In the early 90s, they tried to hire young employees. There were such advertisements in the media: “Economist required, 25–30 years old, with 3 years of work experience” or “Auditor with at least 3 years of work experience, with specialized education, PC user, up to 30 years.”
The reasons were different. Firstly, most of the entrepreneurs themselves were young, ambitious, showed youthful enthusiasm and strived for self-affirmation. They perceived a mature worker as a person with outdated views and conservative thinking. This was often the case: a specialist with a Soviet education and work experience during the period of “stagnation” was not in demand during the period of perestroika.
Secondly, in the early 90s, creativity, the desire for risk, the ability to do everything in a new way and discard tired Soviet-era stereotypes were valued.
Thirdly, the young staff worked almost around the clock, but cost relatively little. The low salaries of young people allowed the owner to accumulate primary capital, so necessary for business development.
But time passed, business “settled down”, professionals with experience began to be needed, and gradually they began to appear with a modern, market education, received first in foreign educational institutions, and then in domestic ones. The matured founders, who had become respectable and sedate, came to the conclusion that, first of all, “adult” specialists were needed. Young people are no longer actively recruited as they were during the perestroika period. During an interview at a particular company, a young and promising employee often hears the following objection from a potential employer: “We are not satisfied with you: you are too young.”
And if in the early 90s, mature, experienced professionals were forced to trade in the markets in order to feed their families, now the young specialist has found himself in a “vicious circle”: the employer is waiting for an experienced worker, but how to get experience if no one hires for reason of youth?
And is experience really that important? And why does our employer so often focus on the formal factors of the employee (age and, for example, gender), neglecting more significant signs - abilities and motivation?
To understand this problem, let's analyze pros and cons of four personnel groups:
- the first personnel group aged 17–23 years (in cases where young people start working immediately after school and, not always, but quite often, study in the evening department of some educational institution);
- the second personnel group aged 24–35 years (this age is also considered young);
- the third personnel group aged 36–50 years (these are mature specialists, for whom the age of 50 means a sharp decline in demand in the labor market);
- the fourth personnel group is aged 51 or more (pre-retirement age, when the employee has no real opportunity to get a job).
Let's start with the first group and first pay attention to the “disadvantages” of young employees aged 17–23 years, who act as an obstacle to getting a job.
So, if a boy or girl comes to get a job after graduating from full-time educational institutions, then they lack professional experience and have not developed professional skills. Consequently, they will learn not only from others’ mistakes, but also from their own mistakes. And mistakes, often, are losses for the company.
If young workers study or graduate from evening courses, then they have experience, but often in a different profession than the one for which they are applying. For example, a young girl works as a secretary to a manager during her studies, and after graduating from university she wants to become the head of the secretariat.
In addition, a young worker is often ambitious, he strives to receive decent money for his work, he quickly draws the conclusion that if he works in only one company, it is very difficult to raise his job status and salary, but if he changes his place of work once in a while in a year and a half, you can make a good career.
Finally, young people are often more immersed in solving their personal problems than their work problems. In their youth, boys and girls meet, love each other, sort things out, break up, etc. Often, due to “unhappy love,” their vitality decreases, they become depressed or, conversely, get irritated and “break down” at home or at work .
The attention and energy of young people is often directed not so much at work as at building a personal life, which, of course, is natural for them, but, alas, interferes with work.
If we dwell only on the disadvantages of the first personnel group, then there is really no reason to hire young workers. But, as always in life, minuses always coexist with pluses, and, to be specific: the first group of personnel has its undoubted advantages!
The strengths of the HR group employees from 17 to 23 years old are as follows: Young employees are the creative potential of the company, they are the energy of a leap forward and upward. Boys and girls strive to assimilate new, modern information and develop new work skills. Young people do not have the usual stereotypes of work and stereotyped ways of making decisions; they do not yet know that “you can’t do this because no one does it.” Therefore, for companies and departments in which work is associated with creativity and the search for new and innovative ideas, young workers are a valuable asset.
Young employees are not yet tired of life and believe that if you work with full dedication, you will definitely make a good career and have high earnings. They believe in themselves, and if some have problems with self-esteem (which happens because parents and school do everything to reduce their self-esteem as much as possible), then in order to feel self-confidence, they are ready to fight and “work hard.”
Another advantage is that a young employee is less involved in business politics (read: intrigue) or does not engage in it at all due to the fact that he lacks the life experience, diplomacy and resourcefulness for this.
Let us also add the undoubted advantages of the first personnel group. Young people often have a good education, know foreign languages, know how to use a computer well, and have a license to drive a car.
It is easier to train a young employee in accordance with the corporate culture that is accepted in the company and in accordance with the management style that the manager has.
Finally, a young man or girl strives to look good: they know how to dress, they have wonderful hairstyles, good figures, and when working with clients and partners, an employee’s excellent appearance is not the last factor of success.
Here is a short list of the advantages of employees of the first personnel group:
- due to their youth, they are hardy and have high performance;
- they willingly communicate not only at work, but also go to various “parties”, therefore they have a wide range of acquaintances, contacts and friendships (read: they can be successful in expanding their client base or circle of partners);
- If a young worker is free from family responsibilities, he can work overtime, on weekends and holidays.
As you can see, the first personnel group has disadvantages, but there are no less advantages, and in many cases more!
Let us now move on to the analysis of the second personnel group of 24–35 years old, whose workers still retain the energy of youth, but have already gained professional and life experience. Let's start by analyzing the advantages of specialists in this personnel group.
Employees in this category have received professional education and, as a rule, strive to make a career and earn good money. Their business aggressiveness, in the good sense of the word, activates the company and prevents it from stagnating and turning into a “stagnant swamp.” They are creative, capable of finding original, fresh and non-standard ideas and solutions. Compared to the first group of personnel, they already know how to develop their ideas technologically, taking into account professional requirements.
Since the majority of workers from this personnel group were formed in the new conditions of a market economy, they are, in a good way, different, non-Soviet people. They communicate easily and freely establish contacts with foreign partners. They are almost no different from business people around the world: neither in their way of thinking, nor in their lifestyle, nor in their suit and manners. Just like the first personnel group, employees in this category often have physical endurance and high performance, because a healthy lifestyle for them becomes not so much a fashion as a need.
