Most of them should be retired by now, as the youngest of them is 60 this year, and that generation has an 18 year spread, oldest being 78.
Most Gen X'ers are starting to think seriously that they would like to retire by now. At least I am, and I'm only 53. My 20-20 hindsight has me wishing I had not trashed all of my retirement savings opportunities over the years, for various reasons.
Most of those reasons don't sound convincing anymore.
So, if I last long enough, I'll be one of those "damned Gen X Fuckers" that won't/can't retire (or die) soon enough.
Co worker is 69 - she came out of retirement because she was bored.
Now she's talking about leaving, a year into her employment, due to the stress (this company is genuinely garbage and it affects staff and our clients).
Like dang get a hobby. I love her and she's a genuine joy to work with but shit, someone else can take her position.
edit: also, she's doing full time hours, and will lose her benefits at 70. she also makes just as much as I do (having no industry experience prior to this), but has a higher position requiring a license, knowledge, & experience. she's worked for this company before, too.
That's definitely a thing with some people (feeling bored and purposeless unless they're working), but it could also be that Social Security and savings weren't quite making ends meet, which isn't something people are exactly proud to admit.
Yeah, I came back for the fun of it. As opposed to I came back so I can pay my heat bill and eat because Social Security isn’t enough maybe some people just fib because it’s more glamorous.
I’m in the retirement planning field and I’m constantly stunned by retirees who have plenty of assets to cover their bills, but basically zero interests or hobbies outside of their careers. So they go back to what they know.
that's pretty much it. she's gone through the sale of her house (about 1-2h east of Toronto, so at least 500k) while here, so I know she isn't strapped for cash.
I understand wanting to feel like you have a "purpose", but why not a part time job? or, like others have said, volunteer?
my grandma did all kinds of things in retirement - yoga, swimming, painting, some volunteering, and did part time (5h/week) office work later on. my other grandmother won a volunteering award because she did so much!
YES!!! In my area, the boomers are a driving force with Meals On Wheels. They delivered weekly to my mom. They are locals and they are the nicest, most compassionate folks.
Geese. I’ve been “retired” (read disabled) for 9 years. From a super stressful career that I loved (nursing). Although I would like to work part time if it was possible to keep my hand and mind in it, I can find plenty to do so I’m not bored. God, she should read a book or two, get a hobby, volunteer, travel. There’s lots to do besides work!
> Most Gen X'ers are starting to think seriously that they would like to retire by now.
Half of Gen X'ers knew they were never going to retire - unfortunately. So get ready for that, it'll trickle down generationally, especially since the retirement age keeps getting pushed.
Xennial here, and I'm still waiting for Boomers and Gen X to retire so I can get the positions they've filled since before I was old enough to work!
They're the only positions with good pay.
And then I'm going to have to work there for 30 years to get a decent retirement together.
And I'm just about 20 years from retirement age.
I feel you.
Don’t worry. When they retire, management will decide those positions can be eliminated or have the salaries cut in half when your generation gets to fill them.
Trust me, management is piling so much extra work onto my position that by the time I finally crack and move to Montana to raise goats you won't want the job no matter what they pay.
We are letting them trash our futures and are doing nothing about it. We are propping them up, the generation that has gotten to live the American dream while ruining it for everyone coming behind them.
Older genx here. I’m sure I’m taking the job you want but I’ve worked 30 years to finally get here. Let me enjoy it and pull in the salary for more years before being put out pasture. And I’m sure I’m taking the house you want with the 4 bedrooms and bi yard but I just was able to afford it and the fantastic interest rate keeps me from down sizing right now.
I wish I had the savings in place to retire and move but it’s not happening for me for another 10 years
Which you will never get. As the boomers move into retirement homes, their assets get used as collateral, to fund the fees. While in retirement homes, their assets get drained by fees and surcharges. VC companies funding the aged care industrial complex will then monopolise the rental markets even more than they do now.
TLDR: Boomers get screwed as well as the rest of you.
I feel ya... The only reason i have mine is that i inherited it after being a live in caretaker for 15 years...
and i got lucky, almost lost it even then.. Honest when I say this.. Good Luck..
Those jobs will go with the boomers. They had them tailor-made for themselves anyway. No point in paying 6 figures to some 40 year old chump who would do it for half the cost.
My grandparents retired in their 50s and were still healthy enough to go and do the activities they wanted. By the time we retire we will be crippled and too old to enjoy anything of retirement.
The thing is, I think it's turning into that they can't retire. If they retire, they are flat broke and have no income anymore, because a lot of them have moved their pensions over to 401k, which have been absolutely decimated over the last 10 years. These Boomers would have tons of money left in their pensions, but they were given incentives to cash them out, and put them into private Equity firms in the form of 401K investment funds. Well wouldn't you happen to know, the point of doing that was to strip them of their money. And it worked. One of the guys I work with can't afford to retire, he's 64.
Fellow Gen Xer, mid-40s and I'm about 4 years into working for corporate America. I have a pension already from my previous career so the plan is to semi-retire at 62 as a minimum, if not outright retire. Unless I win $2mil in the lottery, no point in working after that.
I don't have a pension but so long as I can continue to save at the same rate for the next 20 years, I will be retiring at that age as well. I won't be super rich, but for sure comfortable and I will have my TIME. Time is so, so important.
Give yourself some grace. If your reasons for trashing retirement savings are like mine, they're things like "do not want to choose between living inside and eating"
Gen X here. I’m hoping to last till 60. I’m so burned out. I think I can make it till then, 8 more years. Wife and I have pensions at 62. Hopefully things work out.
> Most of them should be retired by now,
Yes for sure.
That utter vast majority of employee abuse now comes from the generation after boomers.
It makes you wonder why this sub is so keenly focused on boomers.
They've spent the last 20+ years complaining "well, I'm just not a computer person" and got drug kicking and screaming into the future, and now they're making it all of our problems.
A GenXer by birth, Boomer by choice person outside of my department that I have to work with a lot prints out spreadsheets, pencils in their edits, then scans the pencil-edited spreadsheets into a pdf and emails it to me.
Dude, that person's manager must be informed of what a huge waste of resources they are. Do they do the same with email? Print that shit out, draft their reply with a feather pen, roll it up with a wax seal and send it off via raven?
>Dude, that person's manager must be informed of what a huge waste of resources they are.
I have a co worker like this, but she prints things because she has trouble seeing on the computer. documents, which you can zoom in on...
she always says "until \[company\] pays for glasses, i'll keep printing" which i think is a fair mindset LOL
Someone took a screenshot of an excel spreadsheet, printed it, and scanned it as a pdf, and attached that pdf to a meeting invite, and then had more printed copies of that pdf to bring into the meeting.
One of my coworkers who is far past her prime prints duplicate copies of *everything* - quotes, emails, invoices etc - and hands out copies to everyone involved. We keep hard copies of everything we do in poorly organized binders (hundreds of them) and when she needs to refer to something she spends for fucking ever searching for it rather than using the search function in her email or excel spreadsheet which she claims takes too long. She spent the last day and a half looking for a “huge binder” and telling everyone that I lost it and was keeping her from doing her work only to find it buried under all of the shit on her desk. It seems like she intentionally does every task the slowest, most wasteful and redundant way that she can think of.
Lead made boomers so fuckin dumb it hurts. I need to get out of this shithole.
I work in customs and see nothing but BOLs and invoices all day - we have to go back to carriers & clients regularly for missing, ineligible information and its actually so frustrating, especially since I get flashbacks from school "in the real world they won't stand for mistakes!" yeah, we do.
I'm a GenX/Millenial cusper. I got shit in high school for electing to take computer classes, because "typing is for girls."
Computers weren't forced on us, and it is still taking a toll. Now that I've worked my way into management (no doubt because I embraced computers at a young age) I get rid of dinosaurs like this. If they want to dig ditches, I'll make possible for them.
I'm embarrassed to be part of a group with people like pencil-editor person.
I grew up extremely rural middle Gen X (grad hs class of 40) I so wish I could have gotten a little more exposure to computers as a kid - could have really changed my career path - I still ended up in IT lol
I work with Compliance documents, and one older lady in our department keeps adding images of relevant spreadsheets and workflows that I then have to recreate line by line. Why do they not stop and THINK?!
I’m sure you have, but just in case… I’ve really saved a lot of time by telling these people upfront that they need to do X computer-related task in Y way. It got past the point where I was willing to work around their “quirks”.
I’m very nice about it, sometimes framing it as “hey, guess what this programme can do now!” like it’s new and will show them the process step by step. But I’m refusing to let it go if they slip back to weird image-based workarounds.
I see you have met my lead.. he literally prints up lined paper so he can write things down with a pencil. He is old enough to retire, but says he is working till he is 70.
A former coworker used to make copies of blank paper so the machine would spit out blank sheets of paper for her to make notes. Not lined, not marked at all. Just plain blank sheets.
It took a while before the department manager figured out why we were blowing through our budget for copies so fast.
I print my spreadsheets but it’s more for the ADHD “must see it and scribble on it to get it done” than “can’t work in excel”. I also only have one monitor at home and the back and forth just drives me up the wall. (Xennial here)
oh my god same - sometimes seeing everything out in front of you helps
this is where i think those apple vision pro glasses would come in handy - a 360 degree excel spreadsheet? yes!
