It looks like there's a major power shift going on in the workplace with many employees now working for bosses younger than them. A new CareerBuilder survey finds that 43% of workers aged 35 and older say they currently work for someone younger.
Breaking it down by age: More than half (53%) of workers ages 45 and up said they are older than their bosses. Perhaps, not surprisingly, the number climbs to 69% for workers ages 55 and up.
The situation isn't without challenges.
Sixteen percent of workers ages 25-34 said they find it difficult to report to someone younger but the number drops to 7% for those aged 45-54 and 5% for workers ages 55+.
There were several reasons reported as to why it can be tough working for someone younger, including:
- They act like they know more than me when they don't
- They act like they're entitled and didn't earn their position
- They micromanage
- They play favorites with younger workers
- They don't give me enough direction
"As companies emerge from this recession, it is important for employees to work together and move the business forward, regardless of their age," said Rosemary Haefner, vice president of human resources at CareerBuilder. "With so many different age groups present, challenges can arise. Younger and older workers both need to recognize the value that each group brings to the table. By looking past their differences and focusing on their strengths, workers of any age can mutually benefit from those around them, creating a more cohesive workplace."
PrimeCB.com, CareerBuilder's job site for mature workers, offers the following tips for bridging generational differences at work:
- Understand others' point of view: Different generations tend to have differing opinions on a variety of topics, from management style to pop culture. Put yourself in others' shoes to better understand where they're coming from.
- Adapt your communication: Younger workers tend to favor communicating frequently using technology, such as e-mail and instant messenger. Older workers may prefer more face-to-face contact. Both parties should take this and other communication differences into consideration when interacting.
- Keep an open mind: Try not to make assumptions about those who are of a different age group than you. All workers have different skill sets and strengths, so see what you can learn from others rather than making judgments based on their age.
Survey Methodology
This survey was conducted online within the U.S. by Harris Interactive on behalf of CareerBuilder.com among 5,231 employees (employed full-time; not self-employed; non-government) ages 18 and over between November 5 and November 23, 2009 (percentages for some questions are based on a subset of U.S. employees, based on their responses to certain questions). With a pure probability sample of 5,231 one could say with a 95 percent probability that the overall results have a sampling error of +/- 1.35 percentage points, respectively. Sampling error for data from sub-samples is higher and varies.
About CareerBuilder:
CareerBuilder is the global leader in human capital solutions, helping companies target and attract their most important asset: their people. Its online career site, CareerBuilder.com, is the largest in the United States with more than 23 million unique visitors, 1 million jobs and 32 million resumes. CareerBuilder works with the world's top employers, providing resources for everything from employment branding and data analysis. More than 9,000 websites, including 140 newspapers and broadband portals such as MSN and AOL, feature CareerBuilder's proprietary job search technology on their career sites. Owned by Gannett Co., Inc. (NYSE:GCI), Tribune Company, The McClatchy Company (NYSE:MNI) and Microsoft Corp. (Nasdaq: MSFT), CareerBuilder and its subsidiaries operate in the United States, Europe, Canada and Asia. For more information, visit www.careerbuilder.com.
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