Prioritizing the forgotten generation: why organizations should make boomers a key part of their talent acquisition strategy in 2020

Abstract

Purpose

Every day, nearly 10,000 employees in the Baby Boomer generation retire from the US job market. However, many in this generation are not ready for a quiet, traditional retirement and are choosing to remain in the workforce – simply on their own terms. With more employment opportunities open to candidates in the US job market than almost ever before, employers should prioritize engaging these seasoned hires in their recruitment strategies.

Design/methodology/approach

Beamery’s Vice President of Customer Success Debra Squyres reviewed the most important reasons employers should not disregard the “forgotten generation” of candidates in their hiring strategies, especially when considering the diverse skills and roles Baby Boomers can bring to an enterprising workforce.

Findings

Among other job-specific skills and experience, the greatest benefits of recruiting new hires from the Baby Boomer generation are the candidates’ years of experience and likely leadership roles, propensity for in-person relationship-building and unique perspective in an ever-diverse workforce.

Originality/value

Highlighting the greatest benefits of Baby Boomer hires to employers is especially beneficial for those organizational leaders managing talent acquisition and retention.

Citation

Squyres, D. (2020), "Prioritizing the forgotten generation: why organizations should make boomers a key part of their talent acquisition strategy in 2020", Strategic HR Review, Vol. 19 No. 3, pp. 99-102. https://doi.org/10.1108/SHR-03-2020-0016