The workplace can be a land mine filled battleground of misunderstandings between employees of different age groups. It can at times lead to serious communication problems between the two groups. That is why it is so critically important to have great senior outreach for seniors in the workplace. At the same time, it is nice for seniors in the workplace to understand where their younger counterparts are coming from as well. This two-way street can help to make things flow more smoothly between the two groups.
Reaching Out With An Olive Branch
The first step towards senior outreach is showing that you want to understand where they are coming from in the first place. Apathy is like a virus in the workplace and can make things tense and uncomfortable. Everyone needs to feel that they are valued and cared about. Misunderstandings between generations often start when one side or the other who is not willing to reach out and start a conversation.
Building Connections Starts at Home
Recent studies from the Gallup polling company have provided at least some good news in terms of relations between elders and the youth. This is because they show that a large percentage spend a considerable amount of time with older relatives such as grandparents. They also find that the youth find those connections valuable and important to them.
While this is a great start, to make it work with those seniors who have jobs, it is best to apply some of these good feelings towards those who are not immediate family. Seniors in the workplace are not much different than seniors that one knows in their family. They often share a lot of the same views of the world and even some of the same experiences. When viewed through this lens, it is easier for younger people to understand what their older co-workers are thinking.
Start A Group At Work
The final piece of advice worth doling out is that starting a group of support at work is a wonderful idea. It is a terrific way to show senior workers that they are valuable to the workplace while at the same time helping to move the conversation forward between the two groups.
Younger employees can enjoy this time to help catch up their senior co-workers on the latest music or movie trends. Meanwhile, seniors in the workplace can share stories from their past that can fascinate and even amuse others. In this way, both sides are talking to one another and learning something new.