You're typing away furiously on your smart phone's keyboard. So far, you look like most of your office colleagues.
There's just one problem: You're hunting and pecking with your index finger, instead of using your thumbs.
And that's a dead giveaway of where you land on the generational divide.
It might not seem significant but it can signal to those around you how old you are, leading to stereotyping that can often be unfair, says Pamela Redmond Satran, author of the new book How Not to Act Old: 185 Ways to Pass for Phat, Sick, Hot, Dope, Awesome, or At Least Not Totally Lame.
It can also lead to a tricky balancing act: You don't want to look, act or sound old. But at the same time, you don't want to look like you're trying too hard to look, act and sound young, says Ms. Redmond Satran, a social commentator.
It's an issue that will increasingly confront older employees who want to stay in the work force longer, and are increasingly likely to find themselves working with, and for, much younger colleagues and bosses, Ms. Redmond Satran says.
Many actions can demonstrate your age, some as obvious as not staying up-to-date with technology and repeatedly talking about the past rather than the present, she says.
Other old-fogey tip-offs may be more subtle, such as hunting and pecking with your index finger to type out messages on portable devices rather than using your thumbs, as the generation that has grown up using them does.
"Ageism is not supposed to exist, but it remains pervasive, and anything you can do to reduce the perception that you are stereotypically old will help you survive in the present pressured workplace. It behooves you to be aware of the stereotypes and try to counteract them," Ms. Redmond Satran says.
However, there's also a risk that older workers who try too hard to act younger can make their out-of-datedness stand out even more, the experts warn.
"Trying to act like a rap fan when you're in the Beatles generation is just going to highlight that you're straining badly to be something you're not," warns Toronto career coach Randall Craig, author of the career planning book Personal Balance Sheet. "Don't try to fake it. Even worse than being seen as dated is showing yourself up as a phony," he says.
"There is a lot to be said for generational integrity and your experience is part of what gives you your value. There's really no hiding the fact you have different experiences, and a younger boss expects that you'll act at least somewhat close to your age," Mr. Craig adds.
More older people will be working for younger bosses in the years to come.
While there are no comprehensive statistics, "a youth trend is clearly happening in middle management in Canada as companies looking for new ideas promote a next generation of younger employees into positions that groom them to be the next generation of leaders," says Adwoa Buahene, managing partner of Toronto-based n-gen People Performance Inc., which advises leaders on workplace generational differences.
At the same time, many aging baby boomers are staying on the job longer, so the chances of workers having a younger boss are increasing, she says.
So it's wise to develop a strategy to narrow any perceived age gap. And it's best to learn ways to act less like an oldster rather than trying to act like a youngster, Ms. Redmond Satran advises.
How? "You just need to be more in touch than [many] older employees are," she says.
That can come from just observing what goes on around you, she says.
