Whether you’re the oldest or youngest person in your workplace, there’s a good chance you’ve noticed some generational gaps between you and your colleagues. You might have been at the company for decades, meanwhile your desk mate just graduated from university last week. Your employees might use lingo that you don’t understand, and they might be incapable of relating to conversations about buying a home, having children and remembering what the world was like during the 90s.
After having a few funny encounters with younger team members, one Gen Xer reached out on Reddit asking others to share their own experiences working with millennials and zoomers. Below, you’ll find some of their funniest and most frustrating stories, and be sure to upvote the ones you find relatable!
#1
Other comments that are disfavored are “Were you in shape when you were young?” Said to me, a 33 year old attorney, by a useless 22 year old twit.
Image credits: FormicaDinette33
#2
The topic of Y2K bug came up. My team wasn’t even born.
Image credits: cspinelive
#3
I’ve noticed that any level of directness is often perceived as a personal attack and the height of aggression. No, I’m just not bulls**tting you, out of basic human respect.
Image credits: Up2Eleven
#4
Management isn’t anything like it was in the ’80s, when we were young and wouldn’t have dreamed of expecting the kind of fairness demanded now. I’m not ripping on gens Y and Z. Just saying it would have been nice to be able to expect respect when we were baby workers. We didn’t get it.
Image credits: heavy_wood
#5
“25?! I have socks older than you!” This is an acceptable response to the kids.
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#6
My favorite moment is when I mentioned that I had a certain song on 45 and then had to explain about 45s, LPs, etc. A group of millies gathered around me. All we needed was a campfire.
Image credits: Simpawknits
#7
I had a millennial look me in the eye and say, “You’re not my dad!” I laughed so hard I almost vomited. The worst thing a kid said to me was, “I did the best I can!”. I told him that if that’s the best you can do then you have to leave.
Image credits: Faux__queue
#8
I did before Covid, changed careers during the middle of, and it was terrible. Way too much coddling, hand holding, and walking on eggshells. I’m pretty blunt and direct, it did not sit well with them.
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#9
Constant praise. It’s exhausting.
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#10
Generally the millennials and Z’s I’ve worked with have been fine.
The only thing that annoys me a bit is when they complain or poke fun at each other about being “old” or make condescending comments about anyone over 30 being “old.” Anyone pushing 50 is “really old.” I get it, but it’s a rude thing to go on about within earshot of other older coworkers, unless you’ve established some kind of rapport and know that everyone can take a joke.
Generally I just roll my eyes but in 20 years they’ll be screaming bloody murder when the Alphas arrive and make the same remarks.
Image credits: LittleMoonBoot
#11
We have a Gen Z administrative assistant for a team of Gen-X cops who work Internet Crimes Against Children (among other things). For a while she was in a near perpetual state of shock between the cases we work and just us in general.
Seeing her wander around with a VHS tape trying to figure out what it was was one of the most hilarious things that has happened at work.
She’s onboard now, loves us, we got her to perfect her eye roll, say “whatever” with the proper inflection and become very liberal with the middle finger. We may have been a bit too successful with the Gen X conversion therapy.
Image credits: Experiment_262
#12
I had a moment of sheer depression when I mentioned I used to do Flash for the internet and my millennial employees had no idea what Flash was.
Image credits: noquarter1000
#13
This is not true of most of the under-30 crowd; I’ve worked with plenty of great kids. However, in the last eight years, I’ve had to train several young adults who just cannot take direction without assuming you’re trying to change them on some fundamental level.
I’ve been in supervisory and training positions for 25 years and had never heard someone tell me, ‘I don’t like doing it that way,’ and when I tell them they have to, they accuse me of trying to make them do things my way.
“It ain’t my way, kid, it’s the way it’s done here, it’s the way I was also taught to do it. It’s as if they have no concept that work isn’t free time and that they’re a part of a team (or what being part of a team even means). It blows my mind, and I still haven’t figured out a way to train these kids. They often end up feeling oppressed and out of place and end up leaving or just getting fired for not learning how to do work.
#14
To be honest…it’s exhausting watching them take on more work than they can handle, hoard the work until the last minute, and then ask for last-minute help. I get the unfinished work and wonder what they’ve been doing all this time besides bemoaning how much work they had. Rinse and repeat. As a mgr, I actually try to help them with time mgmt and pacing but other mgrs just let them fall on their faces and help them pick up the pieces like a helicopter parent to the detriment of the entire team.
Oh and their refusal to use track changes drives me nuts. So arrogant to unilaterally rewrite others’ work, particularly analysts with decades of experience. Their overconfidence is kinda scary…their way is the only way until it blows up in their faces. They could talk less and actively listen more. And write s**t down. Or voice note it. Anything to help with retention.
