Generational Clash at Work Navigating Toxicity Between 30s and 50s in Today’s Evolving Workplace

In an era where older subordinates and younger bosses are the norm

With job changes and mid-career hires on the rise, traditional seniority-based hierarchies in companies are breaking down, making older subordinates and younger bosses the new norm. While the term toxic veteran (or rōgai) typically conjures up images of troublesome older employees, it’s increasingly common for long-tenured workers in their 20s and 30s to be the ones causing problems for newly hired colleagues in their 40s and 50s.

Surprisingly, the line between a toxic veteran and a mentor—an exemplary leader who supports and guides subordinates—is a thin one. We spoke with Kojiro Maeda, author of Those Who Become Mentors, Those Who Become Toxic, about the key points in workplace and organizational relationships in this new era.

Length of company tenure vs. length of life experience. Nowadays, toxic behavior often stems from this kind of tenure-based toxicity

The term toxic veteran (rōgai) began to gain traction around the 1970s. At the time, environmental issues and pollution (kōgai in Japanese) were widely discussed, and the word caught on by drawing a parallel with that.

It originally referred to older individuals who, by leveraging their age and experience, wielded excessive influence, inconveniencing or irritating those around them. That was the common image of a toxic veteran back then—but the situation has grown much more complex in recent years.

Today, the traditional seniority-based hierarchy no longer holds absolute power in many companies. It’s not unusual for a firm to bring in a professional manager in their 40s through headhunting, or for a 50-something employee to change jobs only to find their new boss is in their 30s.

“For example, imagine a man in his 50s, Mr. A, joins a new company and finds his supervisor is Mr. B, who is in his 30s. When A joins, HR tells him, ‘Please speak up and make the most of your rich experience.’ He gets fired up, thinking, ‘Alright, I’ve got to prove myself and deliver results quickly.’ But this can be risky.

From the perspective of B, the younger boss, it wouldn’t feel good if someone who just joined—and whom he hasn’t even asked—starts giving unsolicited advice like, ‘At my last company, we did things this way,’ on their very first day.

If A actually says something like that, B may feel he’s being undermined. Then, when A makes a mistake, B might respond with something like, ‘Before making suggestions for improvement, let’s focus on not making errors.’ This creates a battle of egos—toxic veteran vs. toxic veteran—and the team can end up in disarray,” explains Kojiro Maeda.

Maeda points out that today’s toxic behavior isn’t just about troublesome older people—it’s often about tenure-based toxicity. In the example above, B has a longer company tenure, while A has more life experience.

“Being long in something means having strength in that area. People with depth and experience should be respected and act as a positive force, but for some, that strength unfortunately manifests as its opposite.”

So what would have helped A and B build a better working relationship?

“A should have shown maturity as the older individual by first listening to the opinions of his younger boss without bringing age into it. On the other hand, B should have treated A not just as a subordinate but also as a senior in life. In short, mutual respect is essential. With that, both can become mentors to each other, and the performance of the team naturally improves.”

Is that person okay? 5 key points to spot old-timer trouble and long-timer trouble in the workplace

Modern old-timers are caused more by length than age. A major element of such long-timers is people who lack respect. Their characteristics are as follows. Be cautious if you have such people around you.e

◇ Life revolves around right and wrong, superiority and inferiority

People who insist on seeing things strictly as black or white—right or wrong, superior or inferior.

“Some people grow up with the mindset that because they scored 5 points higher, they are superior as a person. When they become adults, it’s still fine if they channel their desire to be valued above others into working hard. However, some prefer to intimidate or knock down those around them, harming others to lower them and thereby create a ‘relative superiority’ for themselves.”

◇ Prefers communication that denies the other party any choice

A type who insists “I’m right, so it must be this way,” making others think, “It’s useless to say anything to this person.”

“Because direct conversation invites rebuttals or questions, they send long emails or chats late at night or on holidays explaining why they are right, unilaterally. This drains the other party’s willingness to engage in dialogue and forces them to comply.”

◇ A condescending attitude of “I’m doing this for you”

They intervene without being asked, thinking it’s for the other’s good. They even alter proposals without permission.

“Looking down from a higher position is natural if you have higher status, age, or achievements, but the real issue is whether the other person is open and a good relationship exists.

For example, when a subordinate creates a proposal and wants the boss to review and improve it, the subordinate will explicitly ask for advice. If they say nothing, it usually means they prefer it to pass as is without changes if possible.

Therefore, even if the boss thinks ‘It’s a 90-point proposal, and I can make it 100 points by fixing it,’ if no advice is requested, saying ‘Yeah, it’s good enough’ maintains the subordinate’s motivation.”

◇ Believes nothing is wrong as long as it doesn’t break the law

They repeatedly commit disrespectful acts without considering the psychological pain caused and have no intention to apologize.

