A new survey has found that 1 in 8 retired Baby Boomers want to go back to work in 2024. In recent decades, the traditional age for retirement has been steadily increasing. In 2000, only one-quarter of Americans ages 60 to 69 years old were employed. Now, one-third of Americans in that demographic are still working.
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“Retirement is becoming unrealistic for most Americans,” says Rob Wilson, President of Employco USA, a national employment solutions firm with locations across the country. “People used to have pensions and other retirement safety nets to fall back on, but now many of us do not. Between this and rising costs of healthcare, groceries, rent, and other necessities, people cannot afford to retire.”
Wilson says that this is why so many recently retired Boomers want to go back to work,.
“They’re running low on money,” says the employment trends expert.
But not everyone is happy to see the return of Boomers. Millennials and Gen Zers have been venting on TikTok and other social media platforms about how much they hate working with Boomers. Wilson says that employers should take this generational battle seriously.
“Many people are laughing about the viral TikTok in which an employer is ranting that she will never hire Boomers again,” says Wilson. “But with so many Boomers still working and with recently-retired Boomers wanting to come back to the office, managers need to be able to respond appropriately to generational issues.”
Wilson says the most common complaints about Boomers are that they don’t have the same tech literacy as younger generations and are less adaptable when new software is introduced.
“Employers can help support the older generation by offering more hands-on training and by having staff members who can help with the onboarding process,” says Wilson. “Younger generations might indeed have a more natural intuitiveness when it comes to technology, but Boomers can bring something just as valuable to the table: Decades of experience and a commitment to working hard.”
Wilson also says that creating a harmonious workplace will take conscious intention as these generational divides come to a head.
“People don’t realize how harmful jokes about Boomers can be,” he says. “Make sure that your employees aren’t creating an atmosphere that feels ageist or discriminatory for your older employees. Everyone has value, regardless of their age, and it’s important to be on the lookout for ageism as retirees return to work.”