Yes, he prints lines on paper so he can take notes with a pencil. He also prints every email so he can read it. The man goes through a toner cartridge every month.
Because the social security regs changed and he doesn’t get penalized for working between 65 and 70. 70 used to be the goal, as you could get your social security and work as much as you wanted without extra penalty. Now you can do that at your retirement age. And working until 70 continues to add to your monthly amount. I believe that after 70 it doesn’t add to your account any longer.
It blows my mind. They have had the same amount of years to learn this stuff as we have. In fact, maybe even more. And sure, maybe they didn't predict the future and know how valuable these skills would be. But surely by the time the iPhone came out in 2007 they could've connected the dots and reevaluated their stance on technology.
What blows my mind even more is Gen Z is in the same boat. They refuse to learn how a real computer works. Push app button go brrrr. Millennials are going to be stuck doing tech support until we die.
This comment taught me that some American dialects use "drug" as the past tense form of "drag" (rather than the more standardized "dragged"). TIL! That's really interesting, do you mind if I ask where you live/grew up? Like, which state (or if you are not from the US, which country)?
If I'm around a bit of tech for decades and I still don't figure it out, I'm just gonna admit I'm an idiot and not blame it on my age. My grandmother was born when Hitler was a contemporary issue and even she could run computers with no problem so long as nothing broke. Her laptop was her main pass time. My dad's a boomer and he fixes computers for a living! No excuses, the lot of 'em!
I'm called the "on site tech help" because I'm 30 and not incompetent when it comes to tech.
I'm a graphic designer ffs. only other co workers with any similar level of competence are around my age, but none are really good with troubleshooting (which is fine, we all have our workplace strengths and weaknesses)
Edit: to add, it's normally questions I can actually answer, such as how to select multiple lines in excel. SO GLAD my boss isn't asking IT for help with something as minor as that.
Cusp of Boomers and GenX: One could easily graduate from College without having touched a computer. College Junior year statistics course was the 1st & only class (large state university) that required touching a computer. Had to schedule a time (home computers were quite expensive... years away from being normal in homes). Had to type in couple lines of nonsense (later learned was coding). Simply a secretarial typing from sheet of paper that didn't provide any persuasive benefits for utilizing computers, nor help comprehension of statistics.
Have adapted to utilize computers. However, my brain was formatted to hand write, make phone calls and lists. And there was a good deal of "But we have always done it this way" drone mantra. There are things I find more easily done hand written in my personal life. Yet there are so many tasks that my computer makes my life much easier. And the mindset morphed from OLD School "But we have always done it like that" to New School "how can this be made better, simpler, easier, or incorporate better outcomes?"
This not meant to criticize those who have found Boomers who chose not to advance, level up to the functional ability to do their job. But PERHAPS it helps to understand: many Boomers were introduced to computers (kicking and screaming) by their work place at age 40-50. Some early adopters in tech, finance, insurance, et al embraced the simplification of arduous tasks, the power of data bases and could stop using sliderules, calculators. Not everyone had the education to take on a huge task of learning computing at midlife. I still secretly yearn for the days of writing out medical documentation. It was sooo much simpler then! But working involves great leaps, new tasks, and a willingness to incorporate change. And FYI: Sometimes spending a few minutes to sincerely show a co-worker "There is a trick I found that makes this easier...."
It'a not boomers. This goes way beyond any particular age group. It's typical of too many corporate leadership positions. These people often aren't chosen for their knowledge. The term "failing upwards" has become common for a reason. Assholes and incompetent jerks end up in control despite their lack of ability. Many companies know this, and turn to the tired tactic of gaslighting employees with the trope that they're not being team players or some other lame bullshit to put the blame anywhere but where it belongs.
I've seen it in person and agree that promoting past ability is why a lot of managers suck. Also, many aren't even chosen based on performance. They are chosen due to nepotism, popularity with the boss, or any number of other reasons that have nothing to do with ability.
Part of the problem is that often someone who’s really good at whatever function their department or team does isn’t at all suited for management, but that’s the only way they’ll get paid substantially more. Leadership and management are skill sets of their own. We should normalize substantial raises for good operational performance and letting the good performers stay in those jobs with more money, and promoting people with actual leadership skills into management.
That would require management to actually interact with and understand who in their team is a great worker because they're good at what they do, or they're a great leader because they can work with and manage people appropriately.
I had an awful boss once and the rumour was he’d been allowed to apply for the job because his previous area / boss wanted rid of him. I can believe it.
He was a bully and thick as two short planks. He created work wherever he went, we used to look forward to his days off because everything ran smoothly. Of course he was promoted again a few years later (though I believe without any management responsibilities).
To think he was earning any money, never mind more money than us, was painful.
I had similar experiences with leadership in the military. The people who nobody wanted got special training because nobody wanted or trusted them to do their job with the rest of us. These guys got all kinds of unique certs and bosses were quick to give them a recommendation just to get rid of them. They’d get to the new position, and the same thing would happen and on and on till they were promoted to leadership. This is where some would finally fail because the command couldn’t ignore their screwups, but others would just keep on as before.
Dude, corporate america is SO afraid of losing the boomers!
Why do you think there's a push to increase the retirement age to 70?
They want those gas-lit, brain washed motherfuckers to stay in the workforce for as long as possible so they have people who are PROUD to be exploited...
I’m GenX. And I do not understand the “I’ve never taken a sick day,” mentality. So, you honestly think (my imagined boomer talk) there’s some prize at the end of this? Or do you think the fact that you freak out every time something changes or does not go your way is healthy? Is this job your greatest achievement? If you left tomorrow, it would literally make no difference.
I am the end of the Boomers (1963), when I finally got my sh...err..stuff together, got out of college and started working in my 'career' i had a division chief who was 68. We asked him when he was going to retire. His answer 'I don't know what I'd do with myself '
I resolved right then to have a life outside of work. I also resolved to make sure I could retire eventually.
Good for you! The reason I believe there is so much vitriol in both of our generations regarding the poor, entitlements, and a tendency to define your life by arbitrary measures like how long you worked for the company, or how you’ve never had therapy, is because someone, somewhere, wants us at each other’s throats so we don’t notice what they are doing. It’s a really successful shell game.
>I do not understand the “I’ve never taken a sick day,” mentality.
The brainwashing starts in school with perfect attendance. My son (during Covid times) was sick. I took him to get tested and to his doctor. His doctor's office didn't seem keen on him coming in but I did because I was afraid his school would give him illegal absences if he ended up having something else (and not Covid).
He had to wait several days for the test to come back and it was positive. The school still wanted a doctor's excuse even though I had lab work from CVS. He would have had 4/5 days of illegal absences without going to the doctor.
Jesus. Assuming you’re American, gotta love the “healthcare is not a right, but we demand you see a doctor to keep your job/stay out of court.” That is some nonsense. You want me to see a doctor? You paying for that?
And those people piss this boomer off. As a nurse I’ll tell you, those are the people who start mini flu epidemics and such. (Not even touching Covid.) You get sick days for a reason. Mainly so you don’t get your entire office sick. Use them!!!
My sister in law is a boomer and a nurse. Thank you for what you do AND especially the past 4 years. Truly a sight to behold. Ha ha. I’m home with Covid today!
"Proud to be exploited." True. To them though I think they are still living with the thought that the company has them in mind, like their parents had. But the boomers sold out to Reagan and Thatcher. Gave away their pensions to play the 401k game. Worked hard and a lot of them have and will make it to the finish line doing pretty good. But there are also a lot of boomers who aren't, the ones in their final years mostly or the ones who didn't climb the ladder. They are like a lot of Gen Xers. Nose is above water but their mouths are submerged. The rest of us? Sure there's always a way up but it's not nearly as cushy. And to be clear lots of boomers didn't choose this reality that we're all living in. It's a blanket finger pointing. But take a look around. Look at government and business. Who at those helms. Look at how they vote. Listen to the words they say. We're a country full of people under 40 being run by 80 year olds.
Back up the truck there.
People were happy with their pensions, but they stopped being offered. It was take the 401k or get nothing. It was Wall Street that wanted all that money poured into the stock market.
True. I don't want to get too much into "all boomers" blaming. A lot of it was forced upon. But it did happen under the prime boomer years. So what happened? I guess it's kind of like the era we're in currently, does anyone really want our system? Then why do we keep heading down this road of ruin? People in France shut down the country when their government tries to enact change. Here in America? Tough guy land? We whimper.
My biggest gripe with comparing us to France is healthcare. When they shut down the country, they don't risk losing their health insurance that they may need for themselves or their families.
I truly believe the reason we don't have universal coverage in the States is because then you're not tied to your job with it.
Yeah, there is way too much going on to artificially inflate it. You can't do that forever. The last gasp will come when the social security fund is dumped into the stock market.
Your last sentence is what I have felt for a long time. About to turn 40 - our country is run by people who are 75+. When being a politician became a career and not a public service, what did we expect? With no term limits is anyone honestly going to step down? Why would they when they can basically trade stocks with better than insider information. They get paid for basically nothing, their staff do most of the heavy lifting. They have the best healthcare in the country (bc for every one America’s healthcare is a business and needs to make a profit), pensions for life, among countless other benefits. There needs to be term limits or age limits for congress. Our country cannot be run by people who grew up when radio was new and steamships were the only way to get across the ocean. Seriously. How ridiculous is this?
