Older workers claim to be more resilient than younger counterparts

Older office workers appear to be more resilient to extra demands and higher levels of productivity than their younger counterparts, according to research from Wrike. 

The survey compared working habits of different age groups among 3000 office workers, with age brackets ranging from millenials (defined as 25 to 34-year-olds), through to those aged 55 and over.

Some 71% of UK millennials said their individual workloads had risen, compared to just 42% who said the same from the oldest age bracket.

Similarly, 69% of millennials feel more stressed as a result of increased demand, compared to just 54% among over-55s. As a result, 25% of 25-34s have taken sick days as a result of stress, compared to just 13% of their elder counterparts. 

Andrew Filev, founder and CEO of Wrike, said: “Years of experience and the extra wisdom that brings certainly plays a part, but also a better sense of priority and focus appears to play a big part in why older generations are coping better with those.”

However, rather than differing levels of conscientiousness, the study suggests the gap is also likely due to imbalanced workloads imposed by managers. Some 43% of younger workers believe their managers expect them to work longer hours, compared to a quarter of over 55s.   

For millennials, this is compounded by a proclivity for self-criticism. A third of over-55s estimate they operate at a staggering 90% productivity level, while just 8% of millennials say they achieve the same level.

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