3 Things That Set Older Workers Apart

Photo by Simon Hurry on Unsplash.

You’ve likely seen the infographics on LinkedIn. The ones explaining, in just a few short phrases, the characteristics that define each generation in the workplace.

You know the ones. They say things like …

Boomers are loyal and stable.
Gen X are independent.
Millennials are team-driven.
Gen Z are digital first and socially minded.

When I see one of these infographics, I cringe. Not because there often isn’t some nugget of truth in the descriptors but because I’ve seen far too many exceptions, too many people who don’t fit into these neat little boxes. I know you have, too.

We all know …

Boomers who have made a career of jumping from job to job.
Gen X workers who have embraced digital technology.
Millennials who are fiercely independent.
Gen Z workers who are loyal and stable.

Reinforcing biases

The biggest problem with boiling the differences between generations down to just a few pithy phrases is that those pithy phrases become far too easy to assign to actual people.

And once we unilaterally assign shorthand descriptors to real people, stereotypes—and biases—get reinforced.

What really sets older workers apart

Here I want to talk about what really separates older workers from their younger colleagues.

You can easily Google (or ChatGPT) a list of the skills and traits that make older workers great employees. They will include things like “experience,” “mentoring younger workers,” and “being a team player.”

These descriptors fall closer to the mark than do the pithy infographic phrases cited above.

But missing are some notable things that set older workers apart.

And they’re not the obvious ones.

The descriptors I refer to aren’t necessarily ones you can succinctly list on a résumé or on your LinkedIn profile. But they certainly should be included in your talking points when preparing for a job interview or a performance review.

They should be part of your story.

From my perspective, here are three key differentiators of older workers.

1. We’re adaptable, because we’ve been there, done that.

It’s been said that unused skills have no value. The same goes for experience.

So, instead of pointing out that older workers are more experienced—which, typically, they are—let’s instead focus on how they apply that experience.

That’s where adaptability comes in. We make sense of situations and approach challenges by identifying their similarities to what we’ve experienced in the past. That makes us uniquely adaptable.

When you’ve been there, done that, it’s almost impossible to not be informed or better prepared by what you’ve experienced in the past.

Let’s say you had to handle a crisis in a previous job. If a crisis, even if it’s not a similar crisis, arises that you must deal with later in your career, you’ll quickly spot the parallels.

And you’re likely to be much more effective in dealing with the new crisis than someone less seasoned.

It’s not just that you’ve been through it before, it’s that your experience can make you better at your job.

2. We understand—and respect—process and hierarchy.

Younger workers are often credited with bringing new ideas to the workplace. There’s some validity to this as, yes, those with a fresh perspective are likely to see things differently or come up with novel approaches that those who are too close might miss.

I have two problems with this assumption.

First, when introduced into a new situation, experienced workers are just as capable as younger workers when it comes to both providing a fresh perspective and generating new or novel ideas.

The second problem has to do with execution. I’ve seen firsthand multiple instances where young people believe their great ideas should be quickly, if not automatically implemented.

Any friction, in the form of having of get buy-in from stakeholders or having to account for potential negative impacts of implementing their ideas, is seen as those in charge just being “resistant to change.” As a young professional, I know I was as guilty of this thinking as anyone.

I’ve seen time and again that respect for process and hierarchy is the last skill—call it organizational empathy—that an otherwise accomplished younger worker will develop.

By the time we reach this stage of our careers we have a developed sense of organizational empathy. We’re more likely to understand the value of getting buy-in and being sensitive to the impact change can have on others.

That’s an incredibly valuable perspective that we gain through experience.

3. We possess a critical technology skill. (Yes, really.)

It’s a mistaken belief that’s accepted as fact by far too many: Because they are “digital first” and grew up with technology, younger workers have an edge when it comes to tech in the workplace.

False! False! False! False! False!!!

When it comes to technology, there’s an important if underappreciated skill older workers tend to excel at.

Knowing when—and when not—to employ technology.

Younger people, because they are so accustomed to tech, use it with abandon.

But there can also be tremendous benefits to foregoing technology. Having a face-to-face conversation or meeting or picking up the phone to talk are often the best ways to make a connection, solidify a relationship, or solve a problem.

Human connections, as opposed to virtual connections, are what build and strengthen trust.

The secret sauce is in recognizing when technology is the right approach and when setting it aside is the smart thing to do.

As older workers we were once accustomed to a workplace where there was no email, no Internet, no instant messaging, no Slack, and no AI tools. As a result, we better understand the advantages of going old school, when the need arises.

Older workers draw from a larger palette of collaboration, communication, and problem-solving tools, one that includes both digital and analog options.

That’s a technology superpower!

Scratching the surface

Differentiators such the ones discussed above make older workers more effective, more valuable, and more attractive as job candidates.

But they aren’t always obvious. It’s up to us to control the narrative and include them in our story.

What else sets older workers apart in the workplace? Please share in the comments. I’d love to hear your thoughts.