In today’s world of work, a rise in complex jobs has increased the working life span of many employees. In first world countries, studies find that there can be five different generations in one workplace. In line with this, careers have become more complex and dynamic. Rapid technological change means that people must now reinvent themselves several times throughout their working lives. It could be that several years into their career, a “mature” individual finds themselves on the first rung of a new career ladder. This means that there is less correlation between age and career progression or experience. At the same time, modern business culture has shifted to make it acceptable—and sometimes even desirable—to promote younger employees into leadership roles. These days, it is not uncommon to see leaders who are much younger than the team they are managing. 

 

Being an older employee or a young boss managing older report-ins can be challenging. The key is not focusing on management of the team. Rather it is about the leadership of each of the people involved. Here is some insight into the characteristics of employees in the workplace who are currently older than 40 years old – and hints as to ways to leverage their strengths and preferences. 

 

  • Baby boomers 

Born between 1955 and 1964 – and so aged between 60 and 69 – many baby boomers are still working as they transition into retirement or because they do not want to retire. Their self-worth can be tied up in their careers. They believe hard work and determination results in success and associate authority as being born from experience. 

Leverage baby boomers experience: This older generation values teamwork. With decades of experience under the belt boomers can bring a lot of value to the team. They typically like to work in-office more than younger generations. Give your employees in their sixties the opportunity to mentor others in the team by sharing and teaching their skills with younger members. By allowing baby boomers to mentor younger generations, they gain a deep sense of purpose that keeps them engaged. Plus, your younger employees get the chance to gain more than hard knowledge and skills – they get to learn soft skills as well.  

 

  • Generation X   

Born between 1965 and 1980 – so aged between 34 and 59 – many Generation X youngsters watched both their parents work long and hard, often working for one company until they retired. Growing up with both parents at work, Gen Xers are known as “latchkey kids.” 

Give Generation X the flexibility to work independently: Learning from their parents work ethic, Gen Xers are hard-working. They tend to be self-sufficient and independent thinkers. They are also ambitious, and results orientated. Yet in contrast to their parents working themselves to the bone, they value work-life balance. They work to live rather than live to work and so value the time to have a personal life outside of work. Generation X had a pre-digital childhood and a digital adulthood, and they embrace technology and social media. This gives them flexibility to work remotely.  

 

  • Millennials 

Born between 1980 and 1994, older millennial employees are already in their forties. According to Stellenbosch Business School, Millennials are the largest generational group within the South African workforce at 45% of employees.  

Give millennials the chance to continue learning: Millennials grew up having more of a say in family decisions and expect this same right at work – regardless of a lack of seniority. They have a deep passion for learning and a desire to grow in their careers that can be motivated by money. They will happily seek mentorship from those who came before them. Collaboration is at the centre of work for millennials. If they were not so comfortable with technology, working alone during the Covid lockdown would have been a challenging time. Millennials need to feel engaged and part of the team even if they work remotely from home. Work-life balance is important to them.  

 

Leading a team of more experienced employees requires a range of leadership qualities. Take the time to learn about each team member and how things are done. Understand how they like to communicate. It is important not to let your ambition come across as arrogance – but also do not let older team members push you around.  

 

Here are 4 strategies for succeeding at leading a team of older employees: 

1. Communicate your vision 

To align the team’s mission with the company’s vision and values, demonstrate how the team’s work supports achieving company goals. Explain the purpose and expected deliverables of the team early on. Communicate how each team member fits into the big picture. Proactively share your leadership style and what you expect from your team, so they are not left trying to fill in the blanks. 

2. Respect each individual’s knowledge 

One of the first steps is to respect their knowledge and skills. Leadership when managing professionals is about becoming an effective sounding board for ideas and collective problem solving. You will not be expected to know everything. Instead, ask for their input and show them that you value their opinions and insights. 

3. Empower your team members’ autonomy 

Do not impose your methods or solutions on your skilled team members. Rather than micro-managing them, let more experienced employees leverage their own expertise and experience by allowing them to choose their approach to their work. This will give them the flexibility to innovate and solve problems. Encourage them to share their ideas and best practices with the team.  

4. Develop their potential 

Do not assume that more seasoned employees do not want to learn new skills or rise in the ranks – or that they will not need any training or coaching. Identify their strengths and weaknesses. Learn about their aspirations and offer them opportunities to expand their skills and responsibilities. Provide them with challenging assignments and offer them mentorship and training. Help them achieve their career goals and recognise their achievements.  

 

Finally, it is important to overcome any personal barriers you may have to leading a team that is older and more experienced than you. At first you may experience feelings of self-doubt in the face of their levels of experience, but the fact is that you were chosen for the job because you are competent and have displayed leadership qualities. You are not expected to be able to do every team member’s job or know everything. If you feel intimidated or uncomfortable, it is important to identify the causes and find solutions. This could be being mentored by a more experienced team leader or receiving training to develop your soft skills.  

 

 

Over to you for sharing your comments and experiences.

About the Author: Kerstin Jatho

Kerstin is the senior transformational coach and team development facilitator for 4Seeds Consulting. She is also the author of Growing Butterfly Wings, a book on applying positive psychology principles during a lengthy recovery. Her passion is to develop people-centred organisations where people thrive and achieve their potential in the workplace. You can find Kerstin on LinkedIn, Soundcloud, YouTube and Facebook.

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