They are interested in new knowledge, methods, technologies; at consulting seminars and professional trainings, approximately 80% of the participants are business people of this personnel group. They often strive to obtain a second higher education and enter elite domestic and Western MBAs.
“Wonderful!” the reader will say, and if he is a manager, he will turn his attention precisely to this age group of workers. This will be correct if the employer in this case does not forget that employees of the second personnel group also have their “disadvantages”.
Let's start with personal life, because during this period it is this factor that often determines the life and professional goals of young people. If personal relationships for one reason or another do not work out for a long time, then the severity of experiences at this age intensifies. Girls of exactly this age come for consultation with a psychologist due to an unsuccessful personal life - about 30 or just over 30 years old. For example, I know that if during a psychological consultation I see in front of me an energetic young lady whose appearance indicates success and prosperity, then I make the unmistakable conclusion that the problem lies in problems in my personal life.
Boys and young people of this age rarely come to a psychologist, since in our country there is still no habit of receiving psychological services. And, nevertheless, the search for a life partner among young men is also a serious problem.
But even if “on the love front” everything turned out well, and a young couple of happy spouses appeared, then for the employer this is a “headache”. A young man who has become a husband is forced to look for a job with good earnings, because the time has come to make major acquisitions: buy an apartment, a car, etc. A young girl who has become a wife, after a while begins to think about motherhood, if it has not already happened right away after the formalization of the relationship.
For the employer, this is a young woman’s maternity leave, and a demand for an increase in wages from a young man who becomes the breadwinner for three: a child, a wife and himself.
During this age period, after 30, the first divorces are not uncommon, and, consequently, exchanges of apartments or going “nowhere” and again - financial problems.
Therefore, employees of the second personnel group often show pronounced pragmatism towards the company. If they are offered better prospects and higher pay elsewhere, they will decisively change jobs. A good psychological atmosphere in the department, attention from management, social benefits, proximity to the road from home to work and other factors of corporate culture will not deter them: they need to improve their lives.
Another serious disadvantage for the employer, which is important to remember when hiring specialists from this personnel group. Since they are actively pursuing a career, young people exhibit not always justified ambition. They may take ill-considered risks and take on tasks for which they are not professionally and psychologically prepared. They can work in accordance with the principle: “Profit at any cost!” Finally, if a young man or young woman has become a manager, then in managerial work they may display an overly directive style, make personnel changes without sufficient grounds, testing the effectiveness of their subordinates in a random, empirical way.
The concerned reader will probably now turn his attention to the third group of employees, aged from 36 to 50 years old, with the hope that they have only advantages and that they should be hired. I’ll say right away: this personnel group has its pros and cons. And yet, so as not to be completely sad, let's start with the positives. Of course, an important advantage is that this personnel group has a wealth of professional experience. As a rule, these are good professionals who often have not only a basic education, but also a second higher education. They have no problems in knowledge and skills. In addition, they have formed their own individual style in work, based on the strengths of character and thinking and in which the employee’s weak qualities and shortcomings are compensated by strong ones.
Seeing a mature professional at work and talking with him is a pleasure. As a psychologist, I will say without exaggeration that observing work and communicating with a professional is not so much consulting him, but cooperation and mutual development. I get as much from my professional clients in terms of ideas, information and life experiences as I hope they get from me as a consultant.
In addition, a mature specialist has extensive contacts in his professional field - partners, clients. He has a thick “address book” and at any problematic moment he has someone to call and from whom to expect help and participation. He is often a well-known person in his company or industry; people know him and speak with respect. He, as a rule, has adequate self-esteem and self-confidence, knows how to speak in front of a large number of people, and maintains self-control in crisis and stressful situations.
For a manager, such an employee has been proven over the years, he is part of the “backbone” of the company, constitutes its “guard”; with such employees, the manager and owner have gone through difficulties and defeats, victories and achievements.
The personal situation of a mature employee from the third personnel group, most often, has already calmed down. There is an apartment, a dacha, a car. The children grew up, began to earn money, some already have their own families and live separately from their parents. There are often no grandchildren yet, but if they are, the burden of raising grandchildren is still not as difficult as when raising children: the main burden of parental care falls on young parents.
A mature specialist, who has life experience of joy and success, losses and failures, does not focus only on wages. He already knows that money is not the most important thing in life. He learned to appreciate that management respects him, that there is a good atmosphere in the company, and finally, he got used to coming to work in this particular office and driving along this particular road.
The stabilization of this employee, among other things, is also connected with the fact that he, like the young employee from the first personnel group, is subject to the pressure of age restrictions. So, if a young person is reluctantly hired for the reasons stated above, then the demand for a mature employee from the third personnel group also decreases, especially after 45 years.
They are reluctant to hire a mature professional because the third group of personnel has its drawbacks. The main disadvantages include decreased performance and endurance, the presence of chronic diseases and periodically sick leaves, which the employer views without much satisfaction. You can often hear such a harsh phrase at a meeting or planning meeting: “Our Nikolai Ivanovich is sick again! We need to think about the young shift!” The health of those who smoke heavily, drink regularly and do not lead a healthy lifestyle is especially poor.
A serious drawback of a mature specialist is the presence of stereotypes in his work and decision-making, which are the reverse side of his professional experience. In cases where you need to act and make a decision in a familiar situation, everything is fine. But in cases where a fundamentally new situation arises, a mature leader takes on familiar methods of work, which may be ineffective.
In general, a mature worker is often irritated by everything new: new terms, new methods, new approaches, new technologies. Increasingly, he sticks to what he knows well and what he can do well, even in cases where old methods and technologies are dragging the company down.
Increasingly, he shows irritation towards young and ambitious employees, especially in cases where they are appointed as his deputies. In these cases, business politics, competition, and intrigue begin, with the goal of stabilizing one’s position in the company and defending one’s “chair.”
Increasingly, a mature employee begins to feel complex about his age, lack of knowledge of a foreign language and business etiquette during negotiations, his blurry figure, fatigue and drowsiness that occurs at meetings.
In other words, if a mature specialist does not consciously and purposefully “stimulate” his brain, forcing him to master new information and new technologies, if he does not lead a healthy lifestyle and does not give up smoking and alcohol, then he is guaranteed such troubles as decreased performance and professional effectiveness.
