Baby Boomers

A Baby Boomer is a person born after World War II, between 1946 and 1964. The name comes from the fact that they were born when birth rates spiked, similar to how a baby boom happens in nature. Generation boomers is now entering retirement age. This means those born in 1964 are eligible to receive Social Security benefits as of 2019. 

Now that you know how old boomers are, you're probably wondering about their characteristics.  As a generation, Baby Boomers are largely motivated by finances and security. Because they grew up amid economic prosperity in the post-World War II era and witnessed many family members work at the same company their entire lives, they were often hired on by large employers with the expectation that they could work there until retirement.

In addition to this financial drive, Baby Boomers were also raised to believe that being loyal was paramount; in many cases, their parents worked loyally at one company for decades. This led Boomer to value loyalty above all else when it came to employment decisions — and you can see this played out today in how much people are willing to sacrifice for their careers.

Baby Boomers are also more likely than other generations to believe that economic prosperity should be spread evenly throughout society, rather than concentrated among a few individuals or groups.

Now you know the «boomer» meaning. But how does this generation behave in the workplace? 

They tend to be more loyal than younger generations and driven by their accomplishments and feedback in the workplace.

Because of their loyalty and desire for recognition, Boomers responded well to praise from their managers regarding good job performance and achievements. They have a tendency to be more driven by what they have done than by what they can do, which is why they are often more concerned with feedback on the work they've completed versus any future goals or objectives. Baby Boomers are generally comfortable with hierarchy in the workplace because this was what they were used to when they began working. They could accept that people had different roles and positions based on experience and skills.

Although they tend to value hard work, people of this generation did not always see themselves as career-oriented or ambitious. They were often happy to work hard just to get a stable job or do what they were told by managers or executives.

Considering the age range of boomers, you should understand that people of this generation are the largest generation in American history, they have made a significant impact on the workplace. Their loyalty, desire for recognition, and comfort with hierarchy make them ideal employees for many businesses. However, as older workers retire from their jobs and younger generations enter into the workforce, businesses will need to adapt their strategies in order to attract new talent that may not share these same values