Older new employees

[Nuzzolese]

Retirement isn't something I think about. I put savings into it in small amounts but I'm prepared to have to work forever. I get the impression that's how it's going to be.

Even currently there are many people over 60 returning to the work force and sometimes for them it's been years since they last had a job. A common employee is the widow who relied on her husband's income, and now has to pay her high bills or the debt.

Anyway, I feel like they have a hard time, or at least the people I've worked with seemed to. It's never easy to be new but it seems like the older people are at an extra disadvantage because they're not used to learning new skills at work, the work world may have changed since they last worked, or they're totally unfamiliar with the technology.

So they try really hard and I see younger people (sometimes only 10 years younger but that does make a big difference) get impatient with them or be rude to them. It breaks my heart because I see them as grandparents. And it seems like they're trying really hard plus having to deal with their bodies just wearing out faster.

Not too long ago an older lady was fired here for failing to meet expectations and I sincerely suspect she was unfairly treated but who can say, I mean I wasn't her supervisor.

I always hear people my age exclaim how they hate older people and hate working with them, how they're slow and "senile" and I would fly into a rage if anyone talked about my grandmother that way.

Plenty of young people struggle to learn too. I know what it's like to be the new "dummy" screwing up and having to ask a million questions.

Vent if you want here, discuss this issue, talk about your own frustrations with older new employees.

[Rock]

Over here, the older people are the only ones willing to work hard and go above and beyond. Its like they actually have a work ethic. While the younger ones tend to slack (me included) or spend most of their days perfecting fart noises.

The young'uns prolly figure they are young, they can fuck around and hopefully find a new job when its needed. The older ones probably go into that panic state about being too old to get a job because no one wants to hire an old fart so they have to prove themselves when they do get a job.

I have to also add...i only skimmed through the original post so I don't know what I was supposed to say here.

[Nuzzolese]

I never would have known you only skimmed.

I know what you mean and I see it too. I see the older people working harder or taking things more seriously but I still see that ethic not getting them anywhere. Of course, not always. There was a guy I used to work with, keith, who always took extra breaks and he never did anything but make inappropriate jokes. He was alright.

[Bob]

it's kind of a dilemma though. on the one hand, you do feel bad for older people adjusting to work, because it's not their fault that they're having a hard time learning, for the reasons you stated.

but at the same time, it IS a problem, because they lack the skills to do their job well. but you can't get mad at them, because it's not their fault. and there's no other jobs for them to do because they don't exist anymore.

so basically you can't get really truly mad at them because it's not their fault, but there's only so much room you can allow for patience for mistakes. doesn't really seem fair to anyone.

[Nuzzolese]

it's kind of a dilemma though. on the one hand, you do feel bad for older people adjusting to work, because it's not their fault that they're having a hard time learning, for the reasons you stated.

but at the same time, it IS a problem, because they lack the skills to do their job well. but you can't get mad at them, because it's not their fault. and there's no other jobs for them to do because they don't exist anymore.

so basically you can't get really truly mad at them because it's not their fault, but there's only so much room you can allow for patience for mistakes. doesn't really seem fair to anyone.

AND I hate to suggest that they do other menial tasks that I think they are overqualified for - as far as their potential. Younger people have potential but no skills and the difference there is that people are willing to invest in them, but nobody wants to invest in older employees because I guess they figure the older people are just going to die soon. It's not that logical really, becuase plenty of younger people have plans to leave their jobs at any time when something better comes along. So age isn't a garuntee of loyalty.

[Nuzzolese]

What really pisses me off is when the older people are given more attitude and more blatant displays of impatience or annoyance. I guess I have this idea that you should respect them because they're older and it is tougher for them. Yes, I guess that means giving them some special treatment but only when it comes to the attitude or the interaction. Of course they have to meet the same expectations as anyone, but I think they deserve a little more gentleness. It's like respectful politeness the same you'd give to a superior. Don't treat them like grunts.

