Whether you’re a senior employee or just experiencing a large age gap form your colleagues, being older in a younger workplace is an interesting yet challenging situation. This predicament could translate to a lot of things. You may worry about what your younger colleagues think about you or you may be assigned tasks where you have to climb a steeper learning curve because of age. However, this does not mean that you’re disadvantaged in the workplace. All it takes is to remember these strategies that can help you thrive in your job.
Educate yourself with the technology in your field of work.
Technology influences almost any industry, and businesses constantly change to adapt to the advancements caused by it. To avoid feeling ‘left behind’, you can educate yourself with the various trends in technology in your line of work. There are several online courses you can take, or you can simply watch Youtube videos about a given topic. Journal articles available in Google Scholar may also provide you with the insight that you need.
Additionally, you can ask your boss to provide you with continuing education opportunities in learning about the technology that can help in your work. Some of the general trends that are applicable to most industries include artificial intelligence (AI), internet of things (IoT), and work automation. See how these concepts relate to your industry and the implications of these developments.
Allow your HR department to be your advocate.
Sometimes, there will be inevitable instances where you’ll have misunderstandings between a coworker, have a difficult client, or any other conflict that you may experience. You may feel like there’s no one on your side in these situations.
One of the HR best practices that are relevant in the workplace is advocating for the employee. If there are problems that crop up, you may approach the HR department for any concerns you may have. They have a neutral stand between two parties, and a discussion with them can help you see things clearly. Additionally, they may also help explain the side of the other party.
Some situations where you can approach the HR staff includes the following:
Experiencing harassment: Being an older member in the workplace may leave you susceptible to verbal or situational harassment. You may report any concerns to HR for these problems.
Being discriminated: Discrimination on the basis of age, gender, sex, race, or other characteristics is also a concern you can bring towards the HR department. Most workplaces do not condone discrimination of any kind and this needs to be reported.
Issues about benefits: Another potential concern but not necessarily a type of conflict are about the benefits and privileges which are provided for you by law. You can raise any questions to the HR department when this is not provided for you.
Use your experience to your advantage.
The real value of being an older employee in your workplace is the experience you have. Whether it’s based on career growth, personal life, or anything else for that matter, your colleagues can learn from you and your boss may even pick up nuggets of wisdom from your insights.
You can engage others by sharing your experiences in the past. This does not mean you will act too assertive or know-it-all. Imparting your insights simply means that you can share valuable career and life lessons that could help them grow as well. These can be done in both casual and professional situations. In meetings, you can share a previous experience that might help make a wise decision for your team. During lunch breaks, you can provide advice for your younger coworkers in a season approaching in their lives.
Do not lose confidence in what you have to offer in your workplace. With these strategies, you can be a valuable team player despite being an older employee.