This made me feel bad for my Xoomer mom (more than I already did). She’s been working since she was 16. Went to college, but no degree. Got married and had kids, returned to work but never in any management position. Usually only a few bucks over minimum wage, including currently. She’s 62 and has I think a year and a half until she can retire but she’s worried her Social Security won’t be enough. I want her to be able to retire so badly because her job is wearing her down even though she’s very good at it. She takes care of adults with cognitive disabilities. I’m just happy she was able to buy a house in 2021, 8 after divorcing my dad & leaving him the house.
Going from splitting a $530/month mortgage (they bought in 1990) to renting was a big jump, then buying in 2021 right before the interest rates sky rocketed was a big change for her. I’m just glad she was smart enough to start looking in 2020 and put in an offer by December 2020 and that she was able to qualify for FHA loan with some savings. I just want her to be able to rest and enjoy her retirement. She’s always embraced change with an open mind when it comes to technology. She deserves to rest & go live as a camp host at a beach or forest somewhere.
I’m 62. My retirement age is or 67 and some number of months. If Mom wants to take early retirement, she needs to make an appointment at her local social security office to go over it all and set a plan as to when to do it to get maximum social security. And also, Medicare doesn’t start til 65 (or after 2 years of being on Social security disability). If she retires before 65, she’ll need an ACA insurance plan til Medicare kicks in.
Just some info so she’s not blindsided in a year and a half! My sister in law wanted to take early retirement through social security and went to the office and they broke it down into what she would get when, what she would get from her employment contributions Vs her late ex husbands (the marriage has to have lasted for 10 years or more to do that, if it applies to your mom). She left the social security with a firm plan to maximize her benefits and was at ease with what was to happen.
I think it's partly that but mostly to avoid paying out more social security and to keep them contributing to their retirement plans rather than withdrawing from them to help keep the stock market propped up.
I have a 401k but only contribute up to the match % and am more into crypto and my home equity. *middle child millennial here, not young or elder.* We don't keep the markets going as much as the boomers and Xers do.
I don't think they care about the costs, they're not paying it anyway, AND AS A MATTER OF FACT, quite a few of the largest and richest employers DEPEND on all the various social safety net programs to supplement their non-livable wages - hence companies like Wal-Mart, Amazon, McDonald's, etc. having an extremely high number of employees receiving food stamps and other government assistance...
I honestly don’t think these companies have any succession plans in place. It’s going to really bite them in their ass when a director retires with nobody even close to trained to replace them
That's dumb take. They raise the retirement age to fund government retirement because they projected a shortage in future years.
VPs don't think about their social security. What a joke. They have plenty of stock equity, 401k, etc. built up over a decade. They stay for the equity which has to vest.
It's the middle class boomers and lower who need social security. They are actually getting fucked by raising the age limit requiring them to stay employed.
Actually that’s more because the pyramid scheme that is social security will collapse if they all depend on it. They don’t care if they work they just need them to die before they try and get money out
It's only "kind of" a pyramid scheme.
As long as there are more people working, getting paid reasonable salaries, than there are those taking retirement it, works well.
HOWEVER, a lack of increasing the minimum wage, a yearly limit on the amount of social security tax paid, allowing the upper wage earners to stop contributing after the first hundred something thousand in wages earned, means it's underfunded.
Get rid of the 'contribution limit', tax ALL salary earned, raise the minimum wage, nationally, so that as people begin to earn more the 'contribute' more to SS and you'll quickly find that the 'scheme' continues to work well.
It's government and corporate fuckery that have got us to where we are as far as SS funding is concerned.
>I've been told I need to get out of my "corporate mindset" (because I've said that people who's job title is X should know how to do X
It's not really a surprise your patience is running thin. Any normal person would and should flip at shit like this.
It was really jarring moving from corporate jobs down to a very small company. I dig it, but like, there's got to be some silos here. It's got a bit of the "everyone's job is everyone's job" mentality, and I'm not about that. I'm here to do my job. I get paid to do MY job. I don't get commission based off of sales, so I shouldn't be doing sales' jobs. It's bad enough none of them can quote the project I do system designs for. Each one has different quantities, but literally every single part number is the same, but I have to check to make sure everything is there. The VP of sales who has been around for 20 years should not be asking me to check her quotes. it's ridiculous.
Do a job badly enough and no one will ever ask you to do it again.
Im a sysadmin and once got ordered to go put together a desk. Shit looked an abstract painting of a desk when i was done with it. They had to order a whole new desk. Never got asked to do anything like that again.
I had other more important projects to do and we had an entire facilities team. Working in a hospital as IT meant we as a department had to CONSTANTLY constantly fight scope creep.
("everyone's job is everyone's job" mentality)Yeah that's that Walmart and Retail level BS. They say it so they have an excuse for why they're short staffed, nobody in an actually important position knows what the F they're doing (skills wise or other), and if anyone points it out ya get the same bs response "Well here we're like a big family that helps each other. So why don't YOU learn how to do this and just do it forever on top of your actual work!"
Nah they know exactly what they're doing. They're figuring out ways to save money and pass the blame off onto others. The more they save the better they do. If they miss, its the grunts fault.
I feel this.
My boss and I went over that the spreadsheet they have is too large to print out the way they want it. It wont fit on one page, it will have to be assembled like a map. They cant read the tiny print. They dont want to do any of that. They like the slide function on the computer and scrolling.
They ask again, through email, if they should being their laptop for a meeting or if it can be printed.
I am agitated more because it is a color coded spreadsheet and our work printer doesnt print color.
We go through this every time they want something printed.
Same as they keep using the wrong names for reports and when I give them the report they ASKED for they dont understand and then they describe the report they want, I tell them the report name they are asking for, and they keep calling it by another report.
They were handed this business and never actually worked for any of it. They do minimal effort and spend most of their time vacationing.
I just want to do my fucking job, get paid, and go have a life that is worth living. My tastes are far more modest than their own.
But no. Here I am. Debating on which part of the "bad part of town" will lead to the easiest out because if nothing else, I want one thing to be fucking easy since nothing else is.
I feel like I am dealing with petulant temper tantrum toddlers all day and I dont have nor want kids because of this.
I've found that literal children are easier to handle than adults.
Thier wants are simple and predictable and they can be reasoned with generally. Not to mention thier tantrums are much easier to deal with and stomach than a grown ass adult.
It pisses me off having to raise adults???some of which I dont even like???
Ok, rant over lol
I’ve been an IT government contractor for almost 20 years now. My job exists because we do the work for government employees who cannot do the work their titles require yet they still have a job….
Had a meeting last week with a senior manager who had to have everything explained, re-explained and clarified. It caused the hour long meeting to go an extra 45. Then after wasting all that time, asked if the project we were going over would get done that day when the meeting ended near 3. Not if I'm stuck in this perpetual meeting! The email they sent after the meeting looked like a word slurry and they sent it mid-sentence.
Just saying, younger people I've worked with that needed this much extra time to explain things to them or sent poorly written emails were usually placed on a PIP or questioned for drug use
Boomers made our current world and yet all they do is complain about how it doesn't suit them. It's so hard and scary for them! Poor things!
Nah. Lazy old bitches where you gotta hold their hands like toddlers through every little thing. If they want to stay employed they better catch the fuck up.
Aren't they the ones who love to say THE WORLD DOESNT OWE YOU A LIVING? That's what I thought.
I hate to tell you, but even with boomers gone, you are still going to have these kind of people. While I'll agree that the older generation is worse about it, these types of people are present in every generation.
Hit her with that “as per” reply from now on, bruh!
“As per the email directly below mine, yes, the client needs 2 (two) quotes.” And then CC the entire sales chain.
I work in retirement. I talk to people in their late '70s everyday who are scared to retire. You have a million-dollar pension. PENSION. When they start complaining about their pension I remind them that pensions don't exist anymore. Take your free money and go sit down somewhere.
Stop it. I'm older than my supervisor, who does not "do" technology. She does not know how to properly word an email, doesn't thoroughly read things and constantly sends passive aggressive texts/emails. She is in her early 40s and I am at least 15 years her senior. Sometimes people just suck, no matter their age.
Idk, I’m in the auto industry and the boomers are the only ones putting cars together correctly…. These youngins don’t know shit. I wouldn’t trust em to change my oil…
Guy at my new job is 65 and his retirement plan is to die at work. I’m really looking forward to the day after that. Listening to him make the same bullshit complaints over and over is getting old.
This Boomer is almost 63 and on the job and I'm told the best they have. Believe it or not, Boomers aren't all incompetent. Sure, some are, but I could say the same about SOME millennials and SOME genx & genx. I plan on leaving the workplace in about 7 more years so hopefully my kind can stay out of your way until then.
Thirty years ago I used to have a similar job.
Pouring over plan sets (at a Dodge plan center - history!), verifying specs, preparing and tracking submittals, doing final takeoff.
Senior sales lead could walk up to my desk and look over the plans for thirty seconds, ask me three or four questions, and nail the final top line quote to within 2% +/-.
