In many African workplaces, respect for age is a silent but powerful force. It rarely appears in HR manuals or organisational charts, but it lives in how meetings unfold, whose opinions get heard, and how decisions are made. It’s not just etiquette — it’s culture.
We stand when elders enter the room, we listen before we speak, and we are often expected to defer to those who came before us, even when we see a better way forward. For some, this is a beautiful expression of Ubuntu — the African philosophy of interdependence and community. For others, especially younger professionals, it can feel like a barrier to progress.
The Global North vs. Global South Divide
In the Global South, particularly in African and parts of Asian workplaces, age-based respect often translates into seniority-driven authority. Decision-making flows top-down, and speaking up against an older or more experienced colleague can be perceived as arrogance or insubordination. The unspoken rule is: experience before innovation.
In the Global North, age respect still exists, but workplace cultures tend to prioritise meritocracy and results over hierarchy. Younger employees are often encouraged — even expected — to challenge ideas, present new solutions, and engage in direct dialogue with senior management. In many tech companies, the 25-year-old leading a project may confidently debate strategy with a 55-year-old VP — and it’s seen as collaboration, not disrespect.
The tension arises when these two paradigms meet, especially in multinational companies or in industries with a globally mobile workforce.
The Generational Shift — Why Gen Z and Millennials Push Back
Gen Z and Millennials, regardless of geography, have grown up in a more connected, information-rich world. They are digital natives, comfortable accessing knowledge independently and less reliant on traditional authority figures for guidance.
In African contexts, this sometimes clashes with established workplace norms. Younger employees may view automatic deference to age as “self-silencing,” especially if it means ignoring inefficient processes or outdated strategies. On the other hand, older colleagues may interpret directness as a lack of humility or cultural awareness.
This generational misalignment can quietly erode team cohesion, stall innovation, and even drive talent turnover.
Case Study: The Silent Product Launch Failure
Consider a Lagos-based creative agency working on a high-profile product launch for an international brand. The project team included a young digital strategist who noticed a glaring flaw in the campaign — the social media plan was optimised for Facebook, but the target audience had largely migrated to Instagram and TikTok.
In team meetings, the strategist hesitated to voice her concern. The campaign lead, a respected industry veteran in his late 50s, had already signed off on the plan. Speaking up might embarrass him or be interpreted as “disrespect.”
The campaign launched — and flopped online. Engagement was dismal, brand visibility lagged, and the international client took their business elsewhere. In the post-mortem, the strategist admitted she’d seen the problem early but didn’t feel empowered to speak up.
The company lost not just revenue but reputation — all because cultural norms overpowered professional responsibility.
Can Organisational Culture Change This?
Yes — but only if leaders intentionally design cultures that balance respect with openness. An organisation’s values, policies, and leadership behaviours can either reinforce silence or encourage constructive challenge.
In forward-thinking companies, senior leaders actively solicit feedback from younger staff, reward innovative thinking regardless of age, and model humility by admitting when they don’t have all the answers. This doesn’t erase cultural values — it reframes them for a business context where results matter.
Where Should Employees Draw the Line?
For employees navigating this tightrope, here’s the balance:
- Loyalty means supporting your team’s goals, not unquestioningly agreeing with every decision.
- Self-respect means speaking up when silence would compromise your integrity or the organisation’s success.
- Professionalism means framing dissent in a solution-oriented, culturally sensitive way — respecting the person while questioning the idea.
Sometimes, the bravest and most respectful act is to speak — not to stay silent.
The Business Case for Balancing Respect and Innovation
For companies, this is not just a cultural debate — it’s a performance issue. Businesses that fail to integrate diverse perspectives risk becoming outdated. Those that learn to harness both the wisdom of experience and the agility of youth often move faster, adapt better, and innovate more effectively.
In an increasingly competitive world, respect and results shouldn’t be in conflict. They should power each other.
What do you think?
BERYL CONSULTS 