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Q & A: Does an employee's age play a role in the success or failure of training?

Lab Safety Advisor, October 3, 2006

Q: Does an employee's age play a role in the success or failure of training?

A:    It may. Consider this when training employees:

• Veterans over the age of 70 have a wealth of knowledge but are slow to change and prefer to have a live speaker give the information in a small group. Many older workers are not comfortable with computers or other technology.
• The Swing Generation, ages 56-69, work well under deadlines but need additional time to adjust to any changes required. Training for this group is best done with an in-person speaker or using a video.
• Baby Boomers, ages 36-55, are usually computer literate and prefer their training via video or online. They like hands-on learning as well. They value continuing education and like to attend seminars and conventions.
• Gen Xers, ages 24-35, are very computer savvy and expect training to be fun. Online training at an interesting site will keep them engaged.
• Generation Y, ages 18-25, are even more media savvy, and likely will expect a multimedia presentation

Adapted from Lab Safety Training Made Simple.

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