Aging Process Shocker - "I'm too slow" - Page 3

Deanie · ‎03-09-2010

While I agree with your analysis, @chrystaltree, I am not certain about your conclusion. The boss hired this older woman for a reason. Perhaps he or she was trying to set an example for the younger set, or maybe the boss valued the qualities that many times accompany a more experienced worker. However, be that as it may, age discrimination is a two way street and ageism is not to be tolerated. I would as other posters have replied keep a log (briefly) and report this behavior to the boss. I say briefly because this must be stopped immediately. BTW, other cultures do not treat their elders in such a disparaging fashion. Maybe it is time to address this issue. Leaving would be a final resort. If age discrimination is as rampant as it appears, it will be difficult to find another job.

BirdieGal · ‎12-20-2015

ITA that many millennials are rude and act entitled. Ohhh...soooo entitled!

My my daughter is 19 and thankfully she does not act this way. She works and I (before she moved, still sad over that can u tell?) and/or my husband would often shop when she was working (Home Depot).

She treated customers with respect, even if they were cranky and unkind and had the most positive attitude. Actually even more so than at home. She always speaks of her co-workers kindly and actually gravitates towards the ones who are older than she is.

Hope for the future? Perhaps.

KathyM23 · ‎11-20-2010

I am 70ish and still work part time. In our office, we have a few others my age who also work part time (less than me as they only come in during our most busy times. Other than that we have a mix of middle age and twenties.

Sorry to say, I do find myself getting slower as I age - I was always one of the better and more knowledgeable workers when I was younger and I no longer feel that way as technology has changed the way business works now. The middle aged and younger are much more tech savvy than me. We do not have employees in our office who are anything like those the OP is experiencing. All are helpful to each other and care about their jobs, our customers and the company. All are polite and do their best to get the job done in a way that keeps our customers coming back

The younger people in our office treat me just fine and they are very helpful when I have tech issues or need any assistance where they are more knowledgeable than me and I do the same for them when my experience and skills help them. The younger employees we have are hard working, responsible and we all work as a team. I still feel I have a lot to contribute to my employer and when I no longer feel that, I will retire. Until then, I enjoy going to work.

Regarding millineals, I have read that companies are giving seminars on how older employees can change to work with millineals. Not tlitled as such, but that is the subject. So there is obviously a big difference in the way work is conducted today as in the past.

RinaRina · ‎03-13-2010

@Plaid Pants2 wrote:

Then the one who reported the "rude behavior" is seen as a whiner and complainer.

BINGO! There's only so much I can say as a NEW employee. My first week, I very "gently" asked the owner if he knew the person who was training me was looking for another job. (Instead of training me, the guy spent 1/2 the day on his cellphone trying to secure another job. He left at the end of my 1st week.) The owners said they knew he was going to leave because he wanted more money.
Now, when I ask a question, all the "kids" say, -- "didn't (name) tell you how to do this?" (IMHO, another rude implication. What difference does it make? I'm asking the question NOW.)
The owner knows about the nasty comments. They're going to move me somewhere else. I REALLY want to keep this job because it's something I've always wanted to do. It's not just a "job". It's something I want to do. Honestly, it's a miracle they hired me given my lack of experience. But the ad said, "training available", so I went for it. They told me up front, they wanted someone "mature".

"The less you respond to negative people, the more peaceful your life will become."

dex · ‎03-09-2010

I have a friend who retired from nursing recently because she just couldn't work with the younger people.She said they spent a lot of time texting jokes and she didn't participate.She said that she took her job seriously and felt she had no time for the cell phone stuff.She was called in to HR and told that she was not a team player.She was shocked but realized that the times and values had changed and she could not accept or work with the changes

RinaRina · ‎03-13-2010

@Deanie wrote:
While I agree with your analysis, @chrystaltree, I am not certain about your conclusion. The boss hired this older woman for a reason. Perhaps he or she was trying to set an example for the younger set, or maybe the boss valued the qualities that many times accompany a more experienced worker. However, be that as it may, age discrimination is a two way street and ageism is not to be tolerated. I would as other posters have replied keep a log (briefly) and report this behavior to the boss. I say briefly because this must be stopped immediately. BTW, other cultures do not treat their elders in such a disparaging fashion. Maybe it is time to address this issue. Leaving would be a final resort. If age discrimination is as rampant as it appears, it will be difficult to find another job.

They've been extremely kind and made it clear they want to "try" to make it work because I'm more "mature".

As I'm reading these responses, I'm getting sad because I feel I've let them down. It's the technology. The software they use is not user friendly or "intuitive" and if I use my "intuition", I frequently click the wrong thing.

Funny thing is, one day I told the owner the software got bad reviews online. He said he knew, but "it's what everyone uses". LOL!

So, basically, if I want to stay in this field, I still need to learn this particular software.

"The less you respond to negative people, the more peaceful your life will become."

RinaRina · ‎03-13-2010

@dex wrote:
I have a friend who retired from nursing recently because she just couldn't work with the younger people.She said they spent a lot of time texting jokes and she didn't participate.She said that she took her job seriously and felt she had no time for the cell phone stuff.She was called in to HR and told that she was not a team player. She was shocked but realized that the times and values had changed and she could not accept or work with the changes

Bingo! That's the risk you take for being "different". IF they move me to another section, I am NOT going to complain about anything -- because I know what will be next >> out the door I go!

"The less you respond to negative people, the more peaceful your life will become."

Plaid Pants2 · ‎03-14-2015

@RinaRina

The software is not user friendly to you.

Take, for example, me. I know my way around a computer, so, to me, it is user friendly.

Now, if my dad were to try and do the same exact thing?

It would not be user friendly to him.

The younger people were born and raised with technology, they are use to it.

LTT1 · ‎03-09-2010

@RinaRina

They shouldn't make you guess about their goals for you.

Are you expected to make changes around there?

If so, what?

Are you the one who is expected to correct co-workers' behaviors?

Are you supposed to contribute data concerning the software the company is using?

Does the person who hired you want you to be faster, but sloppier?

Maybe, if you really like the job, you can endure as is and not make corrections?

~Have a Kind Heart, Fierce Mind, Brave Spirit~

SeaMaiden · ‎03-10-2010

When I was 20 something... I think I felt the same way about working around old people when I was 20 something... someone 40- 50 or 60 was ANCIENT!

( I am that old person now...what goes around comes around as the sayin goes..... I think it is just the way it is..... getting older just sucks. That is why I am glad I do not work anymore.