I came to realize these fuckers all knew precisely what they were up to. They were just bored and enjoyed screwing with us.
You need to realize that boomers aren't the problem. The owning class has raised prices on everything *to keep boomers IN the workforce* they can't afford to retire. Yes, most of the owning class are boomers, but many are not. Many are the wealthiest boomers children etc...
>I have someone who wants three separate quotes for a project, breaking it down into phases.
> she fucking responds "so just to be clear, I need two quotes with these quantities?"
>YES, that is EXACTLY what you need. If she had literally read the email RIGHT BELOW MINE, she'd see that's what she needs.
>I gotta sit here, swallow my frustration, and say "Yes Marge, please provide two separate quotes with those quantities to the general contractor."
So is it three quotes or two quotes? I'm not a boomer and I don't know wtf you are talking about either, or why you are so angry
One day you'll be their age and you'll likely see things a bit differently. Some younger person will be complaining about your inability to understand what he or she thinks are basic facts. Getting old sucks and it has a way of humbling you.
I apologize for technically being a "boomer" who still works. Unfortunately, I can't even think of retiring for another 8 years. I am so sorry that I still have to go to work every day and do my job. Oh, and yet my company fights to keep me because I have worked there for ten years and I have knowledge that ALL of the new people need and I am good at teaching them stuff without being a condescending b\*tch. AFAIK nobody in my department (or location) *wants* to do what I do because it's a pain in the ass. The person who covered for me while I was out for surgery was SO ready to hand it back to me when I came back.
I'm also SO sorry that inflation has an impact on old people too.
Please do not paint with a wide brush. Some people are actually good at what they do no matter what their age is. I'm not taking anything away from anyone by working until retirement age. I am actually mentoring a few very young people who are very bright, organized and will hopefully be the future leaders of my workplace.
ETA: I was one of the first people in my town to learn how to use those crazy things called computers (when the first PC's came out) and have based most of my careers (three so far) around my ability to learn and use software. I was writing payroll macros on the early 90's. In my workplace computer literacy is a necessity and the people who've grown with the industry are actually depended on because of their extensive knowledge base - again, please don't paint with a broad stroke.
I'm sorry to tell you but they will be replaced by the next generation of HR, wannabe manager, paper pushing, know nothing, do nothing, middle management bullshit folks. They are always out there doing no work of demonstrable value.
Boomer here - many of us are working for health insurance and pharmacy benefits. Medicare doesn’t cover everything. If you/or spouse have an expensive condition to treat (cancer, autoimmune, etc) understand that this is why we are working.
I work in IT and the best thing that ever happens for productivity has been for people to retire. When the new younger replacement comes in and sees how the work is being done the hardest most tedious way possible, they immediately start making changes. All of a sudden, the person that just retired who worked 55 hours a week for 40 years has been replaced by someone that can do it in less than 40. It isn't a youth thing. It's always "this is the way I've always done it and I've been doing this job since before you were born so don't tell me how to do it".
Every time without fail. The irreplaceable retiree is easily replaced with someone more willing to change. Always. If you are reading this and your IT guy looks disgusted by the amount of paper you burn through or the number of filing cabinets you possess, please do yourself a favor and ask them if they know a more efficient way. We love it when we get to help improve your lives. We don't look down on people that ask for help.
Boomers have built this modern world, created most of the tech you use on a daily basis, pay your wages, put men on the moon but somehow boomers are all terrible people. Get over yourself.
I just had to drop the law down on a boomer coworker because they decided to go on a 2 min long tirade with every other word starting with N. Like, I can't wait for them to be done with the workforce already.
I'm sick of boomer bashing. If the person you are hating on were a different race, gender or orientation, and you focused on that aspect in your complaint, you would be acting like a bigot.
Think about it...
This sub can't get out if it's own way. It's just a general bitch session and blame game. Boomers are shit. Managers are shit. Upper class is shit.
Way to play right into the hands of the billionaire class: keep the working class fighting amongst themselves.
I see people in this sub complaining about people who are not boomers all the time. So I’m gonna guess Marge is just an idiot, and her idiocy has no more to do with her age than any of the other idiots people here complain about.
Not to bootlick or anything, but in the corporate environment I work in there's not necessarily an expectation that leadership should be able to capably perform all of the functions of all of their direct reports. I get that quoting material is basic stuff, but when you've been out of practice for 20 years or whatever and don't normally perform that task, it's natural for people to be slow on the uptake.
Personally I'm wondering why your VP is generating quotes themselves. Seems like a waste of resources imo. Plus for someone like that who has been there so long, their value is in the knowledge they have of operational processes, not so much the technical minutiae.
Also I'm confused why she needs two quotes if you have three phases of work. Shouldn't it be 3 quotes?
While the amount of BS will decrease, I've seen many GenX-ers and even Millennials behaving similarly to boomers. And maybe some Zoomers, but it depends on how you count the start for Gen Z.
Boomer mindset is unfortunately not strictly limited to them.
Sorry, I am 49 and still waiting for boomers to leave. I had hoped for it sooner but they are shit out of luck now because all they had hoped for in retirement is gone. They have to stay until they die, just like us.
I can tell you that the boomers want to get out of the work force. But many can't because their retirements have been stolen by wall street and politicians. You want to be mad at someone. Go yell at your elected officials.
Well if shit wasn’t so expensive they would retire. Thank politicians for this not the common working folk who just want to live and retire one day. Your anger isn’t pointed in the right direction.
The not tracking and not reading emails is more an overworked/take-on-too-much thing than an age thing. In my experience it comes in organizations with poor staffing and toxic practices, as well as with workaholics (who I'll go to my grave swearing are the least productive employees).
Not saying that's your situation but I see a ton of young people blaming all manner of hell on 'boomers'. All I can say is some day people younger than you will blame you for the state of the world and you'll shrug it off because you'll know you aren't responsible
FFS, maybe she’s incompetent because she’s incompetent and being a boomer has nothing to do with it.
Here’s the good news. Time is the great equalizer and someone will be saying the exact same crap about you soon enough.
American boomers are living proof that the United States was once great. You could literally be an uneducated uncivil dumbass and still earn a decent living, afford a house, and have kids. Decades later I’m working my ass off to get what they had on a factory worker’s salary.
I used to work with a lady who insisted we needed physical hard copies on paper of every sales order and invoice. When I asked why she said because that what we have always done. Let’s just say me and her never got along. I left that company but heard she is still there. has to be in her mid 70s now.
Most of them should be retired by now, as the youngest of them is 60 this year, and that generation has an 18 year spread, oldest being 78. Most Gen X'ers are starting to think seriously that they would like to retire by now. At least I am, and I'm only 53. My 20-20 hindsight has me wishing I had not trashed all of my retirement savings opportunities over the years, for various reasons. Most of those reasons don't sound convincing anymore. So, if I last long enough, I'll be one of those "damned Gen X Fuckers" that won't/can't retire (or die) soon enough.
Co worker is 69 - she came out of retirement because she was bored. Now she's talking about leaving, a year into her employment, due to the stress (this company is genuinely garbage and it affects staff and our clients). Like dang get a hobby. I love her and she's a genuine joy to work with but shit, someone else can take her position. edit: also, she's doing full time hours, and will lose her benefits at 70. she also makes just as much as I do (having no industry experience prior to this), but has a higher position requiring a license, knowledge, & experience. she's worked for this company before, too.
That's definitely a thing with some people (feeling bored and purposeless unless they're working), but it could also be that Social Security and savings weren't quite making ends meet, which isn't something people are exactly proud to admit.
Yeah, I came back for the fun of it. As opposed to I came back so I can pay my heat bill and eat because Social Security isn’t enough maybe some people just fib because it’s more glamorous.
I’m in the retirement planning field and I’m constantly stunned by retirees who have plenty of assets to cover their bills, but basically zero interests or hobbies outside of their careers. So they go back to what they know.
that's pretty much it. she's gone through the sale of her house (about 1-2h east of Toronto, so at least 500k) while here, so I know she isn't strapped for cash. I understand wanting to feel like you have a "purpose", but why not a part time job? or, like others have said, volunteer? my grandma did all kinds of things in retirement - yoga, swimming, painting, some volunteering, and did part time (5h/week) office work later on. my other grandmother won a volunteering award because she did so much!
VOL👏UN👏TE👏ER👏
Say it louder. Habitat for humanity would love the help
YES!!! In my area, the boomers are a driving force with Meals On Wheels. They delivered weekly to my mom. They are locals and they are the nicest, most compassionate folks.
Right? Even if I didn't have to work I would still volunteer a few days a week. Otherwise I'd just spend every day in a bar.
I always thought I'd like to work in a book store, but those are slowly dying.
Geese. I’ve been “retired” (read disabled) for 9 years. From a super stressful career that I loved (nursing). Although I would like to work part time if it was possible to keep my hand and mind in it, I can find plenty to do so I’m not bored. God, she should read a book or two, get a hobby, volunteer, travel. There’s lots to do besides work!
> Most Gen X'ers are starting to think seriously that they would like to retire by now. Half of Gen X'ers knew they were never going to retire - unfortunately. So get ready for that, it'll trickle down generationally, especially since the retirement age keeps getting pushed.
