Dismiss their abilities at your peril: baby boomers could be more valuable to the workforce than their younger colleagues.
Some 55 per cent state of Baby Boomers say that they are willing to work longer hours than other generations, and are considered the second most productive generation after Generation X, according to a survey by the Futurestep division of Korn Ferry.
TrustedHousesitters.com connects home and pet owners who need a sitter, with trustworthy people who are happy to sit for free. For Rachel Martin, co-founder of the company, employing 69-year-old Angela Laws as a social media manager turned out to be a fruitful decision. ‘She bring as much, if not more, energy and vitality to the office as our 20 year olds,’ Martin says. ‘Angela has learned to adopt digital skills, from video editing to meme creation, while managing our Facebook, Twitter and Instagram posts on a daily basis – something that not every young person could say they do professionally for a growing global brand.’
The company is happy for its team to experience house sitting while working. ‘Sometimes when new, younger team members are emailing Angela, who has been known to work from house sits in many different countries, they have no idea they are talking to someone who isn’t closer to their own age,’ Martin says. ‘When we all get together in the office, there is no issue with the different generations whatsoever.
‘There is a healthy respect for the experience that Angela brings to the table. She has previously worked in marketing and has run her own businesses for decades; she has seen the industry evolve. Likewise, our younger generations have new, different ideas of their own and we value everyone’s thoughts and ideas.’
Martin says it is not a conscious decision to employ baby boomers or older team members, rather choosing to hire people based on their skills. ‘Where people will look after others’ homes and pets for free, with no money changing hands between them – it’s vital that they have a genuine love of animals.
‘We couldn’t say there is one thing that this generation does better, but what Angela does brilliantly is to bring an authentic, caring, responsible voice with years of experience to her social media communications – and you can’t train someone how to do that,’ Martin adds.
Further reading on employing staff
