This Is Why You Need To Hire Baby Boomers

This Is Why You Need To Hire Baby BoomersThough many businesses are anxious to hire millennials, known for their fresh, enthusiastic take on professional life and their social media savvy, hiring managers and recruiters shouldnt overlook the value of baby boomers. Though some might assume that boomers are retired or are biding their time until they get there, in reality, boomers make up29 percent of the workforce, according to Pew Research Center. Theyre an active, engaged part of the professional world, and they can add significant value to your business. Its clear theyre an important professional group to pay attention to.Here are some of the benefits your office will enjoy when you hire baby boomers and how to attract this unique generation for a flawless transition in your organizationBaby Boomers Know How to Bring ItThey have the experienceThe boomer generation has been at work longer, which means that employees in this age group have the kind of insight that you just cant teach . Theyve binnenlandseen firsthand what works and what doesnt. They can use this awareness to inform the choices they make. This foresight makes baby boomer-aged professionals valuable in a management role. When you need to select project leaders, you know theyll be up to the task.They know what they wantBaby boomers have already gone through the phase where they want to try new adventures professionally. While younger workers might want to do sales one week, the next week they might want to be a graphic designer or give culinary school a shot. This can lead to a lot of turnover for businesses hiring these individuals, which is both costly and tiresome. When you hire a baby boomer, youll likely gain more consistency. At this point, these individuals know what theyre looking for in a position and they know what kind of company theyd like to be part of. When you hire someone from this generation, you dont have to worry as much about them leaving in six months for a new opportunity they just have to try out.They can work with different personality typesAfter spending years in a professional setting, baby boomers have gotten familiar with navigating the waters of office politics. Theyre not rattled by the office gossip type or the one who takes credit for their ideas. They know how to deal with various personality types in a way that remains peaceful and professional. This makes them valuable mediators in a dynamic office situation.Theyre confidentProfessionally, boomers have a confidence thats highly appealing. They trust their own abilities and it makes them decisive team members. You dont have to worry as you send them out on a big client meeting because theyll likely feel calm in the situation. You can trust that they will represent the business well.Theyre well connectedAfter working in the industry for years, boomer-aged professionals have built up a strong base of connections in the field. Beyond surface-level relationships, these are deep friendships they c an leverage when needed. This is beneficial for a business, particularly in a sales-related position. If they need to get in contact with a certain company, they probably know someone there.They can mentor younger employeesWith their knowledge and experience, baby boomers are in a perfect position to become influential mentors to younger employees. This improves employee morale and makes everyone in your office better.A unique perspectivePeople from this generation see the world differently. They werent raised on social media and the internet. This different perspective can be valuable in a professional situation, particularly if your office is heavy on millennials at the moment. An even balance is key.Theyre not scared of the phoneWhen you have employees who have grown up texting and emailing, sometimes it can be challenging to encourage them to pick up the phone and have a person-to-person conversation. Yet, these types of discussions are essential for preventing miscommunication, and often enable work to get done in a more timely manner. Baby boomers are used to this being the only option for communication, and are usually comfortable communicating this way. This means they can help build deeper relationships than the ones formed when emojis are at play.They know how to adaptDespite the fact that they didnt grow up tweeting or Instagramming, baby boomers have had to adapt in buchen to keep up professionally. If you still refuse to use email or social media, youre going to fall behind. Suddenly, the world runs on email and 140 characters, so theyve had to get used to this shift in communication. This means they know how to adapt and learn about new technology. If you have to introduce a new piece of software at work, you probably wont overwhelm this type of professional when you announce the change.babyboomers have the experience, confidence, and adaptability you want in an employee.Click To TweetKnow How to Bring Boomers OnboardFor those who are looking to expand their team and want to ensure their open position appeals to and attracts the attention of baby boomers, here are some points to considerBe descriptive when discussing the positionBaby boomers are more experienced professionally. They know what they do and dont want to do at work each day and have probably gone through a lot of trial and error to get there. Therefore, when theyre reading a job description, theyre going to be looking for specific details about what the position would be like. Being vague or general isnt a good approach. Instead, offer as many details as possible and attempt to paint a clear picture about what that position would actually look like for the person who accepts the role.Be honestYou may want to attract the attention of a baby boomer, but dont try to fudge the details about a job. They probably have read enough job descriptions and been on enough interviews to know when a potential employer isnt being upfront with them. If theres an aspect of the a