Finally, let us turn our attention to the third group of workers aged 51 or over. Traditionally, the disadvantages of this personnel group are highlighted, but on the contrary, I will start with the undoubted advantages of workers of this age. I’ll start with objective facts, in particular, with the fact that according to economists’ forecasts, by 2030 in developed countries people will retire at 75 years old. Consequently, there will be more and more workers over 50 in the future.
Another new trend is emerging: if earlier in Europe and the USA many people sought to retire at the age of 50–55, now about 25% of people aged 50 to 70 years, on the contrary, are starting a new business. They create their own business and successfully “promote” it. It is obvious that entrepreneurs “after 50” will appear in Russia.
The high value of managerial workers of mature and late adulthood is recognized throughout the world. For example, the American psychologist T. Kono in 1987 calculated that the average age of successful Japanese managers is 63.5 years. The famous and charismatic entrepreneur Lee Iacocca believed that for a leader, the age of 65–75 years is not the limit: “If a person is physically healthy and has a burning desire to do his job, why not use his experience and knowledge?”
In addition, recently there has been a tendency to abandon the American management model, which established the cult of a young leader aimed at revolutionary changes, as well as unreasonably high wages, expensive offices and large entertainment expenses. The European model of management is beginning to become popular: a mature, experienced and cautious leader, prone to a partnership management style and modest in expenses. Therefore, in many European countries there was a wave of dismissals of young top managers; mature managers who had shown their high efficiency in previous years were invited to work in large companies.
An important factor is the physical health of a mature specialist or manager. If a mature employee leads a healthy lifestyle, then he may be even in better physical and mental shape than a young employee who indulges in heavy smoking and frequent “libations.” Mature workers are characterized by extensive life experience and are well aware of their capabilities. They have already learned to show their strengths and control their weaknesses.
They have valuable experience in making mistakes, analyzing their consequences, and know well what needs to be done to ensure that there are no or minimal errors. They have a good understanding of people, strive for balanced, thoughtful decisions and are capable of being good politicians in the business sphere. They are diplomatic, balanced and self-confident. They have several notebooks containing the contact numbers of many smart, helpful, loyal and necessary people who can be trusted because relationships with them have been time-tested.
Finally, it is known that since the number of buyers after 50–55 years is steadily growing, it follows that some of the company’s employees must be of the appropriate age in order to feel good about their older client.
Of course, there are not only advantages, but also disadvantages” of specialists in the fourth age group. If, nevertheless, a mature worker leads an unhealthy lifestyle, by about 40–50 years his stamina and performance decrease. He can no longer work without vacation, as before, because he is often on the verge of a breakdown. He needs medical attention because he gets sick often, and his concentration decreases, especially in the afternoon, because he gets very tired.
He may be conservative because he has habitual ways of making decisions that are not always effective in changing new conditions. He does not actively attend consulting seminars where new information is provided. Sometimes he feels irritated by the new foreign terms that young employees “knock around” with. It is characterized by some nervous “wear and tear”: increased irritability and unreasonable criticism of others.
“Old people” and young people: conflict of generations or joint work?
If the reader has carefully read about the strengths and weaknesses of young and mature employees, he will correctly understand my intention: I want to show the reader that in order for a team to be successful and effective, it must have different employees, both young and mature. Because the “pluses” of young workers compensate for the “minuses” of mature ones and, conversely, the “pluses” of mature workers “cover the “minuses” of young ones. For example, if young people are developing a new creative idea, it would be good that before its implementation, a group of mature experts evaluates it and identifies possible risks. Of course, the manager will make the final decision on the implementation of this idea, but in any case, it is good if he is aware of possible losses.
The purpose of peer review of a new idea may not only be to decide whether to implement it or not. Expert assessment can also be aimed at refining a fresh creative idea so that its implementation in real work is associated with minimal risks.
The idea that a team with both young and mature employees can be highly effective is very psychologically correct. But, alas, to my sincere regret, observational experience shows that in practice such a team is rarely consolidated. The problem is only one: the generational conflict that is familiar to us, which I. Turgenev described in his novel “Fathers and Sons.”
Both in Turgenev’s time and in our time, the problem of generational conflict is not simple and easily solved. In offices or at negotiations, in showrooms, stores or operating rooms, when faced with each other, young and mature employees observe serious differences among themselves in values, lifestyle, behavior, communication, clothing, etc. And since both both others lack diplomacy and tolerance towards each other, age differences are often the main reason for competitive confrontations and conflicts between them.
And, nevertheless, there is no other way out except that the manager needs to learn how to accept an employee not according to formal factors - age or gender, but according to the employee’s abilities and motivation. In addition, you should consider for what purposes this or that employee is hired? If the goals are to obtain new ideas and develop the company, the employer can pay attention to young workers from the first and second personnel groups. If the goals are leadership and expert work, then mature specialists from the third and fourth personnel groups will be useful for the organization.
The employees themselves will also have to learn professional tolerance in order to learn to work together for the common success of the company.
There is no need to sharply position yourself in relation to mature employees, emphasizing your youth and, accordingly, their “old age”. On the contrary, it makes sense to strive for partnerships with colleagues of mature age, because they can convey valuable life and professional experience that is not recorded in any “smart” book and which cannot be obtained from teachers of any, even the most elite and expensive, educational institution, in including MBA. There are also pros and cons to mature and older people. Not all older people are boring, irritable and annoying. Among the older generation there are very bright personalities, communication with whom can be useful and enjoyable.
When hiring, you need to learn how to behave correctly and position yourself correctly. It is not recommended to show unreasonable ambition during an interview, immediately demanding, for example, a high salary and exceptional career prospects. As a rule, excessive demands on the part of a young man are perceived negatively by the employer; in particular, they have a negative attitude towards the employee fixing his salary demands from the beginning of the conversation. It is customary to talk about money at the end of a conversation. Often an employer says this: “If a specialist immediately talks about money, I stop talking to him: I’m not interested in such an employee.” And this is true: the employer is interested in the employee’s motivation, his desire to work for the benefit of the company. Objective fact: you need to achieve your salary and career yourself; no one ever gives you anything ready-made. A mature employer, often from the third or fourth personnel group, who is hiring, at one time also worked tirelessly, which is why he now has the right to make decisions.