“I think some people causing recent public scandals might think this way. Apologizing could feel like denying their own life, so they can’t even say, ‘Sorry, I’ll be careful next time.’

Old-timers and long-timers may exist in a gray zone between legal violations like harassment and normal social interactions.”

◇ Tries to make others cater to their mood

They are always in a bad mood when you meet them, and their catchphrases are things like, “Hey, do something funny,” or “Hey, got any gossip that will make me happy?”

“People who are admired by those around them as mentors are always in a good mood and share interesting stories on their own. On the other hand, those who want others to cater to their mood already make those around them uncomfortable simply by being in a bad mood. By making others try to please them, they may be seeking to reaffirm their own status and feel reassured.”

How was that? If you thought, “Yeah, there are definitely people like that,” try observing them carefully once more. Such old-timers and long-timers often have the ability to do their jobs well. They tend to be mentally strong and caring, and naturally would be the type to advance steadily in their careers.

The line between old-timers and mentors is very thin. So, how can they transform into mentors?

“It’s not that they transform from old-timers and long-timers into mentors; these people were mentors to begin with. They were mentors, but then something disappeared from their hearts, and they shifted into old-timers and long-timers.

What disappeared was respect. Therefore, if respect is restored in their hearts, they will once again return to being mentors. The five types mentioned earlier all lack respect for others. When respect is revived, instead of simply instructing or evaluating others from above, they naturally come to encourage by standing beside, supporting from below, or back from behind. Their choice of words and manner of speaking also change.

Just by changing their stance and offering support like this, the overall atmosphere in the workplace improves. That is one of the roles of a mentor.”

Aim to be a mentor! What you can do to avoid becoming an old-timer

The 40s are the middle-management generation, caught between being considerate both upward and downward. Based on the final advice to try changing your position, I’ve summarized some key points to avoid becoming an old-timer yourself. Please use these as a reference.

◇ Treat everyone with respect regardless of their position

If you change your attitude depending on whether the person is your subordinate, boss, or client, it will cause distrust.

“This overlaps with the idea of not getting too close too quickly. Centering on respect, the best approach is to maintain an appropriate distance in communication with both your superiors and subordinates.”

◇ As a rule, give advice only on what you are asked

When a subordinate consults you, give advice strictly related to that specific issue.

“For example, if a subordinate from accounting says, ‘The sales manager won’t issue the invoice no matter what I say,’ you should advise on how to handle that situation. But if you go beyond and say things like, ‘You are a reserved person, so you should be more’ even though it wasn’t asked, the subordinate might think, ‘Why am I being criticized for my personality?’

Advice given with good intentions for growth can sometimes be unwanted. So as a rule, respond faithfully only to what is asked. However, if the subordinate then says, ‘I’m not good at talking to managers in other departments,’ that means there’s enough of a relationship to offer advice within that scope.”

◇ Make an effort to express gratitude

Convey your thanks to subordinates in a way that feels natural to you.

“If saying ‘thank you’ repeatedly is tough, then saying something like ‘You really helped today’ at the end of the day, or ‘Thanks for your hard work this week’ on weekends, or ‘You did great this month’ at the month’s end works just as well.

Even if a subordinate is not very motivated by their work, being appreciated by their boss can help them feel, ‘I may not find this job very fulfilling, but I was useful to my boss,’ making it easier to end the day or week on a good note.

If you’re not great with verbal communication, small gestures like bringing a little treat can also convey your feelings. Just find a way that’s comfortable for you and regularly express your gratitude.”

◇ Be aware that you can become either a mentor or an old-timer

People with achievements are prone to becoming mentors or old-timers. What’s important for a mentor is the mindset of watching over.

“Those with accomplishments and broad perspectives naturally want to intervene, but this can sometimes hurt others’ pride or lower motivation.

Use the filter of respect to judge the balance, and except for emergencies or work accidents where a superior must step in, try to keep a watching over mindset in everyday communication and be mindful of your interpersonal distance.”

▼ Kojiro Maeda (born 1973)
Representative Director of Ryuso Co., Ltd. He has worked in various managerial roles at several companies including Avex, and as Accounting Manager at Sunnyside Up, where he achieved the company’s stock listing. After a posting in Shenzhen, China, he became independent. Currently, he engages in employee training, consulting, lectures, and writing focused on profit improvement, compliance enhancement, and corporate culture reform.

His published works include “Real Management and Accounting Strategies for Companies That Don’t Fail” and “Companies Improve When You Think With Diagrams” (both from Cross Media Publishing), “Accounting and Money Basics for Future Presidents”, and “The Workplace Is in Trouble! Ordinary People Who Commit Fraud” (both from Nikkei Publishing), among many others.