Pest controller Peter Stewart only hires people over 50. The young people from Gen Z, says the entrepreneur, are shy and immature.
“All my employees are over 50,” says pest controller Peter Stewart. “They have more sense and just do their job – younger employees are only distracted by their smartphones.” The 64-year-old runs a pest control company in Aberdeenshire, Scotland. In the British tabloid, he criticizes the supposedly poor work ethic of the young Generation Z, the generation born between 1996 and 2012.
“Older employees can look you in the eye and talk to you. A lot of the young people are shy,” says Stewart. “That’s not a bad thing, but they’re just not mature enough to communicate with customers.”
Gen Z lacks “maturity and confidence”
Stewart denies that he is biased against young people. He offers every employee the same opportunities, regardless of age. Pest control is simply not for the faint-hearted; he has already hired 30-year-olds who couldn’t handle the job.
You have to be prepared not only for annoying and slimy pests, but also for customers from all walks of life, says the entrepreneur. “In our industry we deal with a wide variety of people, with older and younger customers, professionals and teachers. Maturity and trust are therefore essential.”
Source: Stern