When talking with an employer, you need to learn to behave correctly: not to blush or feel complex, to show calmness and self-confidence. Of course, any interview is stressful, but its severity gradually decreases if a young man or woman sets himself the task of learning to control his emotions. Developed self-regulation will be useful in many more life and professional situations, so it’s better to start “right now”!
There is no point in scolding the new time, because it has already arrived, we need to live now and in the conditions that exist. There is also no point in scolding young people, because there have always been smart and intelligent young people, and there were “scumbags” not only now, but also in Soviet times. It is necessary to set yourself up for a positive state, to “block” irritability and criticism in yourself. A good, optimistic facial expression and a positive inner attitude are important factors in the life and professional success of a mature specialist.
After 40 years, a modern person has no other choice but to rebuild his regime in accordance with the principles of a healthy lifestyle. It should be included as mandatory: morning exercises, running, exercise bike, swimming pool, healthy eating, regular rest, etc. It must be remembered that the employer pays attention not only to the age, but also to the appearance of the employee. If an experienced professional is fit and looks good when hired, he has a good chance of getting the job.
Often the hiring and interview process is conducted by a young manager (male or female), so a mature professional will have to learn to obey the young man or young woman, respecting their official status. It is not easy, of course, for a respectable “uncle” to submit to a “beardless youth,” but life experience should tell him that the discipline of subordination is present in every organization and must be accepted as an objective fact.
Natasha Fedorenko
The world is obsessed with the cult of youth: It’s almost embarrassing to look your age, and the anti-aging industry offers ever new ways to deceive time. But this only applies to appearance; in the professional sphere, young people, as a rule, are treated either not seriously or as a curiosity. Getting a job at 45 is hard, but it’s not easier at 25 either. As a result, we find ourselves in a vicious circle: today we are still too young for this work, and tomorrow we are already too old. We talked to young people who have experienced ageism about how to overcome prejudice, why not only their boss, but also their own family can cause harm, and what stereotypes they themselves support.
Anna Naumova
When I turned 18, most of those around me were ten years older. Accordingly, they all discussed some adult topics among themselves: work, apartments, trips. Probably, the desire to keep up the conversation was the first impulse for me to consciously skip the period of “student” life and find myself at the next stage. And then I first encountered ageism (even if you have nominal signs of adulthood, for those around you you are still a “baby”), and then I became bogged down in an invented struggle against it.
At first it was very difficult for me to stop: I attracted as many “adult” attributes into my life as possible so that I would be perceived as one of their own everywhere. From a harmless joke from a friend to a sidelong glance from a salesperson in a showroom - everything encouraged me to appear older and more status-conscious. At some point, I found myself in a relationship with a man much older than me, with a child, with an uncontrollable dog in my arms, problems at work and at college. Then I realized that this was not really my life, that I had taken on the invented image of a happy housewife from the media and had not mastered a single part of this set. Because I’m different, I’m still ten years away from this image and, I must honestly admit, I don’t at all handle this level of responsibility.
It seems to me that this situation was connected not only with my personal experiences. No matter how successful I was, I rarely heard praise because most of my friends did even better. The fact that they were older than me was left out of the discussion, and as a result I was not at all proud of my achievements. At work, I always experienced a slightly condescending, maternal attitude. Even if I did some project for a long time and, I hope, well, at the meeting the director could say something like: “Why don’t you help the girl, she does everything herself.” And everyone immediately began to babysit me, and the acquired status of an ordinary employee instantly disappeared.
I believe that an employee should be assessed by his experience and personal qualities, but not by the age on his passport. If I make mistakes at work, scold me like everyone else, if I make progress, praise me. If you hire a young employee to your company, then you should be satisfied with his age - then during work, forget about him completely. At a recent interview, when I said that I live separately from my parents, the next question was: “So are you married?” Moreover, I’m probably also lucky, because I work in a fairly creative field. At parties, when you say how old you are, everyone considers it their duty to start remembering what they did at that age and how quickly time flies. When you meet people older than you, you are unlikely to start talking to them about what you are going to do in twenty years.
In general, I'm trying to concentrate on accepting myself at my age, and it's not easy. Sometimes I quickly start telling my friends about my work or life experiences, and then I casually mention my age and watch their reaction. I also started spending more time with my family - traveling with my parents is actually a blast. I don’t want to get too ahead of myself, trying to prove something to someone. This is probably the most important recipe for all the complexes that I have developed for myself: just concentrate on yourself and what you are doing, and pay less attention to those around you.
Andrey Moskalenko
I actually encounter ageism quite often in my work. As a rule, it comes from people who are 10, 15, 20 years older than me. My parents, if they are my age or not much older, usually treat young professionals with understanding and think that this is even better. The young doctor has a fresh mind and knowledge.
Parents over 40–45 years old, on the contrary, are more likely to believe that universities now teach poorly and produce incompetent doctors. In my experience, people of the older generation have more faith in age, Soviet education and in the fact that a doctor who has worked longer knows exactly what and how to do. In my opinion, age is absolutely not an indicator in medicine. In practice, I have met very cool doctors younger than me and those who have been in medicine for 30–40 years, but prescribe absurd treatments. And there is only one way to fight ageism in this area - to raise the prestige of medical education: after all, a university graduate cannot be completely ignorant of anything.
A doctor who encounters age discrimination at an appointment needs to show his confidence. When patients see that you are hesitant and unsure of your words, they immediately label you as incompetent. But confidence should not be unfounded, but based on real knowledge and scientific terminology. This way the person will understand that you are a good specialist. Of course, everything needs to be done in moderation, without humiliating anyone, just to show that you understand the issue, read modern materials and textbooks, and take courses. You need to talk about your past achievements, but not in the manner of “fifteen-time holder of the order,” but casually mentioning similar medical cases from your practice and successful solutions.
Under no circumstances should you tell a person to his face that he doesn’t understand the issue at all. Sometimes it is worth creating in him at least a partial feeling of his own rightness. Even if a 50-year-old professor categorically says that the patient is being treated absolutely incorrectly and is harming himself, he may go to another doctor. But if you are more streamlined, use the wording “in general, you are great, but I wouldn’t do this,” then you can win the patient over to your side.
Tatiana Larchenkova
In my first year working at the school I was 22, while the average age of the teaching staff is from 45 to 50 years old. It is clear that they treated me differently. The worst thing is that the first question that was asked to me directly was about whether I was sleeping with the director. And really, why on earth would a young girl voluntarily go to work at a school? Sometimes it seems to me that young teachers at school are treated like students out of habit.
