“Found One 26 Y.O. Crying Under Her Desk”: 31 Stories About Working With Gen Z And Millennials
Interview With Expert
Whether you’re the oldest or youngest person in your workplace, there’s a good chance you’ve noticed some generational gaps between you and your colleagues. You might have been at the company for decades, meanwhile your desk mate just graduated from university last week. Your employees might use lingo that you don't understand, and they might be incapable of relating to conversations about buying a home, having children and remembering what the world was like during the 90s.
After having a few funny encounters with younger team members, one Gen Xer reached out on Reddit asking others to share their own experiences working with millennials and zoomers. Below, you’ll find some of their funniest and most frustrating stories, and keep reading to find a conversation with Tom Brunskill, CEO and co-founder of Forage!
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We have a Gen Z administrative assistant for a team of Gen-X cops who work Internet Crimes Against Children (among other things). For a while she was in a near perpetual state of shock between the cases we work and just us in general.
Seeing her wander around with a VHS tape trying to figure out what it was was one of the most hilarious things that has happened at work.
She's onboard now, loves us, we got her to perfect her eye roll, say "whatever" with the proper inflection and become very liberal with the middle finger. We may have been a bit too successful with the Gen X conversion therapy.
This is not true of most of the under-30 crowd; I've worked with plenty of great kids. However, in the last eight years, I've had to train several young adults who just cannot take direction without assuming you're trying to change them on some fundamental level.
I've been in supervisory and training positions for 25 years and had never heard someone tell me, 'I don't like doing it that way,' and when I tell them they have to, they accuse me of trying to make them do things my way.
"It ain't my way, kid, it's the way it's done here, it's the way I was also taught to do it. It's as if they have no concept that work isn't free time and that they're a part of a team (or what being part of a team even means). It blows my mind, and I still haven't figured out a way to train these kids. They often end up feeling oppressed and out of place and end up leaving or just getting fired for not learning how to do work.
I've noticed that any level of directness is often perceived as a personal attack and the height of aggression. No, I'm just not bulls**tting you, out of basic human respect.
I had a young guy who couldn’t do his job, and we gradually tried micromanaging more and more tightly (first making tasks more explicit, then timings more explicit, then asking for updates through the day to ensure he was doing as asked) but it barely had any improvement. Trying the opposite just meant his output collapsed, and his work never improved. But I manage people 20 years ago who had the same problem, it’s just there’s fewer places to hide in my industry nowadays if you’re hopeless.
To learn more about what it's like to work with the younger generations, we reached out to Tom Brunskill, CEO and co-founder of Forage, an online platform that allows students to participate in job simulations and become up to 2.6 times more employable. Tom was kind enough to have a chat with Bored Panda and share some of the generational gaps that might appear when younger individuals works with older colleagues.
"When Gen Xers, millennials, and Gen Zers are working together, you might see differences in work habits like working hours, communication styles, attitudes about work, and work environment preferences," Tom says.
"Gen Z tends to be the most non-traditional when it comes to different work habits: this generation is more likely to want to communicate via messaging platforms like Slack versus phone calls; they're more likely to opt to use tech to make their work-life more efficient; they tend to want to set strong boundaries between work and life; they often see work as part of their life and something to balance with personal priorities," he explained.
I had a millennial look me in the eye and say, "You're not my dad!" I laughed so hard I almost vomited. The worst thing a kid said to me was, "I did the best I can!". I told him that if that's the best you can do then you have to leave.
My favorite moment is when I mentioned that I had a certain song on 45 and then had to explain about 45s, LPs, etc. A group of millies gathered around me. All we needed was a campfire.
"Gen X is not as traditional as their 'Boomer' counterparts, but much of their work life revolved around workplace norms like long hours and work-over-life balance, especially with Boomers as their bosses," Tom continued. "This generation tends to be very independent and values flexibility and autonomy versus hand-holding."
Millennials, on the other hand, are somewhere in the middle of the two, Tom says. "They dealt with the backlash of being called 'lazy' and 'entitled' when they joined the workforce — similar to the stereotypes Gen Z faces now — and many have felt like they needed to make up for it with their work ethic. Millennials tend to look for stability when it comes to the workplace."
