Have you ever heard big shots singing praises of the young, their boundless energy, and all that jazz?
Seriously, who doesn’t expect the young to be full of life?
You’re probably rolling your eyes, thinking, “Yeah, we’ve all heard this before.” But wait, there’s more.
The Age Misconception
Let’s talk about the elephant in the room. Most of those bigwigs hardly rub shoulders with the youth.
Here’s my experience. When the workplace chaos hits the fan, more often than not, it’s the seasoned folks with a little more salt than pepper in their hair who save the day.
Sure, a couple of young guns shine brilliantly. But let’s be honest — not all are cut from the same cloth.
I find Gen Z to be more restless. They tend to lose interest quickly. Keeping them enthused at all times is easier said than done. No place is an ideal workplace. Shit happens. There are ups and downs. And you’ve got to deal with it.
As a manager, while hiring, you tend to look for individuals who will be invested with you in the medium to long term.
Why do I say that?
It takes time and effort to train a recruit and learn to adapt to the new workplace. By the time that happens, if the recruit loses interest and decides to quit, you are back to square one. The process of finding a replacement is repeated all over again, losing time and effort in the process.
If you run operations, you know how important it is to find those who know the job and are not looking to jump ship at the next available opportunity.
You might think, “Well, maybe you just met the wrong bunch.” And you know what? That’s a fair point. We can’t put every young professional in the same box.
But here’s the twist: Those bigwigs who sing the youth’s praises should follow the same rule.
The Perils of Generalisation
Let’s face it: Generalising is like thinking a pineapple pizza can represent all the pizza kinds. It’s just not right.
You may find an experienced team member who matches up to or exceeds the energy of the young. You can come across a young colleague who invariably makes the right judgment calls due to his sharp intellect or insight.
So, what’s the takeaway?
Blending Generations
The truth is, you need both – the young blood and the experienced souls. It’s all about the mix and the right balance.
Thinking that only the youth will reshape the world is like believing unicorns deliver pizza.
Here’s my theory. Some folks say it because they think it’s the trendy thing to say. They’ve heard the big shots saying it, so they follow the flow. Whether they’ve walked the talk or not, they say it. It’s like hitting ‘copy-paste’ without checking the source.
The Bottom Line
Both the young and the experienced bring value to the table. They learn from each other when you have them together in one team.
As a long-time manager, I have benefitted from both. Every time an opportunity to hire presents itself, I take a call depending on the job and team requirements.
If you are hiring, keep an open mind and fill the position depending on the team or the job needs. If you’ve enough experience in the group, you could look for freshers or young recruits. And if you have a predominantly young team, you could look to hire a few experienced candidates.
The best teams reflect a delicate balance of youth and experience. Respect and value both.
Here’s the bottom line: Age doesn’t define your game; it’s the heart and hustle. So, remember, the world isn’t just black and white; it’s a vibrant canvas of experience, passion and potential.
