Baby Boomer Generation

The Baby Boomer generation, Gen BB, and Boomers – each of these terms refers to a specific generational group, specifically individuals born between 1946 and 1964.

Baby Boomers – Definition

The name Baby Boomers and all its variations come from the post-war demographic boom, which occurred during that time. Due to the ageing population in many countries, Boomers are currently the most numerous generation. This is particularly true for the United States of America and Poland.

Who are Baby Boomers?

Baby Boomers are currently the second oldest living generation, right after the Silent Generation (covering birth years 1928-1945); although many of them are still working, some are already retiring or have been retired for many years.

They are the parents of Generation X (1965-1983/1961-1979, depending on the source), parents and grandparents of Generation Y (Millennials, 1980-1994/1997/2004), grandparents of Generation Z (Zoomers, 1995-2012/1997-2012), and grandparents and great-grandparents of Generation Alpha (2010 onwards).

What is a Boomer like?

Boomers are people who had to achieve everything in life by themselves. They are therefore taught hard work and sacrifice, and their vision of the path to success not only excludes lifts or motorways but is even strongly marked by bumps and speed humps. It is most often from them that one hears the saying "no pain, no gain" today.

What is particularly interesting in the context of their approach to work is that Baby Boomers are the wealthiest generation in US history; this generation includes famous millionaires such as Bill Gates and Steve Jobs. It should be mentioned that financial security is one of the most important priorities for Boomers, greatly influenced by growing up in difficult post-war times. They are sometimes criticised for this approach by younger generations, for whom sustainable development is much more important; Millennials and Zoomers accuse Boomers of contributing to the climate crisis.

Another value that guides Baby Boomers is stability. They are not inclined to make sudden changes in their lives, especially compared to Millennials or Zoomers. A sense of security is extremely important to them, so when they were professionally active, they were characterised by loyalty to the company. One of their biggest fears then was the sudden loss of their position, and those who are still working also complain about fears of being "replaced" by younger employees.

Tradition is equally important to Boomers – they most often believe in the classic family model and division of household duties, where the father is responsible for financial matters and the mother for caring for the home, child, and spouse. They are usually religious and conservative individuals, looking at all kinds of social changes with rather disapproving eyes.

Generation BB also shows a strong belief in authority, which was largely related to their early youth. Boomers were raised by demanding parents and teachers and were taught absolute respect for elders or educators – these are values they usually pass on to their children and grandchildren. However, strict upbringing translated not only into authoritarianism but also into the ability to resolve conflicts and cope with stressful situations.

How do Boomers work?

Although the vast majority of the Baby Boomer generation is now of retirement age, many of them remain professionally active, happy to supplement their pensions. Compared to younger generations, they stand out for their enormous commitment and loyalty to their employer and the fact that they are not afraid of hard work. On the contrary, a strong belief that success can only be achieved through immense effort often leads them to workaholism and excessive focus on their professional duties.

Due to a strong need for stability, Boomers are reluctant to change jobs. They can grit their teeth and not complain about their working conditions even when they do not meet their expectations or when there is an unpleasant atmosphere in the company. Baby Boomers strongly separate private and professional life – you can hear them say that work is not meant to be liked; neither is the boss. However, this does not mean they do not form friendships at their workplace, as they are sociable and communicative people.

Moreover, despite a strong belief in the necessity of achieving success, Boomers are often willing to lower their work performance in such a way as not to stand out too much from other employees. This is because they fear rejection and being "made things difficult for."

What motivates Baby Boomers?

The biggest motivator for Boomers is money. They will be able to endure even very poor working conditions (e.g., low temperature, rain, snow, unpleasant atmosphere, the need to purchase tools for work themselves), and unfortunately even mobbing, if only the company rewards them satisfactorily. This often leads to them willingly taking overtime, trying to earn the largest possible monthly bonus – but on condition that they do not stand out excessively from the group. Their approach can to some extent lead to conflicts with younger colleagues if they complain about poor conditions; for the most conservative Boomers, this is a sign of complacency and laziness.

Equally motivating for Baby Boomer employees is the possibility of promotion – which somewhat contradicts their fears of standing out from the team. However, if Boomers know that they work in an organisation that prefers to promote existing employees rather than hire external candidates for higher positions, they will feel even greater respect for the company. Moreover, the opposite situation can give them a strong sense of injustice and weaken their loyalty to an organisation that "preferred to hire an outsider than appreciate its own." A strong demotivator for Generation BB is also the promotion of employees with much less experience; such situations often negatively affect their self-esteem and trust in management.

Boomers also appreciate the opportunity to develop their skills. They eagerly participate in company training or courses if they expand their knowledge or learn something new – e.g., operating an additional machine. However, they definitely believe more in the power of hard skills than soft skills, thus focusing on obtaining certificates and qualifications. This means that training concerning stress management and similar topics may be considered a waste of valuable time by Generation BB.

Automation in the workplace?

It might seem that their attachment to tradition and hard work makes Generation BB rather distrustful of modern technologies. They grew up in a world without the internet, computers, and mobile phones, and therefore cope perfectly well without them. And indeed, they may treat them with a certain distance, and also fear that they will not be able to operate them. However, this does not mean that they cannot accept them.

Boomers are aware that technological development is important. So, when necessary, they will learn to operate modern equipment. Moreover, they realise that work automation leads to improved efficiency, which in turn translates into the ability to work faster, i.e., earn more money.

And this undoubtedly represents added value for Baby Boomers. The initial distance to newly introduced technological solutions usually disappears when Generation BB realises that mastering them turned out to be quite simple, and their operation actually increased productivity.