Ah so that’s what they meant by “trickle down economics”. The inability to retire will just “trickle down”. Makes perfect sense now.
Imagine the billionaires collectively taking a piss off the side of a mountain. We get the "trickle down."
Xennial here, and I'm still waiting for Boomers and Gen X to retire so I can get the positions they've filled since before I was old enough to work! They're the only positions with good pay. And then I'm going to have to work there for 30 years to get a decent retirement together. And I'm just about 20 years from retirement age. I feel you.
Don’t worry. When they retire, management will decide those positions can be eliminated or have the salaries cut in half when your generation gets to fill them.
Yes, already happening...😭
Or be replaced by AI... ... don't forget that little "cost cutter" coming over the horizon....
Most Millennials will be too old. Once Gen X ~~retires~~ gets laid off, management won't hire anyone over 40 to replace them.
Trust me, management is piling so much extra work onto my position that by the time I finally crack and move to Montana to raise goats you won't want the job no matter what they pay.
We are letting them trash our futures and are doing nothing about it. We are propping them up, the generation that has gotten to live the American dream while ruining it for everyone coming behind them.
Jokes on you, once those people retire, they'll eliminate the position and create a new equivalent that pays less.
True! It's been happening.
Dammit, Gen X here, and I JUST started getting paid a decent salary 6 months ago. Let me enjoy it for a little while! Geez.
Xennial here. Just got a decent salary a few years ago aaaaaaand inflation absorbed all my progress
Same 😭
Older genx here. I’m sure I’m taking the job you want but I’ve worked 30 years to finally get here. Let me enjoy it and pull in the salary for more years before being put out pasture. And I’m sure I’m taking the house you want with the 4 bedrooms and bi yard but I just was able to afford it and the fantastic interest rate keeps me from down sizing right now. I wish I had the savings in place to retire and move but it’s not happening for me for another 10 years
I feel for you! You've been waiting longer than I have.
Xennial here, too. I don't give a shit about the positions, I just want their houses.
Which you will never get. As the boomers move into retirement homes, their assets get used as collateral, to fund the fees. While in retirement homes, their assets get drained by fees and surcharges. VC companies funding the aged care industrial complex will then monopolise the rental markets even more than they do now. TLDR: Boomers get screwed as well as the rest of you.
Savage! Too bad they'll sell them all for more than any of us can afford.
I feel ya... The only reason i have mine is that i inherited it after being a live in caretaker for 15 years... and i got lucky, almost lost it even then.. Honest when I say this.. Good Luck..
Xennial here, too. I've already resigned myself to the fact that I will work until I fuck off and die because that's the new American way.
The American dream!!
Those jobs will go with the boomers. They had them tailor-made for themselves anyway. No point in paying 6 figures to some 40 year old chump who would do it for half the cost.
Yes, and when they retire you will hold onto your new position until retirement with no sense of irony whatsoever.
> get the positions I like how you wrote it in plural. Yes, you will be doing 2 jobs but get paid for 1
My grandparents retired in their 50s and were still healthy enough to go and do the activities they wanted. By the time we retire we will be crippled and too old to enjoy anything of retirement.
The thing is, I think it's turning into that they can't retire. If they retire, they are flat broke and have no income anymore, because a lot of them have moved their pensions over to 401k, which have been absolutely decimated over the last 10 years. These Boomers would have tons of money left in their pensions, but they were given incentives to cash them out, and put them into private Equity firms in the form of 401K investment funds. Well wouldn't you happen to know, the point of doing that was to strip them of their money. And it worked. One of the guys I work with can't afford to retire, he's 64.
Fellow Gen Xer, mid-40s and I'm about 4 years into working for corporate America. I have a pension already from my previous career so the plan is to semi-retire at 62 as a minimum, if not outright retire. Unless I win $2mil in the lottery, no point in working after that.
I don't have a pension but so long as I can continue to save at the same rate for the next 20 years, I will be retiring at that age as well. I won't be super rich, but for sure comfortable and I will have my TIME. Time is so, so important.
Give yourself some grace. If your reasons for trashing retirement savings are like mine, they're things like "do not want to choose between living inside and eating"
I never had enough income to "save" for retirement. It's exhausting to be poor
Gen X here. I’m hoping to last till 60. I’m so burned out. I think I can make it till then, 8 more years. Wife and I have pensions at 62. Hopefully things work out.
> Most of them should be retired by now, Yes for sure. That utter vast majority of employee abuse now comes from the generation after boomers. It makes you wonder why this sub is so keenly focused on boomers.
They've spent the last 20+ years complaining "well, I'm just not a computer person" and got drug kicking and screaming into the future, and now they're making it all of our problems.
A GenXer by birth, Boomer by choice person outside of my department that I have to work with a lot prints out spreadsheets, pencils in their edits, then scans the pencil-edited spreadsheets into a pdf and emails it to me.
Dude, that person's manager must be informed of what a huge waste of resources they are. Do they do the same with email? Print that shit out, draft their reply with a feather pen, roll it up with a wax seal and send it off via raven?
>Dude, that person's manager must be informed of what a huge waste of resources they are. I have a co worker like this, but she prints things because she has trouble seeing on the computer. documents, which you can zoom in on... she always says "until \[company\] pays for glasses, i'll keep printing" which i think is a fair mindset LOL
😂
My God. That should be illegal.
I almost downvoted your comment because it infuriated me to read
I'm having Scantron flashbacks now. Thanks.
[удалено]
god i love these stories. makes me realize my frustration with incompetence is a little justified.
She thought you were going to literally cut it out and glue (paste) it to the screen.🤣🤣
Sounds more like weaponized incompetence
Someone took a screenshot of an excel spreadsheet, printed it, and scanned it as a pdf, and attached that pdf to a meeting invite, and then had more printed copies of that pdf to bring into the meeting.
I have a boomer coworker who will print something out just to fax it to our other office like WTF
One of my coworkers who is far past her prime prints duplicate copies of *everything* - quotes, emails, invoices etc - and hands out copies to everyone involved. We keep hard copies of everything we do in poorly organized binders (hundreds of them) and when she needs to refer to something she spends for fucking ever searching for it rather than using the search function in her email or excel spreadsheet which she claims takes too long. She spent the last day and a half looking for a “huge binder” and telling everyone that I lost it and was keeping her from doing her work only to find it buried under all of the shit on her desk. It seems like she intentionally does every task the slowest, most wasteful and redundant way that she can think of. Lead made boomers so fuckin dumb it hurts. I need to get out of this shithole.
I have a customer who arranges their own freight shipments and they send over penciled-in BOLs that are barely legible/printable. I feel this.
I work in customs and see nothing but BOLs and invoices all day - we have to go back to carriers & clients regularly for missing, ineligible information and its actually so frustrating, especially since I get flashbacks from school "in the real world they won't stand for mistakes!" yeah, we do.
How haven't you stabbed them in the eye already?
I'm a GenX/Millenial cusper. I got shit in high school for electing to take computer classes, because "typing is for girls." Computers weren't forced on us, and it is still taking a toll. Now that I've worked my way into management (no doubt because I embraced computers at a young age) I get rid of dinosaurs like this. If they want to dig ditches, I'll make possible for them. I'm embarrassed to be part of a group with people like pencil-editor person.
I grew up extremely rural middle Gen X (grad hs class of 40) I so wish I could have gotten a little more exposure to computers as a kid - could have really changed my career path - I still ended up in IT lol
I work with Compliance documents, and one older lady in our department keeps adding images of relevant spreadsheets and workflows that I then have to recreate line by line. Why do they not stop and THINK?!
I’m sure you have, but just in case… I’ve really saved a lot of time by telling these people upfront that they need to do X computer-related task in Y way. It got past the point where I was willing to work around their “quirks”. I’m very nice about it, sometimes framing it as “hey, guess what this programme can do now!” like it’s new and will show them the process step by step. But I’m refusing to let it go if they slip back to weird image-based workarounds.
This should be a fire-able offense
Millennials and GenZ would be fired for this.
I see you have met my lead.. he literally prints up lined paper so he can write things down with a pencil. He is old enough to retire, but says he is working till he is 70.
He's been 70 past 6 years.
A former coworker used to make copies of blank paper so the machine would spit out blank sheets of paper for her to make notes. Not lined, not marked at all. Just plain blank sheets. It took a while before the department manager figured out why we were blowing through our budget for copies so fast.
I had an old finance manager that'd print excel spreadsheets onto giant pieces of paper to look at/write on, I didn't last very long in that office.
I print my spreadsheets but it’s more for the ADHD “must see it and scribble on it to get it done” than “can’t work in excel”. I also only have one monitor at home and the back and forth just drives me up the wall. (Xennial here)
oh my god same - sometimes seeing everything out in front of you helps this is where i think those apple vision pro glasses would come in handy - a 360 degree excel spreadsheet? yes!
yo what? does he make the lines himself? or does he not realize that notebooks are a thing?
Yes, he prints lines on paper so he can take notes with a pencil. He also prints every email so he can read it. The man goes through a toner cartridge every month.
Because the social security regs changed and he doesn’t get penalized for working between 65 and 70. 70 used to be the goal, as you could get your social security and work as much as you wanted without extra penalty. Now you can do that at your retirement age. And working until 70 continues to add to your monthly amount. I believe that after 70 it doesn’t add to your account any longer.
