Charity Mears has great communication skills and a high-ranking position. But Carol Cobb noticed something else when she met Mears, her new boss — a major age gap.

"She's my son's age," said Cobb, 51, who works for 31-year-old Mears at ESCO Communications Inc., a telephone and voicemail company in Indianapolis. "Of course I notice her age because she could be my daughter, but what overrides that immediately is her knowledge, how well she communicates with people. You're in awe of that."

More and more older workers — particularly baby boomers — are finding themselves reporting to fresh-faced bosses 20-plus years their junior. And often those bosses have differing values, management styles and attitudes about workplace dynamics.

A report on older employees in the work force by the Families and Work Institute and American Business Collaboration found 56 percent of today's workers are 40 or older compared with 38 percent in 1977.

Of that growing pool of aging employees, many have bosses who are "significantly younger," mostly in the Gen X category (ages 25 to 39).

Of boomers (ages 40 to 59) surveyed, 23 percent said they have significantly younger managers. Of those categorized as mature (ages 60 and older), 71 percent said they report to significantly younger bosses.

"You have this cadre of young professionals who over time are overtaking some of the older people, and there is some angst," said Robert Wendover, managing director of the Center for Generational Studies in Aurora, Colo. "There's a resistance sometimes."

That age-related challenge is one reason more companies are implementing management training tailored for younger bosses.

Among the suggestions for managing an older work force, according to About.com's management guru F. John Reh, is for young bosses to throw out the stereotypes they might have about senior employees. Value their life experience, and communicate that to them. Train them the same as any employee, and use them as mentors.

"Let them coach and encourage the younger workers," Reh said. "Most older workers have a wealth of experience that they would love to pass on."

Most older workers said they were pleased with their younger bosses when it came to competency. They also said they feel highly supported on the job. And more than a third of older workers said they believe their young bosses are highly responsive to personal and family needs.

"For most people, it's working out," Galinsky said.

Younger managers and an older staff can achieve productivity and harmony.

Here's how: