Leveraging the Happiest Generation at Work

 

Have you noticed?  Older workers are happier with their jobs than younger workers. This news comes to us fromThe Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research, which is studying the impact of the large number of those 50+ in the workforce. This trend is important and gets continuing coverage in Eye on the Workforce. Demographics is destiny in your projects.

The key to happiness for those over 50 seems to be security and respect. In general, they have climbed the career ladder and attained a comfortable salary level. They are asked for advice more often by coworkers, giving them prestige that comes from experience.

Good for them, but how do you use this information as a project manager?

First of all, don't try to set your expectations too high for making the youngest workers satisfied with their jobs. Over 40 years of the survey, young adults have reported the lowest percentage being deeply satisfied with their jobs.

But don’t give up on younger workers! Give younger workers respect and ask them for input. For example:

• Use corporate social media and other ways to ask and obtain their ideas. Show your appreciation for the guidance they provide.
• Help younger workers build up their expertise by connecting them with the happier older workers creating a win-win culture. This could be a formal effort following an existing human resources mentoring program.
• Alternately, you can establish a less formal but organized coaching effort limited to your project, supported in your project Training Plan. Coaches can be identified early from experienced workers. They may love it, of course, as long as they are not overused.
• A very limited ad hoc solution would be to connect older workers with younger workers informally as needed. Imagine a young architect paired up with an older worker in Data Management. Effort on your end could be reduced by simply advertising within the project experienced workers who don’t mind making themselves available.

Sometimes generational differences cause friction in the workplace, but this is an example where differences provide opportunities. Consider using one of these options – or one inspired by them – to leverage the happier older workers in your project to improve performance as a whole.