Over the years I’ve earned the reputation of bucking tradition and thinking out of the box. Sometimes that attribute is viewed as a strength; other times, it’s gotten me in trouble. I was listening to an interview on TV last weekend, and the person referred to himself as a non-traditional student. I chuckled because he was in his late 20s. I completed my master’s degree when I was in my 40s and my wife obtained her certificate to become a school administrator at the age of 50. Now, that’s my definition of non-traditional students.
Over the weekend, I couldn’t stop thinking about the difference in our perceptions, and I’m beginning to believe that these differences are a major source of anxiety in today’s workforce. There was a time when corporations were worried about losing the expertise and historical knowledge of the baby boomers. Today I’m not sure that’s true. What I sense is an attitude that things have changed so rapidly that the expertise of baby boomers has become obsolete and their skills are no longer appreciated.
Before everyone under the age of 30 starts thinking, “Yeah, the boomers need to get on board or get out of the way,” keep in mind the millennials will eventually face the same circumstances, just in a different generation. The reality is the skills you possess today may not be marketable in tomorrow’s job market. We are all vulnerable to technological change, and we need to re-think how we manage our careers.
When I graduated from college I thought, “Thank goodness I’m done. I don’t enjoy school and I hope I never have to write another paper or sit in another classroom.” Of course I didn’t realize my education was far from over and that I would attend dozens of seminars continually updating my skills.
A report from The Foundation for Young Australians reported 60% of students are chasing jobs that may be rendered obsolete by technology. We’ve heard these kinds of predictions before, but I’m not sure we appreciate the impact this will have on workers of all ages. At a recent social gathering one of our friends mentioned that his son’s teacher, who is in her early 60s, was attending another seminar to improve her teaching skills. One of the individuals in the group said, “She’s been teaching for 40 years, what is left for her to learn?” As silly as that sounds, I assure you that many people over the age of 50 are not excited about expanding or learning new skills. Once my dad reached the age of 50 he believed he had earned the right to coast for the remainder of his career. His thinking sounded like this, “Let the new guys learn what I learned and they should respect my experience.” Unfortunately, that’s an old tradition that may no longer be relevant given the pace of changing technology.
Some millennials lack patience and don’t believe the experiences or skills acquired over the last 30 years bring added value to today’s work environment. When it comes to technical skills, their perspective may make sense, but there is more to the story.
I would like to restore the tradition that people who have survived the introduction of computers, the internet and robotics have valuable lessons to share. Today’s millennials will eventually become boomers of their generation and learning how to work with the younger generation will become a necessity if they expect to be successful in the future.
Many of the old traditions feel comfortable and I miss them. Meatloaf and mac and cheese are still my favorites, but my daughter has talked me in to adding organic vegetables to my diet. Both generations need to respect the different skills and experiences we all bring to the table. When the culture becomes us vs. them, that’s not reflective of a healthy organization. It is to everyone’s benefit if the millennials and boomers can find a better balance. We can do this.
