The Baby Boom Generation and Career Management: A Call to Action

Abstract

The problem and the solution. The aging and ultimate retirement of the baby boom generation represents a major demographic and sociological phenomenon that has far reaching implications for organizations, the government, and society as a whole. For organizations, the baby boom workforce is a paradox, simultaneously representing both a critical success factor and potential drag on corporate performance and financial resources. Given this paradox, this article first provides a description of the significant issues and challenges that the baby boom generation presents to organizations currently and in the future. It then discusses contemporary organizational attitudes toward the baby boom workforce as well as the related career management programs aimed at this cohort. In a “call to action” for organizations, we conclude by recommending a number of career management and human resource development actions that should, collectively, allow organizations to proactively respond to the challenges posed by the aging of baby boom generation.