Blog 01-2025

Are Young Ready for mentoring from Silver Talents?

By Ahamad Naeemudeen / Published July 20, 2025

Living in a world moving very fast and evolving with technology day by day, taking a world into a new arena of display that cannot be imagined. With the influence of Artificial intelligence taking different kind of models risking some so called high paid jobs and positions have been the talk of the town in the industry now.  However, as industry evolve and work place dynamic have taken different angles the value of mentoring from “silver talent” – experienced professionals typically latter part of their career is becoming more important. But the question is whether the young people today open and ready to accept guidance from these significance talents with years of experience.

The Value of Silver Talents

Silver talents bring with them the knowledge, experience, problem solving ability, emotional intelligence and deep industry knowledge collected with dedication and hard work in a period prior to Ai and all. They have seen the trends come and go, faced many economic situations time to time, and managed to overcome crises long before internet was source of information. So, they come along with insights not only practical but also deeply rooted in real world scenarios.

Young professional can benefit in many ways from these talents with years of wisdom. Beyond technical know-how, silver talent offer lesson in leadership, decision making, professional ethics and even family life balance. With the busy KPIs and other pressures exerted to life young people have to learn how to balance the worldly life as well. With the busy life experienced the religious rituals and cultural aspects in life has started to kept away from life. But young talents can get continuous mentoring from silver talents on how to manage both the life in balanced way.

Do Young People Want Mentoring?

Contrary to the stereotype that Gen Z and millennials are resistant to mentoring and advice from older people Deloitte study in 2023 revealed that over 60% of young employees are in look for mentoring and value the mentoring relationship. Young talents value mentoring and see them critical part to career development.

Platforms like LinkedIn, Mentor Cruise and company sponsored programs have made easier for young professionals to get in touch with leaders across industries and age groups.

However, how the mentorship should be made to these young generation matter. Today’s youth prefer collaborative and non-hierarchical relationships. They are more responsive to mentors who listen, offer guidance without dictating, and respect the individual journey. Traditional top-down styles used to guide the young talents may not come back a good mentoring method anymore, would be as outdated or authoritarian to them.

Challenges that would come up in Mentoring

Perception Gaps: While younger workers may perceive their seniors as outdated or unadaptable, older workers may perceive younger workers as entitled or impatient.

Communication Styles: Disparities in the ways that different generations communicate, such as the use of emails versus instant messaging and official versus informal tones, can lead to conflict.

Technological Divide: Although silver talents have expertise, they might not always be familiar with the newest instruments, fashions, or technical terms, which can cause annoyance for both parties.

Cultural Shifts: Different generations frequently have different perspectives on issues like work-life balance, DEI (Diversity, Equity, Inclusion), and remote work, which can cause miscommunications.

To make cross-generational mentorship successful, organizations and individuals can adopt several strategies:

1. Encouraging younger staff members to share tech insights or current trends with senior staff members in exchange for career help is known as "reverse mentoring."

2. Soft Skills Training: Give silver talents mentoring abilities like emotional intelligence, active listening, and flexibility that are relevant to today's workforce.

3. Structured Mentorship Programs: Official initiatives that pair mentors and mentees according to their ideals and aspirations rather than just age might enhance compatibility and results.

4. Encourage Mutual Respect: Both generations need to acknowledge the importance of one another. While silver talents provide strategic depth and grounding, young professionals contribute agility and inventiveness.

Mentoring has a two-way future and cannot be one-sided. Young individuals are bringing new insights that can revolutionize conventional thinking, even though silver talents have a lot to give. Mutual transparency and flexibility have become crucial at the today’s world. As long as mentorship values their voice and uniqueness, young professionals are willing and even eager to embrace the changes. By making a deliberate effort, both generations can create an age-neutral learning culture that fosters creativity while maintaining the value of experience.