Worker in his 50s tells 26-year-old coworker that she's "overreacting" to his term of endearment: 'What your coworker is doing is embarrassing'

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Remy Millisky • Writer and Editor
Aug 26, 2025 3:00 PM EDT

When people reference unfunny nicknames as "terms of endearment," they're forgetting an important part of the phrase. It's supposed to be endearing… but it's often just pretty cringy or uncool. So often, the "term of endearment" is just an eye-roll-inducing, lightly veiled insult. In this person's case, her coworker keeps calling her a phrase that she's getting the ick from! So often, it's family members who pull these kinds of shenanigans. When a coworker does it, that's the kind of thing you can immediately go to HR about. 

Age differences can often spark disagreements between coworkers. Some things just translate differently! This seems especially potent with emoji usage. What does the thumbs-up emoji mean to you? If it means a simple "yes, sounds good," then welcome, Gen Xers and Boomers! If you interpret a thumbs-up as almost a scoffing "okay, whatever," then you might be a Millennial or younger. It implies you're having a conversation that's then been cut off by a hand gesture. Of course, this is just one tiny example that probably doesn't really bother anyone… but there are tons of examples of little misunderstandings that can spark workplace squabbling. 

Sassy folks in the comments suggested calling this guy an old-timer or a dinosaur as her own term of endearment. But please, don't do that! Instead, just take a deep breath and let HR handle it, because there's no way they'll put up with this kind of belittling for long. 

After that, read about the business employees who put their heads together and got petty revenge on the 6 phone reps who wouldn't leave them be: 'I explained that we didn't have 500 mobile [phone] accounts.'

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  • Older man in gray suit with white hair holding laptop in one hand and gesturing with the other, sitting in a car talking to woman in white button down shirt and suit jacket with ponytail
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    The image does not depict the actual subjects of the story. Subjects are models.

  • I (f26) work in a professional office environment. One of my older coworkers (m50s) constantly calls me "kiddo", even in front of clients. Example: yesterday I gave a full
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  • presentation I worked weeks on, and at the end he said, "Good job, kiddo. See, she's learning." The clients laughed awkwardly. I pulled him aside later and told him it makes me feel undermined.
    via u/4rtsvenger
  • He said I was "overreacting" and that it's a "term of endearment." I don't feel "endearing," I feel belittled. Am I overreacting?
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  • Older man and younger woman sitting in car, smiling at laptop on man's lap, woman is holding a pen and clipboard
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    The image does not depict the actual subjects of the story. Subjects are models.

  • Mo... No, NOR. Not only is he undermining you, he's undermining your entire company's credibility in front of those clients. When you work with a client, you're a team of experts. One person's reputation is everyone's reputation. It's horribly unprofessional to deliberately put a crack in everyone's credibility.
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  • I work with clients and have younger folks who I share clients with. I affectionately call them The Babies in my own head and personal life. I was once The Baby and had older employees mentor me with patience, kindness, and care, and I take my role doing the same extremely seriously. I would not, _ ever call them anything like that in front of a client. Or other coworkers.
    via u/MothChasingFlame
  • Or even them! I wouldn't even show a peep of that mentorly vibe in a meeting. When we're in front of clients, I'm an expert and you are an expert. Always. What your coworker is doing is embarassing for your team and your company. It's not cute. If this is done with real affection, he needs guidance on how to guide. This is not the way.
    via u/MothChasingFlame
  • MakeUrBed NOR. "See, she's learning." is a double edged sword. Back handed compliment and you threaten his dominance. Pull him aside, set the boundary and if he downplays it again, tell him you will escalate it if needed but that you feel like you two could settle this without outside intervention. Maybe he does mean well and you
    via u/MakeUrBed
  • Office environment with one older man with laptop in front of him, younger man laughing, younger woman smiling at another older man next to her
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    The image does not depict the actual subjects of the story. Subjects are models.

  • want it to be low key but around clients, that is not good.
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  • Routine_Tie1392 I'd start referring to them as: • old timer • over the hill . passed expiration date • boomer • gramps • dinosaur
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  • When it becomes an issue just remind him these are terms of endearment and he is just over reacting
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  • thatthiqqqqbabe Go to HR and ignore these replies. That's beyond inappropriate for him to do, he's undermining you and your credibility. The clients. were obviously uncomfortable and that looks bad on the business which HR cares about. Use misogyny and ageism in the email so that they know it's an equity based complaint.
    via u/thatthiqqqqbabe
  • Inform them you spoke to him and be dismissed you which calls for an escalation . He'll either be spoken to and trained or he'll be fired.
    via u/thatthiqqqqbabe

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terrible coworkers employee work stories old man coworkers working employees older coworker
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