All events, all off-site meetings, all organization of anything at school falls on the younger teachers with the wording: “Let the young people work, we did our work in due time.” Many older teachers force them to do their work with the same formulation: “Well, you’re young, is it really difficult for you?”
In this case, any constructive proposals are rejected. Often without any explanation at all, because due to your age, no one is interested in your opinion, and any word in opposition is perceived not as a discussion, but as disrespect.
Catherine
Two years ago, I got a job as a PR specialist at a municipal institution, and the average age of my colleagues was about 40 years. Most of them already had adult children, so they immediately began to treat me like a child. I will not go into details of the endless conversations about the dangers of the Internet and new technologies for the younger generation. I was annoyed that sometimes I was simply prevented from doing my work.
Once I made a poster for an event, trying to make it attractive so that more people would come. In the end, my option didn’t work because the team didn’t want to change anything in the usual work pattern. And in response to my objections, I only heard something like: “You don’t understand anything, I’ve been in this field for thirty years.” It remains a mystery to me why people cannot accept that life has changed and in such an area as PR, a young specialist will clearly have fresher knowledge.
Basically, I couldn't have my own opinion because I'm young and incompetent. Once we had an exhibition of paintings, one of which I didn’t like, and I suggested choosing another. In response, I immediately received accusations that I did not have the right to my opinions, that I did not understand anything about art, and that the paintings were selected by a professional jury with special education. But the fact is that I also have a specialized education. And if this is their main criterion, then I can judge too.
Such incidents can be remembered endlessly. I don't think ageism can be fought. It is inevitable: we will never be able to feel the tragedy of a three-year-old child from losing his car or understand the nostalgia of a pensioner for Soviet ice cream. Personally, I am satisfied with looking young, I always carry my passport with me, and if they really bother me, I try to prove my competence with deeds, and not with psychological pressure.
Konstantin
From an early age, I began to help my father with work related to construction in the state tender system. I was involved in technical assignments. I didn’t attach much importance to this, although it seemed to work out well. I wanted to study at the Faculty of Business Informatics and generally connect my life with the IT field. So he carried out his father’s instructions rather as a matter of form.
But at the age of 18-19, I had an urgent need for money: I wanted to live separately from my parents. I had to look for a job that would not interfere with my studies. The choice predictably fell on the vacancy of a tender manager - this is exactly the area in which I helped my father.
At first, I had to sit in the office and quietly do tasks, especially without communicating with anyone. But it turned out that I began to grow because I won the largest tenders - this was simply not expected of me. As a result, we had to communicate with people from this environment: civil servants (heads of business units, schools, kindergartens) and suppliers who introduced us to future customers. The authorities began to throw me into the embrasure.
Most of the distrust was on the part of officials. They perceived me as a courier. An 18-19 year old guy (who looked even younger) was sitting in front of them, and they did not take into account either my opinion or my advice. Although by that time I already understood enough about my business. I wanted to help, speed up the process, but it all came down to bureaucracy and red tape. The question was read in everyone’s eyes: “Where is the big uncle who was supposed to come. Why did they send a young man who is now going to ruin everything?” However, over time I became more confident and realized that it would be very difficult for customers to figure things out without me. By withdrawing into myself, I only made things more difficult. Sometimes customers tried to contact my boss bypassing me - this was unpleasant for both me and him.
I am glad that I have found a field in which I am sincerely interested in working. Although at first I felt insecure when faced with large orders worth several tens of millions of rubles. I understood that if I did everything right, I could not harm myself or the company, but I was still irrationally afraid. Especially during the first meetings with suppliers and customers, my knees were practically shaking.
There was also mistrust on the part of my relatives: at first they did not believe that I would be able to succeed in such a position at such a young age. My parents worked in the public sector for almost 25 years and were worried about me working for a commercial company. They were afraid that I would somehow be deceived.
Even though I myself have experienced ageism in my work, I understand that I also discriminate against people based on their age, but it’s hard to get rid of it. I will never turn to a young lawyer, because I believe that experience is important in this matter. I don’t want to work with a young man in my same position in another company, because I don’t believe that everyone can be interested in this profession. I think there are places right now where ageism is on the rise, like in investing. Because many startups fail like matches, people are less willing to invest in projects run by young people.
Nina Belavova
I am completely insensitive to all sorts of “-isms”, and I have hardly ever been truly discriminated against. The only thing I have encountered in practice is ageism, and in both directions. I'm too old to, say, learn and relearn, and too young to lead.
The first memorable incident happened to me when I was preparing to launch a dry cleaning business, which I own together with my partners. Over the course of about two weeks, the equipment and chemical supplier and I intensively corresponded and called back. The managers advised me with enthusiasm, trying to sell more things. And so I came to their office. I was dressed, as they say, undignified: pink sneakers and a blue jacket. My appearance visibly disappointed them. And if the sales people and their boss just looked at me askance, the technologist and engineer asked without any equivocation: “How old are you anyway? Where did you get the money? Can you really launch and manage an entire bath and laundry enterprise?”
I, young and green, was at first confused by such unceremoniousness, but then I pulled myself together and said that their business was to sell and service the cars, and everything else was my personal difficulties. For purely rational reasons, we did not agree with this company, and I chose another supplier. We communicated with its employees only by phone and email until the commissioning of the machines. And so I came to the airport to meet the engineer: I recognized him immediately (by his suitcase with tools), but he didn’t see me. Half an hour later, he politely asked where the director was, she promised to be. I said it was me, but for some reason he was upset.
There are still awkward moments with clients when they demand to call a senior person. Others, on the contrary, are worried that my bosses are not rewarding me, and write pleasant comments in the guest book.
In general, ageism is not a big problem for me. According to the Hamburg account, no one cares what sex, age, ethnic origin or gender I am. Everyone wants fulfillment of obligations, and when they realize that the absence of noticeable wrinkles on my face does not make me less reliable, they stop paying attention to it.
Anastasia Moskvicheva
I received a lawyer's status at the age of 23, and as a student I worked as an assistant investigator - at this job I was seen as a little girl who ran among men for fun and some kind of help. But the saddest thing for a new lawyer is when you are not perceived as a professional in your own family. For relatives, you are always a child and do not understand anything. How many times have I tried to insert my opinion into everyday legal problems, even when I really could have helped, but no one listened to me.
