Possessing all of the hard skills necessary for a position does not automatically make a candidate a great worker. There are many other components that contribute to success, for example, each candidate’s qualitative characteristics. Interestingly, each generation seems to have certain traits they are known for over others. To explore this idea further, the article Main Characteristics Per Generation from Thrive Global helped us choose five key characteristics identified with Boomers. We will be looking at these traits and sharing what makes them so valuable in different environments.
Strong Work Ethic
Since Baby Boomers began their professional careers they’ve been known as hard workers. They understand that the work you get out is the work you put in, and to be successful requires a lot of effort. This sets an example in the workplace. Peers see this, and it drives them to put in more effort, which will lead us to our next characteristic.
Competitive
Healthy competition boosts productivity in the workplace. Everyone wants the shot to show what they’re capable of accomplishing. Boomers used their work ethic to climb the corporate ladder, which meant competing to get there. Finding employees with enough competition to encourage others and maintain a healthy work environment is important to promote growth within the workplace.
Work Towards a Goal
As mentioned before, Boomers are focused on climbing the ladder. The Boomer generation has displayed that once an achievable goal is set they will work tirelessly to reach it. This is part of the reason why Boomers are known to have such a strong work ethic. When a goal is set at a reachable height, the person climbing to it won’t run out of energy, and that’s exactly what Boomers excel at.
Focused
Boomers are extremely good at staying on task. Years of practice have allowed them to block most outside distractions, allowing them to complete tasks thoroughly and on time. This is a huge asset to have because it translates into reliability. Trusting project after project that quality work will be delivered by the deadline reduces the stress of everyone and allows whoever is in charge to put their effort elsewhere.
Teamwork Oriented
Most tasks or projects require a team with multiple areas of expertise to complete them. Boomers have been working in a team scenario for their whole career, and understand that they need to communicate effectively with everyone. All parts of the project, no matter how different, will tie together at some point to get the completed project. Having an experienced worker who understands this can keep the team on the same page, allowing the project to run smoothly.
It isn’t that other employees belonging to different generations can’t possess these characteristics; however, Baby Boomers have been well known for these throughout their career. A lot of these traits were developed over years of hard work, and build on or relate to each other. Their mindset has pushed Boomers to succeed, and much can be learned by examining the soft skills that got them to the top.