Age discrimination works both ways – but how do you overcome unfair prejudices aimed at you when you’re the boss?
Managing a team comes with more than a few challenges but if those team members are all older than you, the task can seem even more daunting. One HR manager has some advice…
Lead by example
If you turned up late or dressed too lax, it wouldn’t take long for your employees to do the same – so why should an age gap be any different? It isn’t, says HR manager Alice Green.
“Your employees will take their cues from you,” says Green. “If you seem hesitant or appear to feel awkward about the age difference, people will notice it and it will make them feel awkward, too.”
Instead, Green urges young managers to act like it’s a “non-issue” – pretty soon, your employees will do the same thing.
Don’t over-compensate
According to Green, one of the most dangerous things any manager can do – young or otherwise – is to over-exercise their authority just to prove they have it. It’s a sure sign of an insecure leader.
Ask for input and solicit perspectives other than your own, advises Green. “That will do far more to establish your right to your position than making a point of authority for authority’s sake.”
That being said…
Don’t shy away from stubborn employees
“If you sense an employee is resistant to your authority, address that the same way you would any other performance issue,” says Green. “Don’t excuse it on grounds of the age difference.”
She suggests the following phrases:
I’ve noticed you seem reluctant to take on assignments I give you. What’s going on?
I appreciate hearing your input but ultimately I’d like you to tackle this project the way we talked about and to give me the opportunity to weight in before you make significant changes to plans we’ve finalised.
Try to learn before your mistakes
Learning from our mistakes tends to be the only silver lining to making them but if you think your professional ability is under the microscope, it’s important not to give employees any excuse for doubting you.
“Learn all you can about how to delegate well, how to give feedback how to set goals and hold people accountable to them, how to recognise and reward good performance, and how to handle problems,” advises Green.
Treat all ages the same
In an attempt to gain the respect of older workers, it can be easy to treat them more seriously than younger workers but this will only harm your credibility, warns Green.
“Your staff will notice and it will undermine their respect for you and their trust that you can manage them appropriately.”
It’s not that big of an issue…
It’s very likely that you’re more wary of the age gap than your employees are, says Green. “Support them in doing their jobs well and they’re unlikely to mind how old you are.”
