Employers choosing baby boomers over 'snowflake' generation

Research from Benenden Health shows

Adam Saville
clock • 2 min read

Over a third of SME business owners would sooner recruit a 55-year-old than a 24-year-old with same CV

Thirty-six percent of employers would choose someone from the baby boomer generation compared to a fifth (20%) who would opt for a millennial, a study of 1,000 small-to-medium enterprise (SME) owners by Benenden Health has revealed. Data showed business leaders described younger employees as ‘snowflakes' with ‘lower productivity', ‘higher absence rates' and ‘a poorer grasp of the English language'. The study, which also surveyed 1,000 employees, also found that half (56%) of generation Z employees (aged 16-23) felt they had been overlooked for roles due to their age compared to 47% of...

To continue reading this article...

Join COVER for free

  • Unlimited access to real-time news, key trend analysis and industry insights.
  • Stay on top of the latest developments around health and wellbeing, diversity and inclusion and the cost of living crisis.
  • Receive breaking news stories straight to your inbox in the daily newsletter.
  • Members only access to monthly programme 'The COVER Review'
  • Be the first to hear about our CPD accredited events and awards programmes.

Join now

 

Already a Cover member?

Login

More on Employee Benefits

Employers feeling the NICs strain

Employers feeling the NICs strain

NI changes on 6 April

Cameron Roberts
clock 01 April 2025 • 1 min read
Cancer carers to cost UK employers £8.5bn in 2025

Cancer carers to cost UK employers £8.5bn in 2025

Impact on finances, time, careers

Cameron Roberts
clock 28 March 2025 • 3 min read
Howden snaps up Barnett Waddingham

Howden snaps up Barnett Waddingham

Provides platform for expansion in global markets

Jaskeet Briah
clock 25 March 2025 • 2 min read