Social media users are showing off their intergenerational work friendships, but experts say the benefits are substantial.
When Kerehoma ‘Kere’ Hetaraka first started working at the Glen Hotel in Eight Mile Plains on the south side of Brisbane , he did not expect to build a bond with someone 30 years older than him. Now 21, Mr Hetaraka has formed a friendship with his 51-year-old manager Adam Jamieson, who he describes as the “cool fun uncle” of the workplace.
“He’s gotten to know me to the point where he understands what I need to my job and to do it well,” Mr Hetaraka said. The unlikely duo are part of an emerging trend in workplace culture as members of the ageing workforce embraces the new generation.ABC News: Chelsea MalungaThis perspective has been showcased in a recent social media trend, which features Gen Z workers singing and dancing with their older colleagues and showcasing their friendships. Thousands of videos have been posted to TikTok and Instagram with captions like “my work bestie” or “me and someone’s parent 8 hours a day”. While the videos light-hearted fun, workers and experts say these types of relationships can have genuine impact on workplace culture, and offer learning opportunities.Mr Jamieson said the duo’s four years of working together have been educational not only for his young colleague, but also for himself. “The advantage of working with someone so young is getting to understand the younger generation … how they deal with their feelings,” he said “It was a bit jarring to start with to see react so strongly to little things. That’s something that kind of neglect and deal with later.Associate Professor Chad Chiu says maintaining a friendship with someone who is ‘not like you’ can have many benefits.Associate professor Chad Chiu from the University of Queensland Business School said the benefits of intergenerational friendships are backed up by research. “We have this theory called the ‘strength of weak ties’, which means that as individuals you will get the best benefits from someone who is not like you,” he said.These friendships can also be beneficial for careers and businesses, Professor Chiu said. “Studies show that well established networks usually perform better, have higher levels of creativity and are more willing to work together for a long time.”While hospitality is the most popular industry among young employees, according to the Australian Bureau of Statistics , other fields are leading the way when it comes to age diversity. ABS figures show as of November 2025, around 482,000 people aged 15 to 24 were employed across accommodation and food services, but there were only 131,000 workers in the industry over the age of 50.ABC News: Sam IkinThe data shows the industries with the most employees from different age groups are healthcare and social assistance, and education and training. Healthcare and social assistance had the most age diversity with hundreds of thousands of workers in almost every age bracket.If you ever thought an intergenerational friendship could bring a new perspective or energy to your life, but didn’t know where to start, let us help.Education and training had the fourth-highest number of workers with 1.3 million people employed, but it had the second-highest number of workers from different age groups.Professor Chiu said age diversity is a key feature in the modern Australian workforce.Professor Chiu’s research into workplace inclusion has found little evidence that job performance and job attitudes significantly vary among different age groups. “In fact, there’s more evidence that shows people across different generations have more in common than differences.” “Our recommendation … is to try to understand individuals as people rather than thinking this a boomer, or this is a Gen Z, or Gen Y.” Australia’s workforce is aging, with the workforce participation of older Australian’s doubling between 2001 and 2021 according to the ABS.For Mr Jamieson and Mr Hetaraka, overcoming and utilising their generational differences has helped them both with professional and personal growth. “For anyone that feels that there’s a bit of a gap between generations, it’s good to try and understand… for an older generation, try getting on TikTok and watching how the kids do it, and the same goes for the younger generation,” Mr Jamieson said.
QLD Brisbane Eight Mile Plains Tiktok Instagram Trends Social Media Friends Friendships Work Workplace Career Uq Chad Chiu Reels Trending Co-Worker Coworker Working Relationships Age Gaps Intergenerational Friendship
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