boss are increasing.
"Unless you are immortal, the reality of having to hand over the reins to the next generation is, in a word, inevitable," says Jason Seiden, a management consultant and author.
Armed with this information, boomers must learn to appreciate, rather than negatively judge, younger generations.
Susan Hawkins, 60, learned to embrace younger co-workers a long time ago. Her last three bosses have all been younger than she, by as many as 25 years. In her current position as a senior copywriter for The Shops at 24Seven, an e-commerce company, Hawkins is older than her department director, the CEO and the president.
"Age doesn't seem to be an issue; I was hired because I'm good at what I do," she says. "I benefit from working with younger people ... they keep you young! They keep you tuned into today's world and the latest technology. I love the fact that I'm learning so much about how the Internet works, especially where business is concerned. There's really nothing I dislike about working for a younger boss."
Sandi Grimm, 55, has been the marketing director for YouthFriends, a nonprofit organization, for more than nine years. Her boss, who started just two years ago, is 37. Grimm says she respects her younger boss and the different skill set she brings to the company.
"It's fun to look at things from her perspective ... it keeps me open-minded. I also think she respects my experience and maturity," Grimm says.
Here are 10 tips that will help you effectively deal with working in a younger work environment:
1. Recognize that an important factor in managing any relationship is understanding the other person's point of view. If your boss is from another generation, you may have differing opinions on many things, says Barbara Safani, owner of Career Solvers, a career management firm. Observe his behavior to better understand what influences his management style and how you can complement it.
2. Don't assume traditional boss behaviors. If you get that weekend phone call, don't immediately assume it's a power trip, Seiden says. Younger workers don't all put the same kinds of boundaries on work and personal time as you might have. They can be segmented, but those segmentations don't always fit a traditional schedule.
3. Never let 'em see you sweat. No matter how unhappy you are with your new, younger boss, don't show it because you could become expendable for another "younger" employee. If you're that unhappy, start making plans to make your exit, Mahone advises.
4. Keep an open mind. Don't assume that because they are younger, they don't know what they are doing, Grimm says. We all have different skill sets. No one is good at everything.
5. You have to want to learn new things and look at things differently. You'll want to do some hanging out with the kids to enjoy what they enjoy. Otherwise, they'll just see you as a fuddy-duddy and you'll be irritated by the boss and his newfangled ideas, Elsy says.
6. Use your experience to temper any potential insecurity about having a younger boss. You've got perspective they don't yet have, which benefits both of you, says Sam Spear, owner of Gogh Advertising.
7. Help a brother out. Your boss is more nervous about this relationship than you, Seiden says. Help your boss find his footing, and he is likely to return the favor by giving you the autonomy you want and by including you on decisions.
8. Listen! Call it the hubris of youth or just the natural outcome of the self-esteem curriculum, but younger workers are deeply committed to collaboration and want to be included on decisions and strategies, Carawan says. If you want to bridge the gaps, show them you're willing to invest, improve and understand.
9. Spend time with them one on one. Take some time to get to know your boss and find out what she thinks, Ricketts says. You'll usually come back richer for it.
10. Be the employee your boss does not have to manage. Bosses spend a lot of time managing younger employees who are just beginning to learn prioritization and time management, Hassler says. Be the employee that your boss does not have to manage by taking initiative. If you are an employee whom your boss does not have to think about, he will begin to notice and appreciate your experience and wisdom.
Rachel Zupek is a writer and blogger for CareerBuilder.com. She researches and writes about job search strategy, career management, hiring trends and workplace issues.
"I had an 'OMG' moment when I realized that my co-worker was 22 and I was 50," she says. "I could have had a child in my mid-20s who would be older than she was!"
That was the first time Elsy really thought about the age differences between herself and her colleagues; it wasn't the last time, either. Today, she works as an accountant for Pop Labs, a digital media agency, where her boss (and owner of the company) is 38.
Unsurprisingly, Elsy is not the only baby boomer in today's work force who faces the issue of working with younger people. For the first time in history, there are four different generations working side-by-side in the workplace. Each one has its own attitudes, perceptions and values, which sometimes make it challenging for older workers to adapt.
Challenges older workers face
What seems to be the No. 1 obstacle baby boomers face when working with younger co-workers? Experts agree that it's got a lot to do with self-esteem.
"It's hard on the ego for baby boomers to have a younger boss," says Christine Hassler, a life coach, professional speaker and author. "Their parents taught them that seniority comes with age ... having to answer to a younger boss goes against the model they subscribed to. Not only are boomers often embarrassed and angry that they are answering to someone their child's age, they do not know how to relate to or connect with their boss and/or co-workers, which only makes them feel more separate."
Another hindrance separating boomers from younger generations is their tendency to believe that they have all the answers, says Rolfe Carawan, founder and CEO of Carawan Global Communications and Consulting. They want to tell people how to do something rather than ask someone how.