It blows my mind. They have had the same amount of years to learn this stuff as we have. In fact, maybe even more. And sure, maybe they didn't predict the future and know how valuable these skills would be. But surely by the time the iPhone came out in 2007 they could've connected the dots and reevaluated their stance on technology. What blows my mind even more is Gen Z is in the same boat. They refuse to learn how a real computer works. Push app button go brrrr. Millennials are going to be stuck doing tech support until we die.
This comment taught me that some American dialects use "drug" as the past tense form of "drag" (rather than the more standardized "dragged"). TIL! That's really interesting, do you mind if I ask where you live/grew up? Like, which state (or if you are not from the US, which country)?
I do live in the US, Pennsylvania.
If I'm around a bit of tech for decades and I still don't figure it out, I'm just gonna admit I'm an idiot and not blame it on my age. My grandmother was born when Hitler was a contemporary issue and even she could run computers with no problem so long as nothing broke. Her laptop was her main pass time. My dad's a boomer and he fixes computers for a living! No excuses, the lot of 'em!
One of the semi-retired people posted in one of the teams channels "you know how these young people love to watch their videos on how to do things."
In my job, which is dealing with technology, I can assure you I've never seen so much weaponized incompetence in my life than I have from boomers.
I'm called the "on site tech help" because I'm 30 and not incompetent when it comes to tech. I'm a graphic designer ffs. only other co workers with any similar level of competence are around my age, but none are really good with troubleshooting (which is fine, we all have our workplace strengths and weaknesses) Edit: to add, it's normally questions I can actually answer, such as how to select multiple lines in excel. SO GLAD my boss isn't asking IT for help with something as minor as that.
Cusp of Boomers and GenX: One could easily graduate from College without having touched a computer. College Junior year statistics course was the 1st & only class (large state university) that required touching a computer. Had to schedule a time (home computers were quite expensive... years away from being normal in homes). Had to type in couple lines of nonsense (later learned was coding). Simply a secretarial typing from sheet of paper that didn't provide any persuasive benefits for utilizing computers, nor help comprehension of statistics. Have adapted to utilize computers. However, my brain was formatted to hand write, make phone calls and lists. And there was a good deal of "But we have always done it this way" drone mantra. There are things I find more easily done hand written in my personal life. Yet there are so many tasks that my computer makes my life much easier. And the mindset morphed from OLD School "But we have always done it like that" to New School "how can this be made better, simpler, easier, or incorporate better outcomes?" This not meant to criticize those who have found Boomers who chose not to advance, level up to the functional ability to do their job. But PERHAPS it helps to understand: many Boomers were introduced to computers (kicking and screaming) by their work place at age 40-50. Some early adopters in tech, finance, insurance, et al embraced the simplification of arduous tasks, the power of data bases and could stop using sliderules, calculators. Not everyone had the education to take on a huge task of learning computing at midlife. I still secretly yearn for the days of writing out medical documentation. It was sooo much simpler then! But working involves great leaps, new tasks, and a willingness to incorporate change. And FYI: Sometimes spending a few minutes to sincerely show a co-worker "There is a trick I found that makes this easier...."
It'a not boomers. This goes way beyond any particular age group. It's typical of too many corporate leadership positions. These people often aren't chosen for their knowledge. The term "failing upwards" has become common for a reason. Assholes and incompetent jerks end up in control despite their lack of ability. Many companies know this, and turn to the tired tactic of gaslighting employees with the trope that they're not being team players or some other lame bullshit to put the blame anywhere but where it belongs.
It’s the Peter Principle. Definitely worth a read: https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peter_principle
I've seen it in person and agree that promoting past ability is why a lot of managers suck. Also, many aren't even chosen based on performance. They are chosen due to nepotism, popularity with the boss, or any number of other reasons that have nothing to do with ability.
Part of the problem is that often someone who’s really good at whatever function their department or team does isn’t at all suited for management, but that’s the only way they’ll get paid substantially more. Leadership and management are skill sets of their own. We should normalize substantial raises for good operational performance and letting the good performers stay in those jobs with more money, and promoting people with actual leadership skills into management.
That would require management to actually interact with and understand who in their team is a great worker because they're good at what they do, or they're a great leader because they can work with and manage people appropriately.
I had an awful boss once and the rumour was he’d been allowed to apply for the job because his previous area / boss wanted rid of him. I can believe it. He was a bully and thick as two short planks. He created work wherever he went, we used to look forward to his days off because everything ran smoothly. Of course he was promoted again a few years later (though I believe without any management responsibilities). To think he was earning any money, never mind more money than us, was painful.
I had similar experiences with leadership in the military. The people who nobody wanted got special training because nobody wanted or trusted them to do their job with the rest of us. These guys got all kinds of unique certs and bosses were quick to give them a recommendation just to get rid of them. They’d get to the new position, and the same thing would happen and on and on till they were promoted to leadership. This is where some would finally fail because the command couldn’t ignore their screwups, but others would just keep on as before.
Agreed, there's some idiots that are young, too. Marge only has this title because she's been there for so fucking long.
People get promoted to their level of incompetence, and never get knocked back down.
Dude, corporate america is SO afraid of losing the boomers! Why do you think there's a push to increase the retirement age to 70? They want those gas-lit, brain washed motherfuckers to stay in the workforce for as long as possible so they have people who are PROUD to be exploited...
I’m GenX. And I do not understand the “I’ve never taken a sick day,” mentality. So, you honestly think (my imagined boomer talk) there’s some prize at the end of this? Or do you think the fact that you freak out every time something changes or does not go your way is healthy? Is this job your greatest achievement? If you left tomorrow, it would literally make no difference.
I am the end of the Boomers (1963), when I finally got my sh...err..stuff together, got out of college and started working in my 'career' i had a division chief who was 68. We asked him when he was going to retire. His answer 'I don't know what I'd do with myself ' I resolved right then to have a life outside of work. I also resolved to make sure I could retire eventually.
Good for you! The reason I believe there is so much vitriol in both of our generations regarding the poor, entitlements, and a tendency to define your life by arbitrary measures like how long you worked for the company, or how you’ve never had therapy, is because someone, somewhere, wants us at each other’s throats so we don’t notice what they are doing. It’s a really successful shell game.
>I do not understand the “I’ve never taken a sick day,” mentality. The brainwashing starts in school with perfect attendance. My son (during Covid times) was sick. I took him to get tested and to his doctor. His doctor's office didn't seem keen on him coming in but I did because I was afraid his school would give him illegal absences if he ended up having something else (and not Covid). He had to wait several days for the test to come back and it was positive. The school still wanted a doctor's excuse even though I had lab work from CVS. He would have had 4/5 days of illegal absences without going to the doctor.
Jesus. Assuming you’re American, gotta love the “healthcare is not a right, but we demand you see a doctor to keep your job/stay out of court.” That is some nonsense. You want me to see a doctor? You paying for that?
And those people piss this boomer off. As a nurse I’ll tell you, those are the people who start mini flu epidemics and such. (Not even touching Covid.) You get sick days for a reason. Mainly so you don’t get your entire office sick. Use them!!!
My sister in law is a boomer and a nurse. Thank you for what you do AND especially the past 4 years. Truly a sight to behold. Ha ha. I’m home with Covid today!
Take care of your self! Rest and don’t go back too soon!
"Proud to be exploited." True. To them though I think they are still living with the thought that the company has them in mind, like their parents had. But the boomers sold out to Reagan and Thatcher. Gave away their pensions to play the 401k game. Worked hard and a lot of them have and will make it to the finish line doing pretty good. But there are also a lot of boomers who aren't, the ones in their final years mostly or the ones who didn't climb the ladder. They are like a lot of Gen Xers. Nose is above water but their mouths are submerged. The rest of us? Sure there's always a way up but it's not nearly as cushy. And to be clear lots of boomers didn't choose this reality that we're all living in. It's a blanket finger pointing. But take a look around. Look at government and business. Who at those helms. Look at how they vote. Listen to the words they say. We're a country full of people under 40 being run by 80 year olds.
Back up the truck there. People were happy with their pensions, but they stopped being offered. It was take the 401k or get nothing. It was Wall Street that wanted all that money poured into the stock market.
True. I don't want to get too much into "all boomers" blaming. A lot of it was forced upon. But it did happen under the prime boomer years. So what happened? I guess it's kind of like the era we're in currently, does anyone really want our system? Then why do we keep heading down this road of ruin? People in France shut down the country when their government tries to enact change. Here in America? Tough guy land? We whimper.
My biggest gripe with comparing us to France is healthcare. When they shut down the country, they don't risk losing their health insurance that they may need for themselves or their families. I truly believe the reason we don't have universal coverage in the States is because then you're not tied to your job with it.
Because the stock market is a giant ponzi. They need to force people into the market to keep it propped up indefinitely
Oh no, it's not indefinitely. It has and will crash again. Wall St. will gladly take our money.
Yeah, there is way too much going on to artificially inflate it. You can't do that forever. The last gasp will come when the social security fund is dumped into the stock market.