vailable position that may be considered undesirable (having to cold call frequently, for example) then be honest about this in order to avoid wasting everyones time.Know that benefits matterWhile millennials might be on the lookout for work from home options or a flexible schedule, baby boomers are all about the benefits when it comes to selecting a new position. Provide an appealing health care and retirement package if you want to attract their attention.Dont rely only on social mediaWhile many baby boomers love Facebook and Twitter, they probably dont check it as constantly as millennials who have grown up using these platforms. Therefore, if youre relying solely on social media to reach boomers, you may be missing out. If you want your job opening to reach professionals in the baby boomer generation, make sure you diversify how youre spreading the word. Feel free to use social media, but depend on the reach of other platforms, such as industry-specific sites, to attract the att ention of boomers ready for a new professional challenge.Be OK with approaching passive candidatesIf you want to diversify your office and get a variety of perspectives involved, be willing to get active and recruit talent. Have conversations with standout professionals. Show them why they would enjoy being part of your team. Just because a person isnt hitting send on their resume the second a job posting at your office goes live, doesnt mean theyre a poor fit for the role. Passive candidates can bring equally as much enthusiasm and vigor to a new role, they just require hiring managers to recruit them more intently. When it comes to recruiting baby boomers, benefits matter. Know which perks appeal to them.Click To TweetLead Your Diverse Team With ConfidenceWhile there are a number of benefits to having people from different generations working together for your brand, managing a team like this creates a unique set of challenges. You have different personalities and perspectives mel ding together in one office. Heres how to lead a multi-generational team successfullyEducate your employees about their colleaguesHave a training session that covers the styles of each generation, while highlighting both differences and similarities between them. Boomers may not understand the subtleties of the millennial generation and vice versa, so making everyone aware helps to prevent misunderstandings.Encourage employees to get to know one anotherEncourage your team members to interact with one another and to get to know their colleagues on a deeper level. You can do this by setting up a mentoring program in which more experienced professionals mentor newbies, or you can put together office happy hours, sports leagues, or other opportunities for social interaction. When your employees know each other as more than just a name on an email chain, its easier to foster cooperation.Promote in-person communicationWorkdays are busy, and its tempting to fire off an email to someone on the other side of the office instead of pushing back your chair, walking to their desk, and having a discussion with them. However, when your employees get into the habit of communicating with each other solely via electronics, camaraderie is lost. Its easier for tone and context to be misunderstood. For these reasons, encourage your staff to rely on face-to-face communication whenever possible.Know that there will be differences in learning stylesWhen youre working with a broad range of ages, understand that youre going to find differences in preferred learning styles. If the team is sitting through a presentation, some may want a PowerPoint, while others want a more technology-based, interactive session. Try to compromise and find a way to accommodate the various preferences in your office.Take time to know each employee personally tooWhile there may be general tendencies among members of the same generation, this doesnt mean that each individual within that generation is the same as everyone else who fits into that group. Its easy to get caught up in generational stereotypes, but make it a point to learn your employees as individuals, too. What do they need to succeed at work? How do they learn and work best? Understanding these details contributes to the long-term success of your office.Dont play favoritesPersonally, you may relate better to a particular generation, but try to avoid favoritism in the office. Just because something falls in line with your particular communication or organization method doesnt mean your co-workers and employees agree. Be sensitive to other peoples preferences, too even if they dont totally sync up with your own.Let employees play an active role in the office environmentRather than dictating how the company will run, let employees weigh in, when appropriate. How do they prefer to receive notifications about news? Are paper memos preferable or is an email fine? What kinds of changes would they recommend so that the business c an operate more smoothly? When employees understand that their voices matter, it fosters a more collaborative environment.Dont get too hung up on the differences in employeesWhile age gaps mean that there might be some differences in how employees see the world, dont assume that your team members will have nothing in common. Youd be surprised how well a 25-year-old employee can relate to a 50-year-old employee, despite differences in age and experience. Instead of assuming that age gaps will be problematic, give your staff a chance to bond.Get to know each employee and the generational divide will disappear. leadershipClick To Tweet Members of the baby boomer generation can add valuable knowledge, insight, and energy to your office. However, recruiting and managing these professionals often requires a different approach than when youre dealing with people from other generations. Understanding the differences in preferences allows you to make sure that your business appeals to this v aluable group of experienced professionals.