And then it only got worse. It seems like I’m already a lawyer, but to potential clients I don’t look competent enough because of my age. It seems to them that their supposedly rich life experience can help in solving legal problems, but, as a rule, their experience is prejudices that only get in the way. For example, it is now convenient to contact law enforcement agencies via the Internet (there are special electronic appeals). This procedure is quite effective, since it is more difficult to dismiss the applicant. Many clients do not trust using the Internet; it seems to them that going to an appointment and getting their license will be more fun and effective, but this, alas, is not the case.
Often a client simply wants an older lawyer. He comes to a consultation, sees a young lawyer and, without even receiving a consultation, asks to replace him. I don’t know why professionals are judged according to the cognac principle. Older doesn't always mean more professional!
There is also ageism in relationships with colleagues. Law enforcement officials and courts look at you, then at the date of issue of your certificate, and instantly make a conclusion about your professional qualities. I think ageism will not go away - it is a defensive reaction of the older generation, or rather, people who are insecure. A true professional will never treat a colleague based on his age. How to deal with this? Remain professional in any situation, improve your skills and wear glasses to appear more serious.
Rita Popova
When I was offered to become the editor-in-chief of LAM, the thought “am I too young?” did not appear in my head for a second. I had already worked in the editorial office for a long time, had a good idea of what needed to be done, and was used to working day and night, so I had no doubt that I could handle it. It never occurred to me that 21 years old is “too young”, or that at this age you should be doing something else. It turns out that for many people this is exactly the case. Age was the only thing that people were interested in about me at all; some supported, others were jealous, others scolded, but everyone relied only on the fact of how old I was. When speculation began that I definitely slept with someone in order to become editor-in-chief, or at least I had influential patrons, I stopped reading the comments - fortunately, there was already a lot to do. I decided to refuse interviews in which it was necessary to defend my age, and asked to postpone them at least a few months ahead, when my work in the editorial office would speak for me. But, fortunately, by that time everyone had already lost interest in me (and I turned 22).
Ageism is now no less a problem than sexism, and it is almost more difficult to fight it: both teenagers and older people, who are primarily affected by this, in society occupy the position of outsiders without a voice, whose opinion no one really cares about. Even the growing public obsession with “youth” and teenagers essentially appropriates teen culture without providing any platform in return for voicing their opinions. Among the users of Replika, where I currently work, there are many teenagers, and they often mention during interviews that our AI interlocutor is the only one who is generally ready to listen to them and is truly interested in their experiences, views on the world and problems. Every adult feels it is their duty to teach teenagers how to live and pass on their experience to them, thus devaluing what they themselves want to tell.
With older people, things seem to be even more complicated: many find it difficult to keep a job or find a new one, starting at the age of 45, in the prime of their creative and professional powers, and young people strive with all their might to remain “young” so that the same thing does not befall them fate. Now I'm 25, I've just come out of the age where my opinion didn't matter because I'm too young, and into the age where I need to invest in anti-aging products and injections to keep myself from becoming "too old" for as long as possible. , otherwise my opinion will cease to mean anything again.
And an academician, and a hero, and a navigator, and a carpenter
From the poem “Stanzas” (1826) by A. S. Pushkin (1799-1837). This is how the poet speaks about the versatile activities of Peter the Great:
With an autocratic hand,
He boldly sowed enlightenment,
He did not despise his native country:
He knew its purpose.
Now an academician, now a hero,
Either a sailor or a carpenter.
He is an all-encompassing soul
The eternal worker was on the throne.
Quoted: to indicate someone's diversified activities, many talents, etc.
Encyclopedic Dictionary of winged words and expressions. - M.: “Locked-Press”. Vadim Serov. 2003.
See what “And an academician, and a hero, and a navigator, and a carpenter” is in other dictionaries:
- (1799 1837) Russian poet, writer. Aphorisms, quotes Pushkin Alexander Sergeevich. Biography It is not difficult to despise the court of people, but it is impossible to despise your own court. Slander, even without evidence, leaves eternal traces. Critics... ... Consolidated encyclopedia of aphorisms
A, m. 1. He who works, works. Now an academician, now a hero, Now a navigator, now a carpenter, He was a worker with an all-encompassing soul On the eternal throne. Pushkin, Stanzas. As a worker, this young and strong man was not worth a penny. Close to the power in... ... Small academic dictionary
Ushakov's Explanatory Dictionary
1. TO1, union. 1. used at the beginning of the main sentence to better express its connection with the subordinate clause, starting with a conditional or causal conjunction, if this subordinate clause precedes it and, especially if it is very common. If… … Ushakov's Explanatory Dictionary
1. TO1, union. 1. used at the beginning of the main sentence to better express its connection with the subordinate clause, starting with a conditional or causal conjunction, if this subordinate clause precedes it and, especially if it is very common. If… … Ushakov's Explanatory Dictionary
1. TO1, union. 1. used at the beginning of the main sentence to better express its connection with the subordinate clause, starting with a conditional or causal conjunction, if this subordinate clause precedes it and, especially if it is very common. If… … Ushakov's Explanatory Dictionary
- (Greek αντιθεσις opposition) one of the stylistic techniques (see Figures), which consists in comparing specific ideas and concepts related to each other by a common design or internal meaning. For example: “He who was nothing will become everything”... Literary encyclopedia
Antithesis, antithesis (ancient Greek ἀντίθεσις opposition from ἀντί against + θέσις thesis) rhetorical opposition of a text, a stylistic figure of contrast in artistic or oratory speech, consisting in a sharp ... ... Wikipedia
Antithesis- ANTITHESIS (Greek Αντιθεσις, opposition) a figure (see) consisting of a comparison of logically opposite concepts or images. An essential condition for antithesis is the subordination of opposites to the general concept that unites them, or... ... Dictionary of literary terms
PETER I- Russian Tsar* since 1682, first Russian Emperor (since 1721). The youngest son of Tsar Alexei Mikhailovich, Peter was elevated to the royal throne in 1682 in violation of the rights of his older brother Ivan. As a result, an uprising broke out in Moscow*, the main... Linguistic and regional dictionary
An experienced specialist in a young team gets a little lost. After all, representatives of the new generation are completely different. How should an “old man” behave: teach his young colleagues to be smart or change his formal suit to jeans and try to remember the past years?