I'm a college prof, and I'm going to go past my 30 year normal retirement goal because these kids are so fricking amazing to hang out with in the classroom. I've been through the millennials and they were OK, but this younger generation is wonderful. GenX has done a fantastic job parenting them. Chef's kiss!
Working in higher ed, I have to completely disagree. These kids are helpless without their phones, they are obese, they don't know how to answer a phone or leave a voicemail, they can't remember their SS number or even their school ID, they constantly deflect and never accept that they are responsible for their actions... I could go on all day long.
My boss is an elder millennial and loves having me on his team because he can point me in a direction and I just go do the thing that needs doing while everyone else needs some level of hand holding and babysitting.
They keep trying to put me into management but I have zero desire. I'm totally cool with where I am and with what I do. The big joke is that since I'm Gen X, I'm happy working a job where I'm ignored - just as long as they don't ignore me when it comes to my pay.
I've been with my company 23 years and that longevity blows a lot of younger folks' minds. It also blows their minds that I'm NOT in management and don't want to be - because that's what they've been told they're supposed to do in order to be successful in life, otherwise they're failing. I love watching that little part of their brain light up when I tell them it's perfectly ok to be comfortable where you're at and not have to climb corporate ladder if they don't want to. No one will care what your work title was when you're dead.
“25?! I have socks older than you!” This is an acceptable response to the kids.
So, how do these generational differences manifest in the workplace? "Some are bigger than others, but even small habits like communication preferences may not seem like a big deal, but over time, appealing to only one group can make people feel alienated or even uncomfortable sharing ideas, information, and feedback," Tom shared.
"A Gen Zer who loves async communication on Slack may get burnt out if they're forced to be on meetings all the time, while a Gen Xer might want to hop on more calls if most of their team's communication is on Teams," he explained. "While we shouldn't assume someone's habits based on their generation, being aware of different preferences can help make people feel more comfortable and excited about participating at work."
I’m a 47 year old lawyer. Been practicing for 20 years. Solo attorney the entire time. I have two employees, both in their late 20’s. The difference between us is sometimes minimal and sometimes huge. My 20 years experience over them is a huge factor, but we’re ultimately into the same things, watch the same shows, and listen to the same music. The biggest difference is literally my 20 years of experience. I’ve been there and done that. They haven’t. Things I take for granted are new to them. Once I realized that it made me a better boss, teacher, and mentor.
Totally agree. I'm in IT, and we all tend to have similar personalities/humor in a lot of ways. Where the 'age gap' tends to be is experience. Not just in technical knowledge but corporate bs. I'm much more calm and detached than when I first started in my field, and a lot of that is not just 'knowing' but experiencing how little most employers care about their employees. I just get my work done, so I don't have to care about it anymore. Ironically, it made me a better employee.
Management isn't anything like it was in the '80s, when we were young and wouldn't have dreamed of expecting the kind of fairness demanded now. I'm not ripping on gens Y and Z. Just saying it would have been nice to be able to expect respect when we were baby workers. We didn't get it.
In one form or another people will always be arseholes to one another.
We have a few GenZs and we drop random pop culture facts like Will Smith used to be a rapper and Mark Wahlberg used to be Marky Mark. It blows their young minds.
And when one of them started she would talk about her mom a lot then one day said, "I can't believe my mom is almost 50. That's so old". 😒 We told her maybe next time we'll invite her mom out instead of her for beer.
When it comes to the pros of working with the younger generations, Tom says, "[They] get a lot of traction about their work preferences and attitudes because they're non-traditional, but for good reason — they're pushing the limits of what's possible at work."
"Gen Z and millennials are open to new ways of doing things in the workplace, whether that's benefits like flexible work schedules or remote work, or tangible pressure on companies to do better and stick to their mission statements," he noted. "They're excited about the future and believe they can have a hand in making the workplace better for everyone."
I have coworkers born in 1995 - the year I bought my current 1995 Jeep.
They love riding around in it because it’s an “antique” to them - and so have to remind them that I was an adult when I bought it.
I’ve got a similar one, my lead gave me a ride in his 1974 Porsche, I was born in 75, now that was an antique!
I have a mix of all ages and I am very frustrated by the younger crowd. Here are some real examples of reasons people couldn’t work
1) I saw my ex this weekend and he was cancelling me. So I needed a mental health day.
