Article in “People Talk” Magazine, by HRMA; Winter 2004 Edition

“The Aging Workforce”

When older workers report to younger managers: What is the 
path to mutual respect?

By Doris Toovey, CHRP

In today’s changing job demographics, younger managers often 
lead older employees who remain in the workplace longer. When 
diverse generations work together, their differences can lead to 
clashes and management misunderstandings. However, simple 
steps can smooth the generational divide: Learn some of the 
key generational value differences and how you can maximize 
them for greater harmony, communication and productivity. If you 
are a younger manager leading the generation above you, 
realize that most importantly, this ultimately involves managing 
diversity: Value and respect individual needs.

	We can make many generalizations about the different 
age generations: Traditionalists (post-war era) like hierarchy; 
Boomers like status and structure; Generation X-ers are not loyal 
and will not work long hours; and the Millenials are the most 
technically savvy group, ever. How, for instance, does a Millenial, 
who craves instantaneous feedback, manage a Boomer who 
needs and annual review with lots of supporting information?

	In this case, a Millenial might appear to devalue the 
review with a flippant, quick process, leaving the Boomer feeling 
dismissed – and by a kid, no less. The first step: Know key 
generational differences and foster understanding. Again, keep 
in mind that managing people has less to do with collective 
age experience and more about individual needs and motivators.

Older workers needs more recognition

For Heather Sidor, manager at Vernon and District Credit Union, 
this issue comes down to respect and recognition. She finds 
that younger workers crave non-stop assignments and change, 
challenging her for more responsibility, while older workers 
seem to prefer the status quo.

	She sees the biggest difference in the need for recognition. 
Sidor finds that in her female-dominated environment, most workers 
are stretched so thin between their job and family responsibilities 
that they crave – and seem to need more than their younger 
counterparts – recognition for work done well. For them, 
acknowledgement and a thank you go a long way. Younger workers, 
with fewer responsibilities, seem to take recognition more in stride, 
as if it were their right. While these issues do have generational 
ties, they equally relate to the level of one’s family commitments.

Drugstore chain actively seeks employees over 55

Meanwhile, the phenomenon of younger bosses managing older 
workers is increasing. With the aging population and forecasted 
labour shortages, more and more employers are thinking of proactive 
solutions to retain highly skilled and knowledgeable older workers. 
After all, such employees have good process, knowledge and 
relationship-building savvy.

	The CVS Drugstore in the United States, which actively 
recruits employees over 55, has addressed the issue of managers 
supervising their grandparents. While some younger managers 
feared for their jobs, they quickly learned that ‘many of the older 
workers had already done the management thing and now just 
wanted to work,” says Steve Wing, director of government 
programs for the CVS Drugstore chain.

	CVS implemented good diversity training. Once 
employees put their fear and ego aside, the two generations could 
focus on their core strengths and work more smoothly together. 
Again, when trying to improve the management of workers older 
than yourself, remember that it comes down to effective diversity 
training: Respect differences, be flexible and meet needs.

HR must show sensitivity to differing values

	After all, generations “need to heard and recognized and 
have a sense of community,” says personal coach and consultant 
Carol Sachowski. The work ethics and values of each generation 
are not as divided as people think, she says, and equally important 
issues determine someone’s stance such as their family of origin, 
personal values, and whether or not they have children.

	Sachowski says that certain HR issues will require 
sensitive attention to the diversity of different generations. “HR 
professionals can take care of all generations’ needs in many 
business functions of HR like strategic planning, EAP, et cetera, 
but areas like succession planning and health care will have 
different values for different generations.” For instance, the 
Boomers, aging themselves and facing eldercare issues, will 
impact health care, while it will grow increasingly difficult to 
succession plan the X-ers and Millenials who might not fill 
traditional job roles or career paths.

	As our workplaces evolve in diversity and as people 
seek alternatives to the traditional retirement model, the 
generational divide will continue. Since companies need more 
expertise in the era of the increasing skill shortage, all managers, 
young or old, must learn how to manage different generations.

Doris Toovey, CHRP, is HR manager with Elephant & Castle 
Group Inc. Contact: DorisToovey@telus.net