Lost in translation
There is an opinion that the coherence and efficiency of staff work depends little on any age or personal characteristics of an individual employee - only if there is good motivation. But how can a mature specialist work surrounded by young talents who spout newfangled terms, sit in the office until night and sometimes perform their duties in a completely different way than the “old man” is used to?
Labor market experts say that in such “unequal” teams, where the ratio of adults and young employees is one to all others, some difficulties can indeed arise.
“The first is the internal discomfort of a specialist in a team that is not his age, and in this case he himself can become a source of difficulties in relationships, where either competition or generational conflict will be acutely felt,” says Liya Yustyuzhenkova, consultant in the Real Estate and Construction direction of ANCOR Business Solutions.
Of course, Ivan Ivanovich may withdraw and not communicate with his young colleagues, although they perceive him quite friendly. Or he may behave according to the scenario “I am an experienced person, you are a youngster,” which obviously will not contribute to the fruitful conduct of business.
Second, according to Lia Yustyuzhenkova, this is the rejection of the senior employee by the team itself. Moreover, it’s not a matter of age, but the state of the team at the moment and the employee’s ability to fit in and adapt to circumstances.
Of course, young colleagues may not accept the “old man”. Perhaps they have been working together for quite a long time and during this time they have developed their own communication policy, which they do not want to involve an older person in at all.
All these difficulties have a bad effect on both team spirit and the results of the common cause. However, you can always find a compromise. And establishing positive relationships with younger workmates largely depends on the mature employee.
Scythe on a stone
We examined the main issues that are a stumbling block in relations between generations. Our experts shared tips on how to act in the current circumstances.
Young employees are known to love to joke. Having told the “old man” something like “Ivan Ivanovich, where did you get such a prehistoric costume?” or “You don’t understand anything about modern business practices anyway,” they’ll probably forget about it right away. And Ivan Ivanovich will take everything to heart and will be upset for a long time. And the further you go, the more often a mature and experienced employee will take various statements personally and get angry with his colleagues.
“Perhaps the key factor that plays a very important role in the successful interaction of the “old man” with young colleagues is self-esteem, opinion about oneself. And here a psychological mechanism begins to work - a self-fulfilling prophecy. If the “old man” considers himself an “endangered species”, “behind the times” and hangs other derogatory epithets on himself, then he will soon receive a corresponding attitude from his young colleagues. If he values his experience, breadth of views and deep understanding of the situation, which come only with age, then the occurrence of inappropriate jokes addressed to him is unlikely. Of course, ill-mannered young people are found everywhere, but a respectful attitude towards oneself will allow one not to take their statements seriously,” comments Ilya Shabshin, consulting psychologist, leading specialist of the Psychological Center on Volkhonka.
Another situation is when the same Ivan Ivanovich, inspired by his colleagues, decides to catch up with his elusive youth and begins to “look younger” excessively. This can be expressed in a change in clothing style, outlook on life, communication style, and so on. Is it necessary to break yourself and make such a transformation?
Ilya Shabshin believes that one should not forget about the real state of affairs and pretend to be a boy or girl with appropriate behavior, wardrobe and makeup, since this will be inappropriate, and others are unlikely to react positively to such metamorphoses.
There is no need to try to be someone else and forget that work should be put first, and not similarities with colleagues. After all, even if the “old man” starts wearing the same pants as the young designer, this does not mean that relations in the team will improve dramatically.
As he says Dmitry Viktorov, head of the IT department of the recruiting agency Penny Lane Personnel, it is more advisable in this situation to follow the ancient and simple recipe - always and everywhere to remain yourself.
It is no secret that older employees are more experienced than younger employees and can suggest something and direct the latter in the right direction. But is it worth telling your colleagues that they are wrong about some things? And what is the best way to say this so as not to provoke aggression towards you?
“In cases where (from the point of view of existing experience) a specialist sees that a mistake is being made, it is worth saying about it. In this case, the intonation and method of communication are important: you should not lecture the foolish, but offer to take advantage of existing experience and knowledge, and take them into account when making a decision. As for comments about the appearance and actions of young people, they cannot be made seriously. After all, no one wants to be known as an “old grump,” he says Ilya Shabshin.
“The respect of the team is earned not by gray hair and professional show-off, but by a high level of communication and the quality and quantity of work performed,” adds Dmitry Viktorov.
Another sore point: how to ask, for example, a young manager something about work or clarify with a young programmer how to use this or that program, so that they don’t snort contemptuously - they say, such an adult and smart specialist, but doesn’t know banal things .
“In all likelihood, the “old man” will have to learn something from his younger colleagues - and this should be treated not with embarrassment, but with joy and
interest. In addition to being necessary for work, learning something new is very useful for both maintaining intellectual fitness and
for a person’s personal development,” summarizes Ilya Shabshin.
Positive points
The young team, in fact, is not much different from any other. And if an employee is objective, adequate and (which is important) a qualified specialist, then he will find his place in any team.
And working in the same company with young people, by the way, has its advantages.
“In the company of young, energetic, optimistic, mobile people, a person who is far from a young age feels more cheerful, more cheerful, even younger, as it were, than when surrounded by the same “old people” like him. It seems as if you are recharged with general energy,” I’m sure Ilya Shabshin.
“One of the advantages I would like to highlight is the demand for a more experienced specialist as a mentor. After all, the main disadvantage of a young team is the lack of experience and the company’s need to finance training. Young professionals also sometimes lack a “cool head” to make an informed decision, and this also requires wise advice from a senior colleague,” adds Liya Yustyuzhenkova.
In addition, we should not forget that “young” companies are dynamic and constantly developing. Therefore, in addition to the pleasant company of active and cheerful colleagues, in such organizations you can also get good prospects for career growth.
Why do many companies have difficulty motivating and managing young employees? Of course, I would like to say that we know and can do everything, or think that we know, but this is far from the case!
And the reason lies not in our professional competencies in motivating staff, but primarily in the information environment in which our young employee grew up, was brought up and now lives.
In my opinion, this environment has greatly changed the values and concepts of modern man, and therefore his attitude towards work.
I’m not saying that this is good or that it is bad, these are modern realities in which a modern company lives and will live, and managers must understand this.