[ms.peachy]

In my experience older colleagues have worked out really well and (I think) are really happy working where we do, but largely I think that is because of the nature of the work - since it's a science museum, most of the older people that come to work for us are retired physicists, engineers, chemists etc and so they really like doing things like leading tours and otherwise working with guests, getting to show off what they know. I wouldn't dream of not treating them well, nor I think would anyone else there; they are a huge complement to the whole workforce and a treasure trove of experience and information. But I get that this is a probably not the norm and is a somewhat special situation.

[Dorothy Wood]

at my last job, there was a 65 year old lady. she wasn't new, she'd worked there for 12 years or something. she could be quite frustrating because she forgot a lot of things and could be crabby with customers. also she'd freak out constantly about nothing. but I loved her. it got to the point where nobody would want to talk to her when she called. but really, you just had to say, "stop freaking out ann!" or just do something else while she was talking. she was treated like a child by the owners and they finally just made up a bunch of crap about her and fired her. :(

nobody really gave her a chance, but she was cool. she used to be a model when she was young and a graphic designer and she knew all kinds of stuff about art. she had long gray hair, cool eyeglasses, wore bootleg black jeans and lived in a loft apartment on the south side. she probably still does. I should call her.

[enree erzweglle]

I guess it works both ways. I've see pissy old people who feel entitled just because they're old and they don't want to give young people a break. They're threatened by them so they shut them down as soon as they come through the door and there is NO penetrating that sort of shell. (And some of them are territorial as well and don't want to give that up, they don't want to give up their tried-true ways to pave the way for someone else to do things differently.)

And I see pissy young people who want to push out the old people just for being old and they refuse to give them a chance. Make fun of them, gossip about them, roll their eyes at them, etc.

Mostly in my organization, people are pretty fair. I don't see a whole lot of that ^^^ stuff going on although there is one woman (who happens to be old now) who is nearly impossibly difficult to work with and it has nothing to do with her age. She's always been that way and somehow management always looks the other way whenever she acts up, which is frequently. She's a pretty miserable person in general and I think it just surfaces at work just like it surfaces in her life.

All of that said, I do think it's funny when fresh graduates (from a few of the business- or arts-related disciplines on campus) come into a new job wanting to apply textbook methodologies to the real world. They want to shake everything up because they've been taught that x works in y hypothetical situation. It's interesting because most of them, given time, will come full circle.

[mp-seventythree]

I have a government final salary pension scheme, which means I will retire when I'm 60 (or sooner if I'm lucky)

I was planning to retire at 30, but that didn't work out

[Nuzzolese]

Now that, on the other hand, says "skimmer" to me.

[Bob]

i like strawberry poptarts better than blueberry

[jabumbo]

MORTY: Look, if we're gonna stay here until all hours of the night, can we at least get some food here?

PETERMAN: (looks at his watch) It's only five fifteen. So, later on that same day, I developed a great hankering for some wild honey...

MORTY: (standing) Okay, I'm done. I'll be back in the morning, when he's close to finish with his story. (Morty heads for the door, but Peterman's voice brings him to a halt.)

PETERMAN: Morty. My stories are what sell these clothes.

MORTY: Cheap fabric, and dim lighting. That's how you move merchandise.

PETERMAN: (winks) Morty, you're out.

[Nuzzolese]

i like strawberry poptarts better than blueberry

Fag

[The Notorious LOL]

my grandparents are well off, but they are also notoriously cheap, so they are probably even more well off than one may realize.

[Miho Mingu]

I've always felt sorry for elderly people working. Some of them break your heart. And I respect my elders, as long as they show that same respect back.

[paul jones]

old people should NOT be working!

the poor bastards have had enough years being robbed by the tax vampires!

Democracy? Fuck you George W Bush!!!!!!

De-Evolution is REAL!

[like2_drink]

i was fired after my 5th day on the job for not havin ambition..they said to all the other coworkers who loved me that i was too slow. be patient with the elderly * poors champagne on ground *