2) I have the sniffles , it’s best I don’t come in and infect anyone.
3) my moms friend has Covid and I just want to make sure I don’t have it (not been in direct contact with the friend )
4) I’m not a morning person, I try but I’m just always going to be 15-20 min late.
I found one 26 year old crying under her desk after we had sat down to talk about ways she could improve her performance.
Obviously I have had to deal with these horrible excuses and create the appropriate responses. Most of the time I try and really drill into people. It’s their PTO. I,don’t need to know why they are taking a day off. Just do it. Don’t over share.
The person who is always late is a huge issue but her work is so amazing I have to balance it all.
I'm incredibly fortunate to work with people mostly in their 30's. So they're young but experienced in life. They have kids and mortgages so they understand priorities. They're good people doing their best. Couldn't ask for a better team.
But Tom points out that the new ideas younger generations bring to the table can sometimes cause friction because they're challenging what a lot of us think about work. "Older generations may understand more of the complications and challenges of changing the norms of the workplace, and know that progress might not come immediately," the expert explained. "Working with younger generations can be a tricky balance of trying to understand where they're coming from while still enforcing some of the rules of the workplace."
Other comments that are disfavored are “Were you in shape when you were young?” Said to me, a 33 year old attorney, by a useless 22 year old twit.
I have a newish 30-something on my team and he has asked about my experience, and not in an a*s kissing way. It’s such a shame that people today don’t receive the training we did. I feel it is my responsibility to pass on what I know.
He has stated many times that he appreciates the extra time I spend with him to get him up to speed. I think he is sincere, and I have to admit it feels good to be appreciated.
i dont train people anymore, but when I did, I wasn't only showing you what you had to do, but explained why and what it affected. I would go over the history of the company, and explain every little detail of what we had to do. even if it was such a small thing that happened once in the 10 years i had been training, i still mention it.... the big problem with the new generation of workers is they do not take notes. like nothing. they expect there to be a document made for them.
To be honest...it's exhausting watching them take on more work than they can handle, hoard the work until the last minute, and then ask for last-minute help. I get the unfinished work and wonder what they've been doing all this time besides bemoaning how much work they had. Rinse and repeat. As a mgr, I actually try to help them with time mgmt and pacing but other mgrs just let them fall on their faces and help them pick up the pieces like a helicopter parent to the detriment of the entire team.
Oh and their refusal to use track changes drives me nuts. So arrogant to unilaterally rewrite others' work, particularly analysts with decades of experience. Their overconfidence is kinda scary...their way is the only way until it blows up in their faces. They could talk less and actively listen more. And write s**t down. Or voice note it. Anything to help with retention.
One more rant...do not ever send a text to my personal cell while I am on vacation with my kid. Nothing our organization does requires that kind of urgency. It can wait a few days, believe me. I would have rather quit than bug my mgr while on personal time. The audacity.
It's been kinda rough at work lately...thanks for reading my novel rant. 😆.
My 'quiet time' setting on the cell phone is called 'the kitchen counter.'
Tom also shared some advice for older generations who are now working with much younger employees. "Meet younger generations where they are instead of assuming what might motivate them. This means getting curious about why your younger employees have taken this role, decided to pursue this career path, and even joined your company," he told Bored Panda.
"Ask them questions about their work preferences, skills they want to build, and goals. Be a listening ear before providing any suggestions. You might not get the answers you expect, and that's OK — even good. You won't be able to motivate your younger employees until you know what motivates them," Tom noted.
Generally the millennials and Z's I've worked with have been fine.
The only thing that annoys me a bit is when they complain or poke fun at each other about being "old" or make condescending comments about anyone over 30 being "old." Anyone pushing 50 is "really old." I get it, but it's a rude thing to go on about within earshot of other older coworkers, unless you've established some kind of rapport and know that everyone can take a joke.
Generally I just roll my eyes but in 20 years they'll be screaming bloody murder when the Alphas arrive and make the same remarks.
Constant praise. It’s exhausting.
Just this morning I realized how often I tell my dog he is doing great. Then I wondered if it would be better or worse praising the trainees every few minutes.
Remember that some Millenials and Zoomers will think that you're mad at them if you use periods at the end of sentences in emails.