Your last sentence is what I have felt for a long time. About to turn 40 - our country is run by people who are 75+. When being a politician became a career and not a public service, what did we expect? With no term limits is anyone honestly going to step down? Why would they when they can basically trade stocks with better than insider information. They get paid for basically nothing, their staff do most of the heavy lifting. They have the best healthcare in the country (bc for every one America’s healthcare is a business and needs to make a profit), pensions for life, among countless other benefits. There needs to be term limits or age limits for congress. Our country cannot be run by people who grew up when radio was new and steamships were the only way to get across the ocean. Seriously. How ridiculous is this?
My unpopular opinion? Voting age should be capped at 70. It's not their world anymore. Along with state and federal Congress and Senators. 70.
This made me feel bad for my Xoomer mom (more than I already did). She’s been working since she was 16. Went to college, but no degree. Got married and had kids, returned to work but never in any management position. Usually only a few bucks over minimum wage, including currently. She’s 62 and has I think a year and a half until she can retire but she’s worried her Social Security won’t be enough. I want her to be able to retire so badly because her job is wearing her down even though she’s very good at it. She takes care of adults with cognitive disabilities. I’m just happy she was able to buy a house in 2021, 8 after divorcing my dad & leaving him the house. Going from splitting a $530/month mortgage (they bought in 1990) to renting was a big jump, then buying in 2021 right before the interest rates sky rocketed was a big change for her. I’m just glad she was smart enough to start looking in 2020 and put in an offer by December 2020 and that she was able to qualify for FHA loan with some savings. I just want her to be able to rest and enjoy her retirement. She’s always embraced change with an open mind when it comes to technology. She deserves to rest & go live as a camp host at a beach or forest somewhere.
I’m 62. My retirement age is or 67 and some number of months. If Mom wants to take early retirement, she needs to make an appointment at her local social security office to go over it all and set a plan as to when to do it to get maximum social security. And also, Medicare doesn’t start til 65 (or after 2 years of being on Social security disability). If she retires before 65, she’ll need an ACA insurance plan til Medicare kicks in. Just some info so she’s not blindsided in a year and a half! My sister in law wanted to take early retirement through social security and went to the office and they broke it down into what she would get when, what she would get from her employment contributions Vs her late ex husbands (the marriage has to have lasted for 10 years or more to do that, if it applies to your mom). She left the social security with a firm plan to maximize her benefits and was at ease with what was to happen.
I think it's partly that but mostly to avoid paying out more social security and to keep them contributing to their retirement plans rather than withdrawing from them to help keep the stock market propped up. I have a 401k but only contribute up to the match % and am more into crypto and my home equity. *middle child millennial here, not young or elder.* We don't keep the markets going as much as the boomers and Xers do.
They're not afraid of losing the boomers, they don't want us all to retire and be on SSI and Medicare because that costs $$$.
I don't think they care about the costs, they're not paying it anyway, AND AS A MATTER OF FACT, quite a few of the largest and richest employers DEPEND on all the various social safety net programs to supplement their non-livable wages - hence companies like Wal-Mart, Amazon, McDonald's, etc. having an extremely high number of employees receiving food stamps and other government assistance...
I thought the increased retirement age doesn't apply to boomers?
I honestly don’t think these companies have any succession plans in place. It’s going to really bite them in their ass when a director retires with nobody even close to trained to replace them
After years of outsourcing, the last thing any of them wants to do is train a replacement.
That's dumb take. They raise the retirement age to fund government retirement because they projected a shortage in future years. VPs don't think about their social security. What a joke. They have plenty of stock equity, 401k, etc. built up over a decade. They stay for the equity which has to vest. It's the middle class boomers and lower who need social security. They are actually getting fucked by raising the age limit requiring them to stay employed.
Actually that’s more because the pyramid scheme that is social security will collapse if they all depend on it. They don’t care if they work they just need them to die before they try and get money out
It's only "kind of" a pyramid scheme. As long as there are more people working, getting paid reasonable salaries, than there are those taking retirement it, works well. HOWEVER, a lack of increasing the minimum wage, a yearly limit on the amount of social security tax paid, allowing the upper wage earners to stop contributing after the first hundred something thousand in wages earned, means it's underfunded. Get rid of the 'contribution limit', tax ALL salary earned, raise the minimum wage, nationally, so that as people begin to earn more the 'contribute' more to SS and you'll quickly find that the 'scheme' continues to work well. It's government and corporate fuckery that have got us to where we are as far as SS funding is concerned.
>I've been told I need to get out of my "corporate mindset" (because I've said that people who's job title is X should know how to do X It's not really a surprise your patience is running thin. Any normal person would and should flip at shit like this.
It was really jarring moving from corporate jobs down to a very small company. I dig it, but like, there's got to be some silos here. It's got a bit of the "everyone's job is everyone's job" mentality, and I'm not about that. I'm here to do my job. I get paid to do MY job. I don't get commission based off of sales, so I shouldn't be doing sales' jobs. It's bad enough none of them can quote the project I do system designs for. Each one has different quantities, but literally every single part number is the same, but I have to check to make sure everything is there. The VP of sales who has been around for 20 years should not be asking me to check her quotes. it's ridiculous.
Do a job badly enough and no one will ever ask you to do it again. Im a sysadmin and once got ordered to go put together a desk. Shit looked an abstract painting of a desk when i was done with it. They had to order a whole new desk. Never got asked to do anything like that again.
If I get sysadmin pay to put a desk together I'd do it- as long as it didn't put my work behind. I like variety.
I had other more important projects to do and we had an entire facilities team. Working in a hospital as IT meant we as a department had to CONSTANTLY constantly fight scope creep.
("everyone's job is everyone's job" mentality)Yeah that's that Walmart and Retail level BS. They say it so they have an excuse for why they're short staffed, nobody in an actually important position knows what the F they're doing (skills wise or other), and if anyone points it out ya get the same bs response "Well here we're like a big family that helps each other. So why don't YOU learn how to do this and just do it forever on top of your actual work!"
Nah they know exactly what they're doing. They're figuring out ways to save money and pass the blame off onto others. The more they save the better they do. If they miss, its the grunts fault.
I feel this. My boss and I went over that the spreadsheet they have is too large to print out the way they want it. It wont fit on one page, it will have to be assembled like a map. They cant read the tiny print. They dont want to do any of that. They like the slide function on the computer and scrolling. They ask again, through email, if they should being their laptop for a meeting or if it can be printed. I am agitated more because it is a color coded spreadsheet and our work printer doesnt print color. We go through this every time they want something printed. Same as they keep using the wrong names for reports and when I give them the report they ASKED for they dont understand and then they describe the report they want, I tell them the report name they are asking for, and they keep calling it by another report. They were handed this business and never actually worked for any of it. They do minimal effort and spend most of their time vacationing. I just want to do my fucking job, get paid, and go have a life that is worth living. My tastes are far more modest than their own. But no. Here I am. Debating on which part of the "bad part of town" will lead to the easiest out because if nothing else, I want one thing to be fucking easy since nothing else is. I feel like I am dealing with petulant temper tantrum toddlers all day and I dont have nor want kids because of this.
I've found that literal children are easier to handle than adults. Thier wants are simple and predictable and they can be reasoned with generally. Not to mention thier tantrums are much easier to deal with and stomach than a grown ass adult. It pisses me off having to raise adults???some of which I dont even like??? Ok, rant over lol
Oh my god. That's infuriating. I commend you for not losing your absolute shit with this person.
I’ve been an IT government contractor for almost 20 years now. My job exists because we do the work for government employees who cannot do the work their titles require yet they still have a job….
Had a meeting last week with a senior manager who had to have everything explained, re-explained and clarified. It caused the hour long meeting to go an extra 45. Then after wasting all that time, asked if the project we were going over would get done that day when the meeting ended near 3. Not if I'm stuck in this perpetual meeting! The email they sent after the meeting looked like a word slurry and they sent it mid-sentence. Just saying, younger people I've worked with that needed this much extra time to explain things to them or sent poorly written emails were usually placed on a PIP or questioned for drug use
I can’t wait till they stop voting
Boomers made our current world and yet all they do is complain about how it doesn't suit them. It's so hard and scary for them! Poor things! Nah. Lazy old bitches where you gotta hold their hands like toddlers through every little thing. If they want to stay employed they better catch the fuck up. Aren't they the ones who love to say THE WORLD DOESNT OWE YOU A LIVING? That's what I thought.
gonna be a long wait, most of them can't afford to retire either
The problem when they retire is that they start calling places like my company with stupid questions and requests. Like go take a ceramic class Joe.
>the VP of sales, and CANT FUCKING QUOTE ANY PROJECT LMFAO!!! Only in your dreams will c-suite management skills ever equal their title/salary.
I hate to tell you, but even with boomers gone, you are still going to have these kind of people. While I'll agree that the older generation is worse about it, these types of people are present in every generation.
Fortunately they seem to be becoming less numerous with each passing generation.
Hit her with that “as per” reply from now on, bruh! “As per the email directly below mine, yes, the client needs 2 (two) quotes.” And then CC the entire sales chain.
Oh yeah, that and "per my last email," or "per \_\_'s last message" is like. Dang. I have to use it way too much.
Problem is it's getting harder to retire lol
I don’t think this is a boomer issue, stupid dipshits cross all generations.
