Manager's 'Help Wanted' Sign Declares She's Hiring 'Baby Boomers Only' Because 'Gen Zs Don't Know What Work Actually Means'
It is not a generational problem, it is a management problem.
antoniodiaz / Shutterstock / Reddit A store manager has sparked a conversation surrounding different generations in the workforce after she posted a sign that she was looking to hire “Baby Boomers only.” She revealed that she had troubles in the past with her Gen Z employees and criticized their work ethic.
However, not everyone is in agreement with her.
The store manager lost two of her Gen Z workers after she forbade their boyfriends from hanging out with them during their shifts.
The handwritten hiring ad was taped to the glass door of the closed store. A photo of the message was shared on Reddit's "r/antiwork" subreddit. While seeking new employees, the manager shared that she had a specific preference and did not hold back on ripping into her former workers, explaining why they were no longer employed.
“I apologize for us closing AGAIN,” the note reads. “My two new cashiers quit because I said their boyfriends couldn’t stand here for their entire shift.” She then goes on to warn other employees not to hire any Gen Z employees. “They don’t know what work actually means,” she claims.
For now, the manager is hiring Baby Boomers only. Gen Z is defined as those born between the years 1997 to 2012. Baby Boomers were born between 1946 to 1964, and their title refers to the increased number of births during that period of time. However, not many people were in agreement with the manager’s overall takeaways about Baby Boomers and Gen Z.
Photo: Reddit
The hiring sign was met with criticism, with many people pointing out that Baby Boomers were most likely enjoying their retirement.
“They are also in their late 50's and 60's. The youngest Boomer is 58. No way any of them will work at this place,” one Redditor commented. “Hilarious that they also think a boomer would work for minimum wage,” another user wrote.
“They love to say that being a cashier isn’t ‘a real job’ and it should be done by teenagers then get all p-ssy when teenagers act like teenagers,” another user shared.
Others pointed out that Baby Boomers were just as likely not to comply with working conditions as Gen Z workers would. “Someone has never worked with Baby Boomers in retail, have they? They are just as prone to complain about management and avoid work as any Gen Z,” one user wrote.
Others believed that the problem was not the generational difference at all and that low pay and poor management were to blame.
“As an employer, I have hired Z to Boomers and I can tell you that when you pay any one of them what they think they're worth (or more) and treat them as an equal (for me that means doing the s-–t work alongside them), productivity is very high,” one user argued.
Many people believe that Gen Z workers aren't as productive in the workforce as other generations. A 2022 Gallup poll found that 54% of Gen Z employees are ambivalent or unengaged at work. There are a number of reasons why this could be, but one of the most common explanations is that many of them feel underappreciated at their jobs, therefore do not feel the need to work to their full potential.
They are not the only generation who feels this way. A study conducted by Forbes revealed that 66% of millennials, those born between 1981 to 1996, leave their jobs when they feel undervalued and underpaid. It is essential that managers, including the ones who bashed Gen Z workers, do everything in their power to ensure that their employees feel valued and respected at the workplace.
This could include giving them a raise, assisting them alongside work and simply reminding them how much they are a significant part of the workforce. This will only promote productivity and a healthy work environment, and you most certainly will not have to close your store due to a lack of employees.
Megan Quinn is a writer at YourTango who covers entertainment and news, self, love, and relationships.