Don't care. Was taught proper grammar and punctuation. Was drilled into me. Best get in the habit of it if you ever have to handwrite a resume or answer a serious survey....hell, write an actual letter to someone. Writing without proper punctuation is disrespectful and is a form of illiteracy in my opinion. Thanks to the teachers for taking the time to drill that into us way back when!
God! I was born in the 80s. When I was at university, the discussion boards for the course where so filled with slang, I couldn't understand them.
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I will use periods at the end of sentences in emails (but probably not in text messages) and this is the hill I am willing to die on.
I even use periods in text messages. I just can't leave it hanging!
Load More Replies... So... this is the reason they write in one, giant run-on sentence? That makes sense. I receive emails from students like this all the time, and I have to constantly write them back to re-explain what they did previously. It gets to the point that I ignore them if they can't even form a basic and it is filled with slang and curse words.
I have ignored job applications filled with text-speak and poor punctuation (and yes, being able to write well was part of the job).
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They've changed the meaning of basic punctuation? And a thumbs up is hostile? I would love for this generation to work at my job. It's a 100% remote job and Teams is our primary method of communication. Using actual grammar and punctuation correctly is essential. The thumbs up is the way we show acknowledgement of any post. Periods and thumbs everywhere, it would drive them insane.
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I once made a young employee cry because I typed a very important piece of information in red and underlined it. She thought it meant she was in trouble. It was a department-wide email stressing the deadline to make benefit changes and I didn't want anyone to miss out.
There are similar problems in spoken language. Had one tell me, in sort of huff, that she wasn't used to that kind to talk. Whereupon I esplained to her: "So- you come here, to join the operation I created - and - you want me to learn YOUR language preferences so you can fit in properly? Not a chance. You're joining here- which means you learn the language here. We do not adapt to you. End. Astonishment.
its so frustrating. every email has to end with a :) in order to make the person on the other end not be offended, or make them think you're not mad at them. I am not mad, I am simply giving you info. I am not :) about it, and you shouldn't be :) about it either.
I'm way beyond Gen Z or whatever and I always have to try to remember to use periods in emails and posts.
Sorry for the down votes you are getting. Language changes over the generations. One thing I learned when I was younger was people tend to listen or treat you with better authority, even if you are young, if you write a bit more "formally". I still write more proper in work settings though have my own lazy writing with friends. I also tend to have an initial negative bias if people can't bother to spend time to write full words and decent sentences for "official" communication. I try to ignore it but a lot of people won't.
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Most of the 15-25 year olds I know are aware that not using proper punctuation and/or grammar when adressing an "older" person or in a professional setting can be seen as disrespectful.
I'm gen Z, and how does that work? It's a period. Do full caps if you're mad.
Don't coddle them. Life is not fair & periods are proper grammar. They need to get over their neurosis.
I've said more than once, "You can text your friends in any manner you like, but if you are contacting me concerning an office issue, I expect you to be professional."
My boss is 20 years younger than me, and the youngest person on our team is 35 years younger than me. I have to say, I’m so glad I get to work with this younger generation before I leave the workforce. As an always LGBTQ ally, I still remember rolling my eyes at the cis/trans/pronouns conversation for a hot minute, then realizing I was being that kind of older person. Yuck. That thought pulled me right the f**k out of it, and now I’m one of the few people my age — even among liberal friends — who’s completely comfortable around nonbinary people and those with other nontraditional gender expressions. "I love being around people of different ages. It opens your eyes, challenges your preconceptions, and gives you a new way of looking at the world. This younger generation only does the work they’re paid to do while still doing it well. They take vacation and sick time and don’t work their asses off for hours they’re not being paid to work. And they actually taught me to do the same. "After a lifetime of going above and beyond — even in nonprofit work, which I love — it’s just plain dumb to work 50 or 60 hours when you’re being paid for 40. I’m now working a straight 40-hour week. F**king geniuses, these young'uns.
I did before Covid, changed careers during the middle of, and it was terrible. Way too much coddling, hand holding, and walking on eggshells. I’m pretty blunt and direct, it did not sit well with them.
Meh. If you tell them, "How you did it was wrong, here‘s how you do it correctly." then that‘s direct. If you tell them, "You moron, that’s wrong! Don’t you have any brain inside that head of yours?!" then you‘re just a jerk. From my experience, many people who claim to be blunt simply are jerks.
