Why you should befriend your much older or younger work colleagues this year

Millennial work habits and Baby Boomer tech struggles have long been the source of office tension, but some Aussies are reaping the benefits of intergenerational work besties.

Intergenerational work friends Krysta Harvey, Annie McDonald, Josephine Palermo and Lucia Zelesco. Picture: Supplied

It started with some gentle office ribbing over one colleague’s radio listening habits and another’s quirky millennial lingo.

But for Adelaide pair Annie McDonald, 65, and Krysta Harvey, 38, a workplace friendship has blossomed into something wonderful.

Ms Harvey and Ms McDonald — the latter of whom is now retired — are living proof of the benefits of intergenerational friendships.

And the experts agree.

Speaking to The Advertiser, retiree of five years Ms McDonald joked of her bond with Ms Harvey: “I could be her mum!”

“(But) despite the age gap and different life experiences, we connected and are still friends since she has changed jobs and I have retired,” she said, adding that Ms Harvey was her “go-to gal” when she was experiencing computer problems at work.

Annie McDonald and Krysta Harvey worked together in Community Health. Picture: Supplied

The pair have been thick as thieves ever since. Picture: Supplied

Having struck up a bond while working together in community healthcare clinic in Mount Barker for around eight years, the work besties traded career tips and shed tears together on tough days.

“We laughed a lot and sometimes cried … and we checked in on each other most days, debriefing and offering support if one of us was experiencing a tough time,” Ms McDonald recalled.

“Krysta taught me new words and expressions and about other new things, such as Spotify — and was surprised to hear what I was listening to in my car, ABC AM radio.”

Outside of work, it was their shared passion for art, footy and equally superstitious natures that kept the friendship going – a friendship Ms McDonald said she still values deeply years on.

Ms Harvey echoed the sentiment, saying Ms McDonald’s presence at work was pivotal to her career development, transcending the office environment when they discovered each other’s common interests.

“My friendship with Annie not only provided a support network for me to gain her thoughts and wisdom with dealing with work-related pressures, I returned the favour with some ‘cool kid lingo’ as we called it,” Ms Harvey said.

“By far the best benefit was discovering our mutual passion for art and since her retirement we have continued to catch up doing art lessons and going to exhibits together at museums.”

Krysta and Annie’s shared love of art has kept them connected over the years. Picture: Supplied

While worldwide debate rages over younger generations’ flexible work demands and a “toughen up” attitude among workforce veterans, many colleagues are instead joining forces to actually learn something from each other.

In fact, in today’s multigenerational workforce, closer connections between people 15-or-more years apart have become more common, and we are far better for it, according to Adelaide organisational psychologist Kathryn McEwan.

“With four-to-five generations now in the workplace it makes sense to understand the perspectives of people much older than you to have access to the wisdom they have accumulated over their career,” Ms McEwan said, adding that it was Covid lockdown that brought us closer together.

“Lockdowns fundamentally changed how we all work, with all of us having a taste of flexibility and needing to adapt to new technology,” she said, disagreeing that any generation is more “entitled” than the other.

Ms McEwan said intergenerational friendships provide perspective, while improving your connections with clients and customers.

“Chances are they have experienced the problems you are experiencing before.

They can provide advice and support — all of which can boost your confidence and resilience.

“You will also have customers older than you so understanding how they think and what drives them will definitely further your career.”

Conversely, she said older workers have learnt from their younger colleagues to speak up about potential mental health struggles given the shift in stigma in modern work environments.

Ms McEwan added that bonds formed at work create a ripple effect into your personal life, bolstering your understanding of those around you.

Neuroscientist Dr Mark Williams similarly said age diversity is important for productivity, innovation and creativity in the workplace, but on a wider scale, can teach us “alternative ways to think and perceive the world around us”.

He went on to say sticking to your age group is “actually very counter-productive”.

“One of the biggest issues with our modern society is that we are segregated into peer groups from a young age.

“Your peers have the same or similar experience to you, (so) you don’t learn much from people your age.”

Much older or younger work friendships are often particularly beneficial for women in business, given younger workers can learn from the trailblazing efforts of their older counterparts to tackle gendered workplace issues.

For business owner Lucia Zelesco and organisational psychologist Dr Josephine Palermo, a workplace connection bred compelling ideas for the future of women in business for this very reason.

“(I) got to leverage off some wonderful mature experience while have a young fresh energy to push new directions and ways of being,” Ms Zelesco, 31, said of Dr Palermo, who is in her early 50s.

Dr Josephine Palermo (left) and Lucia Zelesco (right), went on to work on women's empowerment initiatives together. Picture: Supplied

After initially working together at a boutique coworking space in Melbourne and bonding over their passion for female empowerment, they worked together on Ms Zelesco’s business endeavour, Set Your Soul on Fire, organising women’s networking events.

“We bounced ideas off each other and came up with exciting projects to empower more women in the STEM industries and workplaces in general,” Ms Zelesco said.

Dr Palermo now operates a female power retreat in Bali, and the two continue to support each other’s campaigns.