Managers should give us older workers a bit of respect!

[Stressedout65]

This is just a rant really. The options are to put up with it or move on. I've been doing my job (not with the same company) for 37 years. I've been a manager but now cruising along looking forward to retiring in a few years. I'm very happy not being a manager & just being that steady reliable person that every dept needs. However, this young girl has been promoted to a manager within the dept, but she's not my line manager. She is studying towards the same qualification I attained 30 years ago. I really think the "power" has gone to her head! She receives a lot of support from my very experienced line manager, which is a good thing of course. However, she seems to have taken the view that she should be micro managing me as well as her other reportees. My own manager does not micro manage me, I do not need it! I know my job inside out, I keep up with technology. There are no new, improved processes she's bringing to the table, she's not teaching me anything new, but seems to think she can tell me what to do to all of a sudden! I'm all for bringing the youngsters on, she's same age as my daughter, but remember youngsters, us oldies who have kept up with the times still have our faculties, do not need micromanaging & therefore deserve a bit more respect than that, we're not office juniors!
How can I manoeuvre her away from me without sounding like a jealous old woman who's had her day in the workplace. Ignoring her seems childish, but I'm.not going to be micromanaged by someone who has so much less experience, not even attained the qualification yet & does not know anything more about my.job than I do either! Otoh I don't want to be a manager either

How long have you worked at this particular place then?

I think you are being disrespectful using terms like 'young girl'. She sounds like she is finding her feet as a manager, if you don't like what she is doing have a chat with your own line manager. But be careful describing her the way you have done here, you won't be taken seriously if you use terms like 'youngsters' and 'same age as my daughter'.

@Butchyrestingface I like to keep the troops entertained! In reality I don't enjoy confrontation, I don't tend to argue too much with people, life's too short. Posting on MN allows me to get it all out of my system 🤣
@PansyPetunia there's too many replies & questions to answer individually! So i posted a couple of long answers which cover everything I hope. I have got jobs to do too, housework to do, husbands tea to cook. A woman's work is never done and all that....

Yes but how long have you worked at this particular place OP?

It's not about age. Some managers are hands on, some are hands off.

The best managers only micro manage those that need it.

I think she gives older people as much respect as you give younger people . In the past I've managed people who have taken a step down and quite frankly they have been a nightmare with the been there done that can't tell me anything attitude .

@Mememene I didn't say I was a brilliant manager, I said I'm good at my job now. I hared being a manager. Your answer does resonate with me & it probably is time to retire on a good note. Life is too short to be plodding along at work until you're too old & frail to enjoy your retirement

I mean you don't have to answer the question of course OP, but when I pointed out you'd only been there 6 months, your reply was simply that you don't remember saying it.
So do you think it's possible that some members of staff are yet to see the extent of your capabilities with you still being quite new?

I do just plod now, I have the monthly appraisals where I get asked how do I want to progress, what training coaching would I like, what courses etc. I think they're mandatory for the managers to ask us and every month I very nicely tell her that I'm at a stage in my life where I don't want any of it. All I want is to turn up, do a great job and go home.

I tell her every team needs one of me as if we were all ambitious it would be chaos.

In my younger days I was ambitious, but not now. noooooooooooo way.

(About to be “that poster” who uses the search function): it looks from your other threads like you’ve had a really hard 18 months with a family bereavement and a serious experience of Covid, which you felt affected your work performance in this job, including extending your probation period. I hope you’re recovered now.

It sounds like your current line manager is happy with your work. I’m wondering whether you’re feeling a bit restless and that you’re capable of more, and that’s a positive sign that you’re emerging from grief and illness? The new manager might not be the issue. Maybe you could look into developing an interest outside work, if you’re not keen on having a more challenging role inside work?

(If the new manager really is a problem, all the PP’s advice of nodding and smiling, or bouncing it back to your manager, sounds sensible.)

Some of the oldest people at my work, are the ones who least deserve anyone's respect!

You earn respect, it shouldn't be handed to you just because you're older!!

Just ignore OP.

I understand your point. My peer (until recent retirement), 25 years older than me, didnt report to the same manager as me. He was excellent at his job, had made a huge effort to keep abreast of technology. My manager insisted on trying to boss him around when his work was honestly nothing to do with her. Eventually his manager had a quiet word, not entirely sure how it was phrases but she backed off.

Have a chat to your line manager, I'd say something like "I've got enough to be getting on without y adding to my workload. Can you ask y to delegate to their own direct reports in future".

Let your line manager deal with it. But enough with the "young girl". If this woman has been promoted to manager presumably she is a competent, capable member of staff. Don't disrespect her due to her age.

I feel for you, micro managers suck!

I think everyone is concentrating on the age thing rather than the experience thing.