One more rant…do not ever send a text to my personal cell while I am on vacation with my kid. Nothing our organization does requires that kind of urgency. It can wait a few days, believe me. I would have rather quit than bug my mgr while on personal time. The audacity.
It’s been kinda rough at work lately…thanks for reading my novel rant. ?.
#15
We have a few GenZs and we drop random pop culture facts like Will Smith used to be a rapper and Mark Wahlberg used to be Marky Mark. It blows their young minds.
And when one of them started she would talk about her mom a lot then one day said, “I can’t believe my mom is almost 50. That’s so old”. ? We told her maybe next time we’ll invite her mom out instead of her for beer.
Image credits: frogeze
#16
Remember that some Millenials and Zoomers will think that you’re mad at them if you use periods at the end of sentences in emails.
Image credits: Caloso89
#17
I have a mix of all ages and I am very frustrated by the younger crowd. Here are some real examples of reasons people couldn’t work
1) I saw my ex this weekend and he was cancelling me. So I needed a mental health day.
2) I have the sniffles , it’s best I don’t come in and infect anyone.
3) my moms friend has Covid and I just want to make sure I don’t have it (not been in direct contact with the friend )
4) I’m not a morning person, I try but I’m just always going to be 15-20 min late.
I found one 26 year old crying under her desk after we had sat down to talk about ways she could improve her performance.
Obviously I have had to deal with these horrible excuses and create the appropriate responses. Most of the time I try and really drill into people. It’s their PTO. I,don’t need to know why they are taking a day off. Just do it. Don’t over share.
The person who is always late is a huge issue but her work is so amazing I have to balance it all.
Image credits: ChrisNYC70
#18
I’m a 47 year old lawyer. Been practicing for 20 years. Solo attorney the entire time. I have two employees, both in their late 20’s. The difference between us is sometimes minimal and sometimes huge. My 20 years experience over them is a huge factor, but we’re ultimately into the same things, watch the same shows, and listen to the same music. The biggest difference is literally my 20 years of experience. I’ve been there and done that. They haven’t. Things I take for granted are new to them. Once I realized that it made me a better boss, teacher, and mentor.
#19
I have coworkers born in 1995 – the year I bought my current 1995 Jeep.
They love riding around in it because it’s an “antique” to them – and so have to remind them that I was an adult when I bought it.
Image credits: supershinythings
#20
I’m incredibly fortunate to work with people mostly in their 30’s. So they’re young but experienced in life. They have kids and mortgages so they understand priorities. They’re good people doing their best. Couldn’t ask for a better team.
#21
I manage a number of teams, and my staff are literally from their late 60s to 21 years old.
I am 58, but probably most aligned with 30-40 yo in terms of taste, music, etc.
I’ve been at my company for 27 years.
It is…..challenging at time….how to motivate each cohort. Among them: the oldest is completely offended and passive-aggressive about any feedback. Youngest ones need constant, effusive praise including for things like showing up to work on time, not being late back from a break, working without f*****g earbuds in, even while talking to people, etc. I have two that are fairly certainly somewhere on the autism spectrum, so you have to be very careful and specific so they can process interactions effectively. I have one transgender (not disclosed, but apparent), so gender-related things require care. I have a 28 yo male hispanic that is ruled by machismo (just don’t “disrespect” him!).
Again…challenging.
Image credits: Displaced_in_Space
#22
My favorite team I ever managed were nearly all millennials. I realized how lucky I was to have managed them when I ended up at a large company and temporarily managed a group with an average age of 50+ (this is in the mid 2000’s). I’m still friends with a couple of the millennials all these years later. We had a great team environment where we all helped each other and had a lot of fun in the process. Never felt that with the older group I managed later.
#23
I’m a college prof, and I’m going to go past my 30 year normal retirement goal because these kids are so fricking amazing to hang out with in the classroom. I’ve been through the millennials and they were OK, but this younger generation is wonderful. GenX has done a fantastic job parenting them. Chef’s kiss!
#24
I work with all Millennials and I can honestly say that they are a pleasure to work with! Kind, empathetic, and I get ~90% of their references without feeling old. I just grew up playing different video games and listening to different music. Maybe it’s just a matter of maturity – it doesn’t matter what generation you are, the ones that are 19 – 25 will never fail to mention how young they are, until they start feeling old themselves! 26 and up, they start getting much more humble and relatable.
Image credits: dotnetgirl
#25
My boss is 20 years younger than me, and the youngest person on our team is 35 years younger than me. I have to say, I’m so glad I get to work with this younger generation before I leave the workforce. As an always LGBTQ ally, I still remember rolling my eyes at the cis/trans/pronouns conversation for a hot minute, then realizing I was being that kind of older person. Yuck.