I manage a number of teams, and my staff are literally from their late 60s to 21 years old.
I am 58, but probably most aligned with 30-40 yo in terms of taste, music, etc.
I've been at my company for 27 years.
It is.....challenging at time....how to motivate each cohort. Among them: the oldest is completely offended and passive-aggressive about any feedback. Youngest ones need constant, effusive praise including for things like showing up to work on time, not being late back from a break, working without f*****g earbuds in, even while talking to people, etc. I have two that are fairly certainly somewhere on the autism spectrum, so you have to be very careful and specific so they can process interactions effectively. I have one transgender (not disclosed, but apparent), so gender-related things require care. I have a 28 yo male hispanic that is ruled by machismo (just don't "disrespect" him!).
Again...challenging.
I have 25 to 30 year olds on my team and I'm the HR Manager. I'm not sure how I feel about them because I honestly can't relate to much they're talking about. It is somewhat annoying when they assume anyone over a certain age can't use technology. I remember the first email and computers in offices. If you're our age and you've worked you know computers.
Sadly I find sometimes younger people can use phones and basic tech but anything more complicated and they can be lost. Not saying it was a positive but you had to build and program computers to use them when I was young, eventually using a modem to connect to bbs or early internet. Now phones have the most user friendly UI, always connected Internet, and very young children can even use them. It doesn't help teach the concepts underlying the technology.
My teams are almost always kids 16 and up. They drive me nuts but they keep me young. They don't always get my references but I make sure they have a healthy understanding of sarcasm and dark humor. They f****n love it.
I work with all Millennials and I can honestly say that they are a pleasure to work with! Kind, empathetic, and I get ~90% of their references without feeling old. I just grew up playing different video games and listening to different music. Maybe it’s just a matter of maturity - it doesn’t matter what generation you are, the ones that are 19 - 25 will never fail to mention how young they are, until they start feeling old themselves! 26 and up, they start getting much more humble and relatable.
My favorite team I ever managed were nearly all millennials. I realized how lucky I was to have managed them when I ended up at a large company and temporarily managed a group with an average age of 50+ (this is in the mid 2000’s). I’m still friends with a couple of the millennials all these years later. We had a great team environment where we all helped each other and had a lot of fun in the process. Never felt that with the older group I managed later.
I had a moment of sheer depression when I mentioned I used to do Flash for the internet and my millennial employees had no idea what Flash was.
This makes little sense. I'm a late millennial (1995) and Flash was very popular when I was a teenager. Some earlier millennials (born on the 80s) were often the ones who used and programmed Flash apps the most. The OP probably confused Millennials with Gen Zs.
All I work with is kids for the most part. I'm 47 and still active duty. For the most part it's really fun. Was talking to one of them today and realized they are a yr younger than my oldest child.... At least I know how they think since I have kids of that age.
Thanks for using your experience to help keep those kids safe
At 50, I'm at the very top tier of old farts in my workplace. We're mostly hiring genz now. They are almost universally respectful, but my line of work strongly preselects for respect of seniority and rank. I hope to be viewed as a mentor, father figure, or at least uncle figure. It seems like I am.
Well, I made it to the bottom of this list, and it was fascinating! As a 62 year old, I regularly visit this site to make sure I keep up with what younger people are thinking, all of the acronyms (have to Google sometimes, but learning a lot), etc. As with EVRY generation, it's mixed bag ... I see a lot of compassion and caring from the young people that warms my heart, but some extreme entitlement and nihilism that is discouraging. So glad I grew up without social media!
I work in a fairly large team (16 regular workers and ~10 student helpers), and what I can say about generational differences is that they barely exist. Our 4 most tech savvy people are in their 20s, 30s and 40s. Our 2 most clueless people in terms of technology are in their 20s and in their 60s. Our meanest, bitchiest person is in their 30s - as is our kindest, most empathetic one. We have people with great work ethics and people with terrible work ethics. Nothing of it is tied to age.
Why are millennials included in this? We're in our 30's and 40's and getting a bit sick of being referred to as the clueless younguns! Sorry to bust the Gen X view of millennials as clueless children, but I was here for Y2K, I owned a VHS and a PC that ran Windows 95 and used floppy disks, I know what Flash is and used it to make stupid little animations, and I don't need constant praise. Leave millennials out of this, we're just chilling and trying to afford to live like everyone else!
