Ageism Part 2: Baby Boomers and Gen X’ers
As I mentioned in Part 1 of this miniseries addressing Millennials, Wikipedia defines Ageism as “Stereotyping and discriminating against individuals or groups on the basis of their age”. Let’s take a look at the perception of ageism around Baby Boomers and Gen X’ers.Through my reading and research around this topic I found a number of things and it has really opened up my eyes to ageism on all sides.
Right now Baby Boomers feel like they’re entering the last years of their working lives and feel that they’re viewed as road blocks by the younger generations. Baby Boomers have a perception of a strong prejudice against them. And in part they might be right as unemployment rates for workers over the age of 55 are significantly higher than younger generations. Baby Boomers also just want to continue to work but feel they’re the most likely to be eliminated in tough economic times, as companies can hire younger employees who do not require the same comp levels and are willing to work longer hours for less.
This doesn’t stop with the Baby Boomer generation, Gen X’ers feel that they’re being squeezed by the Baby Boomers not retiring, holding onto higher level roles that reduce the opportunities to advance. They feel that the Millennials coming in are scooping up more jobs while working for less, making the Gen X’ers feel at risk. And let’s be honest that Gen X’ers and Millennials tend to generalize the Baby Boomers as not being tech savvy. But let’s not forget that the Millennials have the advantage of coming in having grown up with social media, the internet, and having tech at their fingertips while the Gen X’ers had it from an early age too (Where in the world is Carmen Sandiego? Oregon Trail? I rest my case).
But let’s take a look at some of the positives to Millennials joining the workforce. While we may judge this generation for having everything handed to them and the whole “everyone gets a medal” mentality, they’re coming into the workplace with a louder voice. The women of this generation are far more comfortable calling out unprofessional and inappropriate behavior in the workplace than the Baby Boomers or Gen X’ers who have remained tight lipped for years for fear of either being told to sit down and keep quiet, or face retaliation. At the end of the day, I think the labels need to go and we all need to look at each other, regardless of age, and realize that no matter what age we are we all bring something different to the table and should learn from each other.
I’d like to open this up for discussion and I’d love to hear your thoughts and/or opinions on the topic. I just ask that we keep it positive and take it as a learning experience for all of us!
Hi Julie, you make a lot of observations that are obvious to many individuals here on this site because they have been stated a lot.
Baby Boomers, of which I am one. Have had a very difficult time finding full time work, and I have been searching for more than 2 years.
Your miniseries seems to deal with individuals here and for the most part that is not the case. The problems that most people are facing here is that companies are using our age against us, too old or too young. Too old, meaning we are asking more for our experience and expertise and younger because they do not have the same level of knowledge that the older generation has.
Now let's talk about Gen-X. You say they are having issues because baby boomers are not retiring letting them have their positions. Let's face it the baby boomers can't retire. The government keeps raising the age, so we have to work longer before those positions become vacant. Then on top of that, companies are not filling that position at that level when they do open up. They look for someone that has some knowledge and pay them as little as possible and lower the title so they do not have to pay as much.
I try to keep things positive when I post here, but there are some things that are beyond our control, Millennials, Gen X and Baby Boomers. Remember that it is companies that put pressure on the HR department to proceed in the direction they want, not necessarily what is right and legal.
As a proud Gen-Xer, I have to say I grew up in PR (but born in NY) where text messaging was passing pieces of paper in school, leaving love notes in mailboxes, and simply going out to play and having the time of our lives with our family and friends! Yes, technology is here and has changed, at an alarming (or scary) and steady rate, and pretty soon, workers will be replaced with a talking robot, and that includes Millennials and Centennials! My mother, a Baby Boomer, has learned to embrace her iPad more than her laptop computer, and although she at times has difficulty updating her tablet, she always asks my Gen-Y/Millennial young adult children (one being autistic but one very smart young lady!), whom are patient to teach her or help out. With that said, not all Millennials are willing to work longer hours or put their all... there are some of the ones that still have the concept that living with mommy and daddy or grandparents and contributing to nothing but taking up space and eating their foods, is acceptable, which many are the lazy Millennials! It's like they are afraid to go out there and prove themselves, and that is an issue some households are facing. One thing is to let them be lazy and they let it be, other thing is to let them know that in life, you need to earn your paycheck and move out on your own! And I know of a few young adults like this... already in their 20's or graduated from high school, and not putting their two cents to contribute to the household. So we got the lazy Millennials and the working Millennials. But myself, when it comes to work, I give my all, can work 40+ hours if asked, and still have the energy of a Millennial! And I embrace a Baby Boomer when they need help with anything techy, it actually makes me feel proud that at least, I am still being asked for help! Pretty interesting article though and kudos for your thoughts and letting some open up with their own thoughts as well!
I apologize, but you made a lot of observations, and came up with no answers, which is where you started from. I understand your are creating talking points, but it might of created more value had you surmised your thoughts, and asked for feedback. So I am a boomer, and I am supposed to feel I am being pushed aside, but I don't. Please understand, unless in this discussion you are a boomer, you really can't understand all sides. What I mean by that is I have been through the age of the millennials, and we did have technology advantages over the prior generation, so I understand millennials. I have lived through the years of the Gen Xer's, and I have been in between entry level and retirees (middle management), so I get that. Now I am a boomer, and my skills are very strong through years of senior management. I survive on my knowledge of what I have learned in business. Everybody has value, everybody has weaknesses, and everybody has strengths. You did a good job, I just feel like you could have went further. You are trying to overcome stereotypes, and to do that is very tough. Good conversation, I apologize for being long winded...
As a Gen Xer, I KNOW for a fact that the though we ushered in the technical age, it is rapidly evolving past my level of comprehension, at least with regard to social media and some hardware. So, I give people in their 60s and 70s grief for their lack of technical aptitude, but I know that I am slowly losing traction and it is just a matter of time before I have to ask a millennial to set up my new phone!
In a utopia, there wouldn't be a need for labels, and they should go, but we use labels to identify with a particular group and the advancements that they make. We also have to bear the burden of the groups failure. I mean...parachute pants?
I enjoyed reading your perspective and I tend to agree that each generation does bring something to the workplace which varies regardless of age. We are all impacted and truly are the sum total of our life experiences. I think it is the responsibility of the workplace to establish clear expectations for their employees and ensure that the employees are accountable to meet the expectations. The individual employee evaluations should accurately reflect how the employee meets the workplace expectations.