Is your meeting ready for the silver tsunami of babies?

While a hot topic these days is how to attract and retain Millennials and Gen Z, Baby Boomers are still a major player in the workforce and in meetings.

Baby boomers may only make up about 19% of today’s workforce, but the so-called “Silver Tsunami” born between 1956 and 1964 remains an important group of players, as many delay retirement to remain active in their careers and attend conferences and activities.

In addition to the experience and expertise they bring as speakers, field mentors, and influencers, Baby Boomers tend to have 2.5 times the discretionary spending power of Generation Z. And they tend to spend more than Gen Z’s younger counterparts. Plus most people tend to be decision-makers at this stage of their careers, and they are an attractive demographic for exhibitors and sponsors.

How important is this population to meetings and events? One sign of its staying power is the growth of events specifically targeting the interests and needs of baby boomers, such as the Boomerama 50+ Health and Age Less Living Expo, “made by boomers for boomers,” which combines health expos , tourism expo and education summit.

How to meet the needs of baby boomers and younger colleagues

As multi-generational meetings become a reality for most meeting and event planners, the key is finding common ground of shared values.

Personalization and individualization. All generations tend to appreciate customized agenda planning and personalized experiences, so many organizers tend to cater to more advanced attendees as well as younger generations.

health and wellness It is also a value shared across generations, although the manner in which it is implemented may require careful consideration. For example, baby boomers tend to be the heaviest drinkers, while Gen Z is less likely to be binging on drinks at bars. While the trend is only just starting to catch on, savvy organizers are offering a wider range of mocktails and top-notch mocktails as well as more traditional cocktails at the bar, giving everyone options. It also makes sense to offer a range of wellness activities, from yoga classes and meditation to more energetic fun runs and HIIT classes. Healthy food choices are another generational cross-section, with most people wanting and appreciating healthy food choices and clearly labeled ingredients.

Comfort and accessibility. Again, this is important for all generations, but baby boomers may also appreciate a quieter space to escape the noise and sensory overload, as well as clear signage and an easy-to-navigate layout. Even though off-site activities are all within walking distance, baby boomers and others who may have physical limitations will appreciate the shuttle, or at least the information on where and how to Uber to the event. Also make sure lighting throughout the event space is bright enough for people with visual impairments, and that aisles and other room setting elements are wide enough to accommodate walkers, wheelchairs and other assistive devices.

technology. While they grew up in an era that was far less digital than their youngest colleagues, all generations appreciate event technology because it makes it easier for people to take advantage of everything events have to offer. For baby boomers (and others who may have hearing or vision loss), closed captioning, ASL translation, the use of larger fonts on digital signage, and event apps with larger text and intuitive navigation are popular across generations of appreciation. Having a tech support kiosk where boomers and others can go if they need help with any of the digital components of the event is also welcome.

Sustainability. Baby boomers also tend to share concerns about sustainability with their younger colleagues, so an easy way to please everyone in this field is to implement eco-friendly practices like paperless invitations and clearly marked recycling options.

You may also be interested in…

Exclusive: Claire Lester on bridging the generation gap

Incentives: Next Generation

Site and chapter leaders plan for industry’s future

Image provided by Freepik.com