@Lem Johnson, The problem is not you but BP who persists in making putaclick articles with X vs Y with stereotypes or sweeping judgments.
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Can we do away with all the division and labeling of generations? It's getting old and all it does is perpetuate pitting people against each other.
Right with you. The evidence suggests these "generations" are entirely fabricated - by journalists looking for a story. Now they create artificial Tribes - that are born fighting each other. "News " about them focuses on "differences" real or made up. Can you get people to complain about each other? That's a sure bet. Hating each other is an established pastime - look at Professional Sports - "Your ball-bouncers are EVIL!" And we believe it.
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I have six zoomers on my team, and mostly I am aggravated by the need for constant praise. They do a good job and most were easily trainable, but they are not always coachable and see feedback as a personal attack on them rather than direction on their work. There are four of the zoomers who, any time they finish a step on a project, stick their head in my office to tell me and expect praise. "Good job, Lakeleighn, you completed a task for which you received extensive training and will be compensated. Now, go finish the other 14 steps that are due tomorrow."
I don't get this. Celebrating small victories improves your quality of life. I give myself praise for cleaning out the fridge. I give my mom praise for cleaning her bathroom. I give my friends praise for getting a good night sleep. I give my son praise for taking out the trash. It doesn't have to be a huge lecture on their virtues. It's just a, "Right on! Thank you!" It's so easy and just improves attitudes all around.
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One thing that amazes me is that they so often have no concept of anything that came before them. We were talking about Blazing Saddles, and none of them were familiar with it. I'm an older GenX, and I love old movies. Abbott and Costello, 30s-50's horror/scifi/monster movies. Humphry Bogart stuff. While I'm mostly into metal, I also listen to big band and classical. They have barely heard of this stuff, if at all. And their attention span is short. That's a tiktok thing, I guess.
Well. I'd explain all this. .... But- my consistent experience is... that kids don't listen, so I'd be wasting my time. Me? Boomer. Heard, did all of this, with frosting on it. So; with a little spooky music in the background, I want to warn you... we are not all dead.. Still here, still interested in life - and your Boss's Boss... (Jaws theme...)
After Covid, I suddenly noticed that all of the 'old people' were no longer attending meetings. "Oh no, now *I'm* the senior member! How did that happen?!"
I know it has a bad rep, but compartmentalization is a great way to cope with those minor and major annoyances at work. Just remember to let it out in a safe place.
On of the biggest problems I find with younger employees coming into the healthcare profession is their unrealistic career progression expectations, they seem to want to be promoted to the next grade every 5 minutes. That is not how it works in healthcare. It takes years of experience, training and education to progress from one grade to the next, there is no way you are going to be a senior physiotherapist while you are still in your mid 20's, at least not in the UK and that when you leave university and start work, you are at the entry level. The 3-4 years of your degree have just about made you competent enough to obtain state registration and to legally be able to treat patients without someone looking over you shoulder.
I don't know about this one I work with all generations. (I'm gen X 1977) The most problems in our office seem to be the older gen x and a few boomers. The entitlement and gatekeepers are exhausting to me. "Back in MY day"....ugh...lol
Unless the phrase "back in my day" is the start of a joke, it is extremely annoying. It isn't that day anymore!
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Please someone tell me what 'gen x', 'gen z', 'millennial' 'boomer' mean. Please. I want to understand. Is it a particular year, a decade?
Ageism, the last remaining socially-acceptable prejudice, and Bored Panda promotes it.
My team is mostly GenZ and Mills. I'm GenX. I've nicknamed one Eyeore because everything he's asked to do becomes a larger than life, sky is falling task. Another tries to talk down to me. Another repeats the questions he's asked in a sing song voice. And the rest are just plain scared of me.
I work in a fairly large team (16 regular workers and ~10 student helpers), and what I can say about generational differences is that they barely exist. Our 4 most tech savvy people are in their 20s, 30s and 40s. Our 2 most clueless people in terms of technology are in their 20s and in their 60s. Our meanest, bitchiest person is in their 30s - as is our kindest, most empathetic one. We have people with great work ethics and people with terrible work ethics. Nothing of it is tied to age.