That thought pulled me right the fuck out of it, and now I’m one of the few people my age — even among liberal friends — who’s completely comfortable around nonbinary people and those with other nontraditional gender expressions.
“I love being around people of different ages. It opens your eyes, challenges your preconceptions, and gives you a new way of looking at the world. This younger generation only does the work they’re paid to do while still doing it well. They take vacation and sick time and don’t work their asses off for hours they’re not being paid to work. And they actually taught me to do the same.
“After a lifetime of going above and beyond — even in nonprofit work, which I love — it’s just plain dumb to work 50 or 60 hours when you’re being paid for 40. I’m now working a straight 40-hour week. Fucking geniuses, these young’uns.
#26
Got 30 undergrads, constantly rotating because undergrads tend to graduate, even today. I know all of the language, all of the memes, all of the Discord, all of the Twitch, all of the culture. I am immersed in it and completely empowered to constantly embarrass my Gen Z/Alpha children, because I know all of the things they know, and it makes them very upset. It’s probably the genesis of the disdain I have for this sub, you people are extremely old and should stick to Facebook.
#27
I have 25 to 30 year olds on my team and I’m the HR Manager. I’m not sure how I feel about them because I honestly can’t relate to much they’re talking about. It is somewhat annoying when they assume anyone over a certain age can’t use technology. I remember the first email and computers in offices. If you’re our age and you’ve worked you know computers.
Image credits: TinktheChi
#28
My boss is an elder millennial and loves having me on his team because he can point me in a direction and I just go do the thing that needs doing while everyone else needs some level of hand holding and babysitting.
They keep trying to put me into management but I have zero desire. I’m totally cool with where I am and with what I do. The big joke is that since I’m Gen X, I’m happy working a job where I’m ignored – just as long as they don’t ignore me when it comes to my pay.
I’ve been with my company 23 years and that longevity blows a lot of younger folks’ minds. It also blows their minds that I’m NOT in management and don’t want to be – because that’s what they’ve been told they’re supposed to do in order to be successful in life, otherwise they’re failing. I love watching that little part of their brain light up when I tell them it’s perfectly ok to be comfortable where you’re at and not have to climb corporate ladder if they don’t want to. No one will care what your work title was when you’re dead.
#29
At 50, I’m at the very top tier of old farts in my workplace. We’re mostly hiring genz now. They are almost universally respectful, but my line of work strongly preselects for respect of seniority and rank. I hope to be viewed as a mentor, father figure, or at least uncle figure. It seems like I am.
#30
My teams are almost always kids 16 and up. They drive me nuts but they keep me young. They don’t always get my references but I make sure they have a healthy understanding of sarcasm and dark humor. They f****n love it.
#31
All I work with is kids for the most part. I’m 47 and still active duty. For the most part it’s really fun. Was talking to one of them today and realized they are a yr younger than my oldest child…. At least I know how they think since I have kids of that age.
#32
I work in tech. New data engineers asked about my kids (oldest is 25). Then I hear him whisper to himself “I’m only 24”. Yeah, buddy, you could be my kid. But in my life, at 25 I had a kindergartener, so what’s your problem?
I don’t share the ages of my kids so my coworkers aren’t uncomfortable.
#33
As a GenX in a management position, I unfortunately feel like I have to train my parents in the digital world and also Gen Z regarding office politics, workplace socializing and just basically everything including using a freaking printer.
I have no kids, but boomer parents are like teenagers who are lazy or angry about technology and the way the world works right now.
Gen Z seems oblivious to anything that happened before their generation and switches jobs or quits when things don’t go their way. Onboarding is a chore and promotions are never coming soon enough.
There are great people I work with that are younger, and great older people in my friends and family.
But often I feel like:
Boomers are sometimes acting like teenagers
GenZ are like kids about a lot of stuff
Millennials are to me pretty cool.
Thanks for coming to my TED talk.
#34
My boss is a millennial and doesn’t grasp that I don’t know how to use Excel as if it’s my second language, the way she does. First of all, my job never required using Excel before. When I went to high school, we had two Macintosh computers that you had to sign up for, hoping the other 3,000 students didn’t need to use them at the same time.
Second, if she wants me to be proficient, don’t sign me up for an Excel class and wait a year to assign me a project, then wonder why I don’t remember how to use it and get frustrated.
#35
I have a newish 30-something on my team and he has asked about my experience, and not in an a*s kissing way. It’s such a shame that people today don’t receive the training we did. I feel it is my responsibility to pass on what I know.
He has stated many times that he appreciates the extra time I spend with him to get him up to speed. I think he is sincere, and I have to admit it feels good to be appreciated.