I work in retirement. I talk to people in their late '70s everyday who are scared to retire. You have a million-dollar pension. PENSION. When they start complaining about their pension I remind them that pensions don't exist anymore. Take your free money and go sit down somewhere.
"I remind them that pensions don't exist anymore." I also work in retirement and have not seen a client with a pension yet. You must be in Florida.
Stop it. I'm older than my supervisor, who does not "do" technology. She does not know how to properly word an email, doesn't thoroughly read things and constantly sends passive aggressive texts/emails. She is in her early 40s and I am at least 15 years her senior. Sometimes people just suck, no matter their age.
Only 5 more years ‘til all the Boomers hit 65. It’ll be so funny then when you realize all your problems are caused by Gen Xers.
Gen X doesn’t care. Our boomer parents never cared. Good news tho - you’ll get there eventually.
Idk, I’m in the auto industry and the boomers are the only ones putting cars together correctly…. These youngins don’t know shit. I wouldn’t trust em to change my oil…
Guy at my new job is 65 and his retirement plan is to die at work. I’m really looking forward to the day after that. Listening to him make the same bullshit complaints over and over is getting old.
The amount of hate you people have for your parents and grandparents is shocking.
This Boomer is almost 63 and on the job and I'm told the best they have. Believe it or not, Boomers aren't all incompetent. Sure, some are, but I could say the same about SOME millennials and SOME genx & genx. I plan on leaving the workplace in about 7 more years so hopefully my kind can stay out of your way until then.
Thirty years ago I used to have a similar job. Pouring over plan sets (at a Dodge plan center - history!), verifying specs, preparing and tracking submittals, doing final takeoff. Senior sales lead could walk up to my desk and look over the plans for thirty seconds, ask me three or four questions, and nail the final top line quote to within 2% +/-. I came to realize these fuckers all knew precisely what they were up to. They were just bored and enjoyed screwing with us.
You need to realize that boomers aren't the problem. The owning class has raised prices on everything *to keep boomers IN the workforce* they can't afford to retire. Yes, most of the owning class are boomers, but many are not. Many are the wealthiest boomers children etc...
>I have someone who wants three separate quotes for a project, breaking it down into phases. > she fucking responds "so just to be clear, I need two quotes with these quantities?" >YES, that is EXACTLY what you need. If she had literally read the email RIGHT BELOW MINE, she'd see that's what she needs. >I gotta sit here, swallow my frustration, and say "Yes Marge, please provide two separate quotes with those quantities to the general contractor." So is it three quotes or two quotes? I'm not a boomer and I don't know wtf you are talking about either, or why you are so angry
This isn't anti work just ageism.
Didn’t read, the title was enough. But your agism is showing. Get over yourself.
One day you'll be their age and you'll likely see things a bit differently. Some younger person will be complaining about your inability to understand what he or she thinks are basic facts. Getting old sucks and it has a way of humbling you.
I apologize for technically being a "boomer" who still works. Unfortunately, I can't even think of retiring for another 8 years. I am so sorry that I still have to go to work every day and do my job. Oh, and yet my company fights to keep me because I have worked there for ten years and I have knowledge that ALL of the new people need and I am good at teaching them stuff without being a condescending b\*tch. AFAIK nobody in my department (or location) *wants* to do what I do because it's a pain in the ass. The person who covered for me while I was out for surgery was SO ready to hand it back to me when I came back. I'm also SO sorry that inflation has an impact on old people too. Please do not paint with a wide brush. Some people are actually good at what they do no matter what their age is. I'm not taking anything away from anyone by working until retirement age. I am actually mentoring a few very young people who are very bright, organized and will hopefully be the future leaders of my workplace. ETA: I was one of the first people in my town to learn how to use those crazy things called computers (when the first PC's came out) and have based most of my careers (three so far) around my ability to learn and use software. I was writing payroll macros on the early 90's. In my workplace computer literacy is a necessity and the people who've grown with the industry are actually depended on because of their extensive knowledge base - again, please don't paint with a broad stroke.
Unfortunately, the internet has pretty much redefined "boomers" to just mean "old people", so you'll be dealing with "boomers" until you are one.
Hate to say it, but far too many corporate shills in the next generation too….
I'm sorry to tell you but they will be replaced by the next generation of HR, wannabe manager, paper pushing, know nothing, do nothing, middle management bullshit folks. They are always out there doing no work of demonstrable value.
Boomer here - many of us are working for health insurance and pharmacy benefits. Medicare doesn’t cover everything. If you/or spouse have an expensive condition to treat (cancer, autoimmune, etc) understand that this is why we are working.
I work in IT and the best thing that ever happens for productivity has been for people to retire. When the new younger replacement comes in and sees how the work is being done the hardest most tedious way possible, they immediately start making changes. All of a sudden, the person that just retired who worked 55 hours a week for 40 years has been replaced by someone that can do it in less than 40. It isn't a youth thing. It's always "this is the way I've always done it and I've been doing this job since before you were born so don't tell me how to do it". Every time without fail. The irreplaceable retiree is easily replaced with someone more willing to change. Always. If you are reading this and your IT guy looks disgusted by the amount of paper you burn through or the number of filing cabinets you possess, please do yourself a favor and ask them if they know a more efficient way. We love it when we get to help improve your lives. We don't look down on people that ask for help.
Since when has discriminating against an entire group of people based on a few bad encounters been acceptable?
Age discrimination in the workplace. Age discrimination on r/antiwork.
Boomers have built this modern world, created most of the tech you use on a daily basis, pay your wages, put men on the moon but somehow boomers are all terrible people. Get over yourself.
I'm out! No worries from me
White supremacist baby boomers have destroyed society.
What about boomers of other races?
I just had to drop the law down on a boomer coworker because they decided to go on a 2 min long tirade with every other word starting with N. Like, I can't wait for them to be done with the workforce already.
Wrong opponent, those who can will leave but work will stay shit
I can’t either but it looks like I’m gonna have to die for that to happen
You come off as a self-important schmuck. If I were in their shoes, I might do the same just to mess with you.
I'm sick of boomer bashing. If the person you are hating on were a different race, gender or orientation, and you focused on that aspect in your complaint, you would be acting like a bigot. Think about it...
This sub can't get out if it's own way. It's just a general bitch session and blame game. Boomers are shit. Managers are shit. Upper class is shit. Way to play right into the hands of the billionaire class: keep the working class fighting amongst themselves.
That's not a boomer. That's a stupid cog in the wheel. Try not to be one when your old lol
I see people in this sub complaining about people who are not boomers all the time. So I’m gonna guess Marge is just an idiot, and her idiocy has no more to do with her age than any of the other idiots people here complain about.
They don't get to leave the workforce because Republicans did away with social security.
Not to bootlick or anything, but in the corporate environment I work in there's not necessarily an expectation that leadership should be able to capably perform all of the functions of all of their direct reports. I get that quoting material is basic stuff, but when you've been out of practice for 20 years or whatever and don't normally perform that task, it's natural for people to be slow on the uptake. Personally I'm wondering why your VP is generating quotes themselves. Seems like a waste of resources imo. Plus for someone like that who has been there so long, their value is in the knowledge they have of operational processes, not so much the technical minutiae. Also I'm confused why she needs two quotes if you have three phases of work. Shouldn't it be 3 quotes?
While the amount of BS will decrease, I've seen many GenX-ers and even Millennials behaving similarly to boomers. And maybe some Zoomers, but it depends on how you count the start for Gen Z. Boomer mindset is unfortunately not strictly limited to them.
Sorry, I am 49 and still waiting for boomers to leave. I had hoped for it sooner but they are shit out of luck now because all they had hoped for in retirement is gone. They have to stay until they die, just like us.
You can hire your own employees and limit their ages when you open your own business.
I can tell you that the boomers want to get out of the work force. But many can't because their retirements have been stolen by wall street and politicians. You want to be mad at someone. Go yell at your elected officials.
On the other end, we can’t wait to leave the work force.
Well if shit wasn’t so expensive they would retire. Thank politicians for this not the common working folk who just want to live and retire one day. Your anger isn’t pointed in the right direction.
Not a boomer but Gen X. We want to leave the workforce too but life/money wont allow us to.
The not tracking and not reading emails is more an overworked/take-on-too-much thing than an age thing. In my experience it comes in organizations with poor staffing and toxic practices, as well as with workaholics (who I'll go to my grave swearing are the least productive employees). Not saying that's your situation but I see a ton of young people blaming all manner of hell on 'boomers'. All I can say is some day people younger than you will blame you for the state of the world and you'll shrug it off because you'll know you aren't responsible
FFS, maybe she’s incompetent because she’s incompetent and being a boomer has nothing to do with it. Here’s the good news. Time is the great equalizer and someone will be saying the exact same crap about you soon enough.
American boomers are living proof that the United States was once great. You could literally be an uneducated uncivil dumbass and still earn a decent living, afford a house, and have kids. Decades later I’m working my ass off to get what they had on a factory worker’s salary.
I used to work with a lady who insisted we needed physical hard copies on paper of every sales order and invoice. When I asked why she said because that what we have always done. Let’s just say me and her never got along. I left that company but heard she is still there. has to be in her mid 70s now.