Beverly Mahone, 51, faced similar struggles when a woman 10 years her junior (and with no experience), was chosen for a news assignment manager position over Mahone, who had 20 years experience.
"She relied heavily on me to help her. She called me 'ma'am' all the time," Mahone recounts. "I didn't appreciate her lack of experience and the fact that she was getting paid nearly twice my salary. She had no clear-cut system in place on how she wanted things run."
Mahone, who now owns her own media consulting firm, eventually left the corporate world in part due to the fact that she disliked working for younger supervisors.
Frank Ricketts, 57, says he thinks the biggest challenge with working alongside younger people is their sense of urgency. Currently the second-oldest employee at his company, Ricketts has been the vice president of Colour, a Canada-based advertising and PR agency, since 1993. His immediate boss -- the president -- joined the company five years ago and is 16 years younger than he.
"We are not taking the time to sit and reflect on the solution to determine if it is the best [for our client]," he says. "Younger people are always looking at the next challenge before finishing the current one, resisting and sulking when their ideas are not gleefully accepted."
Benefits to working with youth
Despite all the challenges boomers face as a result of having a younger boss, it's important for them to learn how to deal with and accept it. As a result of more boomers staying in the work force while millions of Generation Y enter it, the chances of boomers having a younger boss are increasing.
"Unless you are immortal, the reality of having to hand over the reins to the next generation is, in a word, inevitable," says Jason Seiden, a management consultant and author.
Armed with this information, boomers must learn to appreciate, rather than negatively judge, younger generations.
Susan Hawkins, 60, learned to embrace younger co-workers a long time ago. Her last three bosses have all been younger than she, by as many as 25 years. In her current position as a senior copywriter for The Shops at 24Seven, an e-commerce company, Hawkins is older than her department director, the CEO and the president.
"Age doesn't seem to be an issue; I was hired because I'm good at what I do," she says. "I benefit from working with younger people ... they keep you young! They keep you tuned into today's world and the latest technology. I love the fact that I'm learning so much about how the Internet works, especially where business is concerned. There's really nothing I dislike about working for a younger boss."
Sandi Grimm, 55, has been the marketing director for YouthFriends, a nonprofit organization, for more than nine years. Her boss, who started just two years ago, is 37. Grimm says she respects her younger boss and the different skill set she brings to the company.
"It's fun to look at things from her perspective ... it keeps me open-minded. I also think she respects my experience and maturity," Grimm says.
Here are 10 tips that will help you effectively deal with working in a younger work environment:
1. Recognize that an important factor in managing any relationship is understanding the other person's point of view. If your boss is from another generation, you may have differing opinions on many things, says Barbara Safani, owner of Career Solvers, a career management firm. Observe his behavior to better understand what influences his management style and how you can complement it.
2. Don't assume traditional boss behaviors. If you get that weekend phone call, don't immediately assume it's a power trip, Seiden says. Younger workers don't all put the same kinds of boundaries on work and personal time as you might have. They can be segmented, but those segmentations don't always fit a traditional schedule.
3. Never let 'em see you sweat. No matter how unhappy you are with your new, younger boss, don't show it because you could become expendable for another "younger" employee. If you're that unhappy, start making plans to make your exit, Mahone advises.
4. Keep an open mind. Don't assume that because they are younger, they don't know what they are doing, Grimm says. We all have different skill sets. No one is good at everything.
5. You have to want to learn new things and look at things differently. You'll want to do some hanging out with the kids to enjoy what they enjoy. Otherwise, they'll just see you as a fuddy-duddy and you'll be irritated by the boss and his newfangled ideas, Elsy says.
6. Use your experience to temper any potential insecurity about having a younger boss. You've got perspective they don't yet have, which benefits both of you, says Sam Spear, owner of Gogh Advertising.
7. Help a brother out. Your boss is more nervous about this relationship than you, Seiden says. Help your boss find his footing, and he is likely to return the favor by giving you the autonomy you want and by including you on decisions.
8. Listen! Call it the hubris of youth or just the natural outcome of the self-esteem curriculum, but younger workers are deeply committed to collaboration and want to be included on decisions and strategies, Carawan says. If you want to bridge the gaps, show them you're willing to invest, improve and understand.
9. Spend time with them one on one. Take some time to get to know your boss and find out what she thinks, Ricketts says. You'll usually come back richer for it.
10. Be the employee your boss does not have to manage. Bosses spend a lot of time managing younger employees who are just beginning to learn prioritization and time management, Hassler says. Be the employee that your boss does not have to manage by taking initiative. If you are an employee whom your boss does not have to think about, he will begin to notice and appreciate your experience and wisdom.
Rachel Zupek is a writer and blogger for CareerBuilder.com. She researches and writes about job search strategy, career management, hiring trends and workplace issues.
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