By: PrimeCB
We’re talking to PrimeCB readers and experienced workers who are telling us their perspectives about the workplace, and what experiences they’re having on the “front lines.”
Today, we’re hearing from Sylvia Seger. Sylvia is 59 years old and is a retired elementary school teacher and school counselor. She often worked with younger teachers in those roles.
She’s now working part-time at a theme park, where many of her co-workers during the park’s operating season are high school and college students.
Here’s what Sylvia told us.
In terms of working together, what has your experience with younger co-workers been?
I think most of my experiences of working with younger co-workers have been positive.
When I was an elementary school counselor I worked with teachers who were young enough to have been my children. I appreciated their enthusiasm and energy. They were still new enough in the profession to be excited about teaching kids and still believed that they could change the world – or at least the lives of their students.
I worked with high school and college kids the past three summers. Again, I appreciated their energy and ability to work long days in the heat, which I can no longer do. Their innocence in dealing with some customers was also interesting.
Has there been a substantial difference in how you use technology vs. how younger co-workers use it?
The differences include:
- They are aware of how to use some of the basic software in more ways than I.
- They are faster typists and can use the numeric keypad faster than I.
- We have touch screens in our department where I work in the summer – I am so used to using the mouse; so that continues to be easier for me. The younger folks all use the touch screens as much as possible.
- They seem to learn new computer techniques and programs faster than I. Once during my first summer job a younger supervisor was trying to show me a new process. She quickly touched the screen in various places and went through the steps very quickly. The first time she did that, I let her go and figured it out on my own when she left. The next time she did that I told her that I don’t learn as quickly as I used to. I explained that I needed for her to tell me what to do and let me do it so I could learn the process by doing it.
What are some of the other differences between the generations?
They are much more educated in technology and equipment. I don’t know all the latest kinds of phones and iPods. I also am behind them on the newest vocabulary that’s connected with these technologies.
Often at my summer job I have used phrases such as “that sounds like a Peyton Place” or “here’s a new country heard from.” Young workers have no idea what I am talking about. I forget how old I am and how long it’s been since some of my language was first developed.
One of the older teachers at school once talked about her days as a “car hop”; one of the young teachers asked what the heck that was – she had no idea.
How would you compare the role you play in your workplace now to the role(s) you’ve had earlier in your career?
When I left the education field I was the head of my department and helped to train and lead the younger staff.
After I retired from education and started my summer job, it was difficult being out of my comfort zone and having to learn so many new things. And it was strange to be learning many of the skills from those young enough to be my children. After two years in my summer job, I again worked myself up to a position of helping to train others in our department, though.
Now in my current job I am in an assistant’s position (which I love and want to be) and the younger staff are teaching me. I so am grateful that they are so knowledgeable and willing to help me.