AGE NO BAR

FROM BABY BOOMERS TO GEN ZS, INDIA'S EVOLVING WORKFORCE IS NAVIGATING CHALLENGES, EMBRACING DIVERSITY, AND RESHAPING THE FUTURE OF WORK THROUGH COLLABORATION AND INNOVATION.

- SAMALI BASU GUHA AND AJITA SHASHIDHAR

“EXPERIENCE NEVER GETS OLD”—is one of the key taglines from The Intern, a 2015 Hollywood flick directed by Nancy Meyers. The film explores the unlikely friendship between Ben Whittaker, a 70-year-old widower (played by Robert De Niro) and Jules Ostin (Anne Hathaway), a young CEO. When Whittaker joins a fashion startup as a senior intern, he brings wisdom and quiet strength to a fast-paced world driven by hustles and hashtags. As he earns Ostin's trust, the film unfolds themes of purpose, balance, and the value of intergenerational connection, proving that experience never goes out of style.

Seventy-year-old interns such as Ben Whittaker may be far and few in the real world, but multi-generational workforces are definitely the norm. The character of Ben Whittaker can well be called a ‘perennial’—individuals who are curious, adaptable, and motivated, regardless of their age. They are known for their willingness to learn, embrace new technologies, and contribute to a positive work environment. Whittaker may have led an archaic telephone book business, but he made himself relevant by adapting to the chaos of a startup. His wisdom helped the CEO to learn to pause and take measured moves. Whittaker eventually made himself indispensable to the startup.

If one were to look at the Indian startup ecosystem, a Ben Whittaker equivalent would probably be Vivek Gambhir, a former McKinsey hand and Godrej Consumer Products veteran, who was made the CEO of boAt, an audio, wearables, and accessories startup. “The company was growing exponentially, but we needed someone who could set up processes and bring in the much-needed heft. Vivek taught us to think big, think strategically. Organisation development under him was one of the big things,” says Samir Mehta, co-founder and CEO, boAt.