New generation, no matter what we call it: Generation P - like Pelevin, or generation Y— occupies and will occupy jobs, and to effectively interact with them we must understand how to manage them.
At my open business seminars, I see that young people either become very dependent on their employer, but this is to a lesser extent, but to a greater extent absolutely independent, and this independence is based not on their professional qualities, but on their understanding of the values of life.
At corporate trainings the situation is different: very often you are faced with the hidden competencies of young employees and the reluctance of senior managers to both see and correctly apply these competencies in their companies.
And these are the facts from my experience:
Young staff have a completely different attitude towards the employer and have completely different requirements, and most importantly, they can choose and quickly change their employer!
You feel like the whole concept of lifetime employment and long-term employment is coming apart at the seams. Talented and less talented employees become unmanageable, from the point of view of management approaches that have been studied for decades in business schools, and moreover, they begin to impose their own rules of the game.
And if your company is interested in young staff, and your company should be interested in young staff, since the old ones will soon retire, then we must understand what young employees want from their employers, want from their jobs, what makes them successful or on the contrary, unsuccessful. Why do we need all this?- you ask - the answer is simple: for maximum effective management and in order to attract the best of the best, or at least average, to your companies.0 So let me emphasize again:
The freedom of choice that every employee has today forces companies to come up with and implement more sophisticated ways of motivation.
Let's look at a few principles that guide young employees when looking for jobs and working in companies. Try to understand these principles and see your competitiveness in them, because otherwise your company will be replaced by another company and they will do it very, very quickly.
What comes first, salary or goals? — young people are becoming more pragmatic. On the one hand, many are controlled by money, but on the other hand, many are controlled by goals, or rather by achieving their goals!
As a result, the employer is perceived as a resource for achieving their goals.
Of course money is important, money is needed, but they also understand the value of their time and what they will do! And between big money and 1000% employment, many choose a free schedule and less money.
This sweet word is FREEDOM! It is becoming more and more accessible, since it is based not on global values, for the most part, but on individual values.
Principle No. 2. Focus on development
If previously most people worked in companies for 10, 20, 30 years and their career growth was quite predictable, now talented young people are aimed specifically at development, professional and career growth; these two concepts should not be confused.
Instead of the approach: satisfy my needs, the approach begins to dominate very strongly: satisfy my development.
Of course, we can say that development is also a need, but among the many needs, it is development that begins to dominate in the general system of needs of a modern employee.
Principle No. 3. Absence of supervisor/boss
You tell me But how can it be: without a boss, without a boss!- Why? There is a very interesting substitution of concepts, and therefore the perception of the real situation:
Young people want to see not only a boss, but also their mentor, one might say a coach, a person from whom they can learn a lot and borrow knowledge and skills to develop their career.
Of course, this approach simply infuriates many managers and can greatly undermine the company’s performance, but unfortunately young employees don’t care about this; they strive to take everything from everyone! And this must be taken into account, at least taken into account.
You could even say that young employees themselves are so interested in developing themselves and their strengths that they consider all their bosses and their actions as instructions from teachers. On the one hand, this is good, but as soon as such interest disappears, i.e. employees will understand that there is nothing to learn or that they are smarter (not the fact that this is actually the case), then they will very quickly leave the company for free swimming or to our favorite competitors.
Principle No. 4. Down with strategy, here and now
It’s unfortunate, although living conditions may have changed, but many young employees live according to the principle of the dragonfly from Krylov’s fable: The red summer sang, no one had time to look back, but here it is winter again...
Only by winter or summer they do not die like a dragonfly, but go to the beach or ski, thereby strengthening their health and establishing new connections.
That is why I emphasized that living conditions have changed and young employees for the most part do not care about long-term goals, bureaucracy, they are focused on finding ideal conditions for their maximum realization! And that's a fact! But geographical boundaries have simply been erased, and therefore there is a drain of talented personnel and borrowing of talented personnel, depending on which way you look at it!
Young employees are mobile and mobile in everything from a short text message on WhatsApp or Twitter to the perception of company strategy!
Company strategies will fall apart at the seams, as they are developed by personnel who do not take into account new trends in people’s worldview! And I confirm this from my own experience!
Of course, this will come as a surprise to many, but even now at open business seminars, employees come up to me and think about starting their own business, and at corporate seminars a lot of questions are devoted to developing oneself as an individual! What is all this for? Again, to the desire for freedom, independence and achieving one’s goals. Employers miss these points, or rather do not consider it necessary to pay attention to this, thereby actually training personnel for their competitors or for the emergence of new companies on the market, which, of course, will change the rules of the game, as they will be more mobile and better adapt to the current world.
So what's better: lose or learn to use/exploit according to the company's ideas?- of course it’s better to use it! But how? - this is a rather serious issue that requires separate consultation, so please contact us.
Principle No. 5. Focus on strengths
Computer games have done their job! And if earlier each hero of a computer game had specific strong skills: someone ran well, and someone jumped well, but now: young employees concentrate on their strengths and are absolutely indifferent to their weaknesses!
This is a rather interesting approach, as it allows you to understand yourself and, having understood yourself, develop yourself as effectively and interestingly as possible and achieve your intended result, turning everyone and everything into a resource for achieving your goals.
Why learn Chinese when you can find a translator! I’d rather develop what I can and want to do better!
Cool! What's really going on? A person reduces his weaknesses to a minimum and starts maximizing his strengths, think about that?! And when communicating with another young employee, look at what strengths he is developing in himself, is going to develop, and be sure to discard stereotyped thinking and various tests.
The generation that was brought up on computers and stereotyped thinking will bypass all tests and will simply use them for themselves and their loved ones and will bypass them primarily in terms of thinking!
Think about how you will work with the strengths of your employees, because they will want to develop their strengths first of all, and in addition, they will look for something new, strive for something new, and in no case become attached to the old! Why is this happening? everything is very simple - modern information flows have done their job.
Friends! To summarize this article, I would like to say that young employees are focused on their lives, and the value of work as a tool for making money has greatly weakened!
People begin to value their time, value their skills, learn to understand themselves better and better!
Of course, this may not apply to the entire mass as a whole, but this directly characterizes the good, the best and the very best!
Employees begin to question, wonder about meaning, strive to develop, and make this their own style of attitude towards work and employers. Take this into account! Thank you, your opinion and comments on the article are welcome!
