Each generation has its tropes, but in the case of Baby Boomers, there are a couple of habits that consistently make Millennials and Gen Z groan. They’re not just small things—these can silently put a damper on relationships at the office and at home, particularly as younger generations introduce new standards.
Let’s enumerate the seven most infuriating Boomer behaviors, beginning with the ones that get the most under the skin of their younger peers.
7. Perceiving mental health conversation as unprofessional
For most Boomers, talking about stress, anxiety, or burnout in the workplace is still off-limits. They grew up in a society where you left your troubles at the door and toughed it out, no matter what. But Millennials and Gen Z have different expectations. They expect psychological safety and honest discussions of well-being. When Boomers label mental health conversations as oversharing or unprofessional, it can constitute a rejection of the virtues younger generations cherish. According to VegOut Magazine, Boomer culture tended to decouple work performance and personal wellness, whereas younger generations are clamoring for psychological safety and discursiveness.
6. Putting phone or in-person networking ahead of digital presence
Boomers established their networks during conferences, golf trips, and face-to-face mixers. They might view LinkedIn updates or personal sites as fluff and not actual substance. At the same time, Millennials and Gen Z are creating international networks online, working on Slack channels, and presenting their work online. When Boomers assert that “true” networking is only possible in person, it feels dismissive of the skills that young people have learned online. As per VegOut Magazine, Boomers might consider online networking as vanity, whereas younger professionals consider it a necessity.
5. Assuming silence is agreement in meetings
Boomers had perhaps grown up in environments where they were only allowed to speak in meetings if they had seniority or absolute conviction. They might think quiet equals assent. However, Millennials and Gen Z anticipate leaders to actively encourage dissent and appreciate group brainstorming. When Boomers end a meeting with “no objections, great,” young people are thinking, “I had objections, but you never asked.” This communication disconnect can result in lost opportunities and boiling frustration. As explained by VegOut Magazine, old-school leadership models valued strong authority, but younger employees demand more collaborative input.
4. Assuming loyalty must be earned by the employee, not by the employer
Boomers tended to work for the same company for decades, thinking loyalty is a function of devotion to the brand. They expect younger employees to “pay their dues” before requesting flexibility, raises, or promotions. But Millennials and Gen Z, who have grown up during layoffs and gig-economy turnover, perceive loyalty as a mutual exchange. If expansion slows or the culture is toxic, they’ll leave. When Boomers are insistent on old-fashioned loyalty, it may sound out of touch with the times. As noted by VegOut Magazine, younger workers anticipate that organizations will invest in them first before they make long-term commitments.
3. Viewing feedback as a one-way street
Boomer workplaces were frequently founded on top-down criticism: managers handed down judgments, workers took them in. Many older professionals continue to view feedback as a single transmission—here’s what you must mend. Millennials and Gen Z want feedback to be a two-way conversation, with both parties asking questions and creating solutions together. When Boomers remain in the old script, it can feel suffocating and ineffective. As described by VegOut Magazine, repositioning feedback as a collaborative process bridges the generational divide.
2. Falling back on phone calls for expedient questions
Boomers came up calling friends to plan, so a phone call is cordial and convenient. But for Millennials and Gen Z, an unscheduled call is a screen jump scare—a request for instant attention that interrupts their workflow. They like to have a Slack ping or text, which allows them to get back whenever. When Boomers demand calling for everything little, it feels intrusive and insensitive to boundaries. A simple “ping-then-ring” policy can do the trick, reports VegOut Magazine.
1. Prioritizing “face time” over adaptable outcomes
Number one on the list is the Boomer tendency to confuse presence with commitment. Most Boomers think that showing up early and staying late demonstrates commitment. But Millennials and Gen Z, brought up on cloud logins and virtual offices, prioritize output, not occupancy. When Boomers demand that everyone is in the office “just in case,” young people grumble silently, asking why they should be driving to work when they could get it done better at home. As VegOut Magazine describes it, swapping visibility numbers for clarity numbers—such as deliverables and deadlines—can keep everyone on the same page.
Generational tendencies are not random idiosyncrasies—they’re survival tactics molded by various economic, technological, and cultural environments. But when different tendencies clash, frustration erupts. The good news? With a little explaining to one another and a little willingness to adapt, families and teams can convert friction into forward progress.