Why are millennials included in this? We're in our 30's and 40's and getting a bit sick of being referred to as the clueless younguns! Sorry to bust the Gen X view of millennials as clueless children, but I was here for Y2K, I owned a VHS and a PC that ran Windows 95 and used floppy disks, I know what Flash is and used it to make stupid little animations, and I don't need constant praise. Leave millennials out of this, we're just chilling and trying to afford to live like everyone else!
@Lem Johnson, The problem is not you but BP who persists in making putaclick articles with X vs Y with stereotypes or sweeping judgments.
Load More Replies... Can we do away with all the division and labeling of generations? It's getting old and all it does is perpetuate pitting people against each other.
Right with you. The evidence suggests these "generations" are entirely fabricated - by journalists looking for a story. Now they create artificial Tribes - that are born fighting each other. "News " about them focuses on "differences" real or made up. Can you get people to complain about each other? That's a sure bet. Hating each other is an established pastime - look at Professional Sports - "Your ball-bouncers are EVIL!" And we believe it.
Load More Replies... I have six zoomers on my team, and mostly I am aggravated by the need for constant praise. They do a good job and most were easily trainable, but they are not always coachable and see feedback as a personal attack on them rather than direction on their work. There are four of the zoomers who, any time they finish a step on a project, stick their head in my office to tell me and expect praise. "Good job, Lakeleighn, you completed a task for which you received extensive training and will be compensated. Now, go finish the other 14 steps that are due tomorrow."
I don't get this. Celebrating small victories improves your quality of life. I give myself praise for cleaning out the fridge. I give my mom praise for cleaning her bathroom. I give my friends praise for getting a good night sleep. I give my son praise for taking out the trash. It doesn't have to be a huge lecture on their virtues. It's just a, "Right on! Thank you!" It's so easy and just improves attitudes all around.
Load More Replies... One thing that amazes me is that they so often have no concept of anything that came before them. We were talking about Blazing Saddles, and none of them were familiar with it. I'm an older GenX, and I love old movies. Abbott and Costello, 30s-50's horror/scifi/monster movies. Humphry Bogart stuff. While I'm mostly into metal, I also listen to big band and classical. They have barely heard of this stuff, if at all. And their attention span is short. That's a tiktok thing, I guess.
Well. I'd explain all this. .... But- my consistent experience is... that kids don't listen, so I'd be wasting my time. Me? Boomer. Heard, did all of this, with frosting on it. So; with a little spooky music in the background, I want to warn you... we are not all dead.. Still here, still interested in life - and your Boss's Boss... (Jaws theme...)
After Covid, I suddenly noticed that all of the 'old people' were no longer attending meetings. "Oh no, now *I'm* the senior member! How did that happen?!"
I know it has a bad rep, but compartmentalization is a great way to cope with those minor and major annoyances at work. Just remember to let it out in a safe place.
On of the biggest problems I find with younger employees coming into the healthcare profession is their unrealistic career progression expectations, they seem to want to be promoted to the next grade every 5 minutes. That is not how it works in healthcare. It takes years of experience, training and education to progress from one grade to the next, there is no way you are going to be a senior physiotherapist while you are still in your mid 20's, at least not in the UK and that when you leave university and start work, you are at the entry level. The 3-4 years of your degree have just about made you competent enough to obtain state registration and to legally be able to treat patients without someone looking over you shoulder.
I don't know about this one I work with all generations. (I'm gen X 1977) The most problems in our office seem to be the older gen x and a few boomers. The entitlement and gatekeepers are exhausting to me. "Back in MY day"....ugh...lol
Unless the phrase "back in my day" is the start of a joke, it is extremely annoying. It isn't that day anymore!
Load More Replies... Please someone tell me what 'gen x', 'gen z', 'millennial' 'boomer' mean. Please. I want to understand. Is it a particular year, a decade?
Ageism, the last remaining socially-acceptable prejudice, and Bored Panda promotes it.
My team is mostly GenZ and Mills. I'm GenX. I've nicknamed one Eyeore because everything he's asked to do becomes a larger than life, sky is falling task. Another tries to talk down to me. Another repeats the questions he's asked in a sing song voice. And the rest are just plain scared of me.
