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Gen X'ers Are Sharing Their Honest Opinions About Working With The Younger Generations

"Some millennials and zoomers will think that you're mad at them if you use periods at the end of sentences in emails."

Recently on Reddit, u/biishep1230 shared their experience working with a new coworker, writing, "Today I was training a new person at work who just transferred to a team that I lead, and she was shocked that I had worked for the company for 25 years and exclaimed, 'I’m only 25 years old!' I gave her a pro tip that that might not be the best thing to point out. Everyone had a good laugh."

"I reminded everyone that I converted a PowerPoint to PDF without asking anyone on the team (all younger than me) for help. I ended the day with the GenX saying, 'Now go have fun, just don’t get hurt.'"

They finished their story, saying, "They seem to like having a Gen X boss. Anyone else have a team of millennials and Gen Z?" In the comments, other Gen X'ers shared their stories about working with the younger generations, and it was really fascinating to see. Here's what they had to say:

1. "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-LGBT-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."

Person in a yellow top working on a computer, with a pride flag in the background
Atstock Productions / Getty Images

"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 non-binary people and those with other non-traditional 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 youngins."

—u/emmany63


2. "The topic of the Y2K bug came up. My team wasn’t even born."

—u/cspinelive

3. "I have a newish 30-something on my team, and he has asked about my experience, and not in an ass-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."