Millennial Bosses Usually Do 9 Things That Gen X & Boomers See As Irresponsible
Vitaly Gariev | Pexels Many millennials are more motivated than ever to develop their careers.
Unfortunately for older generations, that means they may have a millennial boss at some point in the next few years. Millennials tend to match some boomer and Gen X workers' values, but they take a somewhat unconventional approach to leadership, and it rubs their employees the wrong way.
Gen X and boomers find the things their millennial bosses do irresponsible
1. Granting time off to anyone who asks
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Older generations tend to believe that workers need to earn their time off. It's not immediately granted to them, and they're especially unwilling to share their younger peers' belief that your time is yours to use whenever you feel like it.
Boomers and Gen Xers tend to work hard for a single annual vacation or all-encompassing trip, while their younger peers take mental health days and use PTO on random Fridays. Millennial bosses are more willing to allow this and to give their employees flexibility with their personal time, which feels totally irresponsible to older employees.
2. Taking mental health days
While Gen Zers are somewhat known for using sick days and taking mental health days, millennials are more flexible with time off. They prioritize work-life balance a lot more than many older people do, making it easier to justify flexibility when it's needed.
But not only is there a rigidity around older generations' perceptions of time off at work, they also tend to be operating with a mental health stigma that younger generations are trying to unwind.
3. Building friendships with everyone
Many millennials are unconventional bosses. They're mentors and peers, rather than authority figures. With that often comes feedback and friendship that can feel irresponsible to Gen Xers and boomers who aren't always familiar with that kind of dynamic, let alone a boss who's younger than they are.
While their empathy brings a lot of good to the workplace, it can feel slightly uncomfortable for older employees to nurture a more casual relationship with their boss.
4. Building remote or hybrid work structures
The majority of millennials tend to believe that hybrid working opportunities benefit their careers, partially because it creates a better work-life balance. They appreciate being able to work from anywhere, while also having the community of an office when they need it.
It might seem nice for everyone, but giving people the chance to work from home feels burdensome for older generations who have learned to navigate a fully in-person office environment.
5. Mentoring everyone
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Boomers, in particular, believe in a workplace hierarchy that's partially influenced by age. Growing up with "respect your elders" expectations, they count on being respected by younger generations, even when they aren't actually the boss at work.
Millennials are somewhat averse to the typical boss stereotypes, so they tend to become mentors. They want feedback and offer coaching lessons to their peers, sometimes in ways that can feel like unsolicited advice to a Gen X or boomer employee.
6. Not micromanaging
A lot of older employees are used to rigid leadership and structured workplace environments. But younger generations want flexibility, even in leadership roles. They're not going to send a million updates and expect people to keep them in the loop all the time.
They trust their teams until they don't have a reason to. So, it can make older peers feel uncertain when they're used to having a boss who expects constant access.
7. Allowing casual dress codes
Older workers appreciate the conformity of more professional, strict dress codes. It's what they were socialized into appreciating. In their early careers, dress codes became a part of their identity and purpose.
But millennials want a more comfortable, casual dress code in the workplace to protect their individuality and productivity. It might seem irresponsible to older people, but it's the new norm.
8. Having personal conversations
In their careers, older generations were taught to keep many topics private. They didn't bring their personal lives into the office. But younger people are far more open.
They're destigmatizing mental health and bringing some of those conversations into the workplace. But they're also building relationships and humanizing themselves by discussing what's happening outside of work.
They may not be interested in formal gatherings and after-work events with their co-workers, but millennials aren't afraid to be a bit more vulnerable.
9. Brainstorming in collaboration with workers
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Instead of favoring the rigid, top-down approach that many older leaders bring to the office, millennial bosses are much more collaborative.
They're willing to have conversations with workers of any seniority about big decisions. And they tend to favor innovative brainstorming over secretive conversations.
That's part of why their workplace environments are less traditional, and sometimes seem irresponsible for older generations, because everyone has a voice and something to share.
Zayda Slabbekoorn is a senior editorial strategist with a bachelor's degree in social relations & policy and gender studies who focuses on psychology, relationships, self-help, and human interest stories.
