76 million children were born in the U.S. between 1945 and 1964, the worldwide phenomenon called the baby boom generation.
Baby boomers are often said to think of themselves as special because they’ve been part of so much social and economic change in the world. They’re the first generation to grow up with TV. And in the U.S., being a baby boomer became synonymous with moving to the suburbs.
At the moment, the oldest baby boomers are already in their 60s. By 2030, about one in five Americans will be older than 65, and some people think the aging of the population will place a strain on social welfare systems.
But they’re hard workers — and their experience can often come in handy for companies looking for talent and good old-fashioned know-how. Here’s a list of companies we found to be among the best for this age group.
Nugget Markets
Revenues: N/A
Headquarters: Woodland, Calif.
Number of employees: 1,313
Baby boomer headcount: 132
Started in 1926, this Northern California-based conventional grocery store chain offers its baby boomer employees some “unconventional” opportunities.
Those include flexible working schedules, competitive or better than average salaries along with the “best benefits” in the grocery industry. Combine that with treating all workers “as family,” said Mary Muller, the store’s director of human resources, and it all adds up to making Nugget a “world-class employer.”
See the other perks at Nugget Markets on our 100 Best Companies to work for list here.
World Wide Technology
Revenues: $6.7 billion
Headquarters: New York City
Number of Employees: 3,110
Baby boomer headcount: 568
The baby boomer set finds much to like working at this technology and supply chain solutions firm. It starts with benefits such as WWT providing 90% health care coverage for all employees.
There’s also a yearly employee profit sharing plan and a 401k company matching plan of up to 6 percent from the privately held firm.
A company spokesperson said that while WWT treats all its workers the same, “We do, however, look to our more experienced employees to take an active leadership role in mentoring and coaching our new employee base.”
In a not so shameless plug for Fortune, the spokesperson said being on magazine’s best companies to work for list helps in recruiting and maintaining the workforce.
See the other perks at World Wide Technology on our 100 Best Companies to work for list here.
Kimpton Group
Revenues: N/A
Headquarters: San Francisco
Number of employees: 8,320
Baby boomer headcount: 1,248
In business since 1981, this hotel and restaurant chain is a place where “every voice is heard and employees are encouraged to share ideas, concerns or anything else on their minds,” said Mary Ann Holt, Kimpton’s director of people and culture.
Holt added that Kimpton has a strong culture of community support and involvement.
And employees, said Holt, really like the encouragement and support that Kimpton gives them to contribute time, energy and funds to their local and global communities.
See the other perks at Kimpton Group on our 100 Best Companies to work for list here.
Camden Property Trust
Revenues: $813 million
Headquarters: Houston
Number of employees: 1,746
Baby boomer headcount: 221
"Stable" is the word that this real estate investment trust firm uses to explain why baby boomers like working there. Founded in 1982 by the two guys who still run the company, Camden “has many long-tenured team members -- and this widespread tenure creates cultural consistency throughout the organization,” said a company spokesperson.
There are many opportunities for internal promotion, along with competitive salaries and benefits as well. Also attractive to baby boomers is Camden’s “tradition of rewarding team members based on merit and recognizing individual achievement.”
And to put an exclamation point on its older workforce, Camden “values the unique skills and perspectives baby boomers bring to the team."
See the other perks at Camden on our 100 Best Companies to work for list here.
Edward Jones
Revenues: $6.378 billion
Headquarters: Des Peres, Missouri
Number of employees: 40,142 in U.S. and Canada
Baby boomer headcount: 12,614 in U.S. and Canada
With 12,000 locations around the world and some 7 million clients, this financial services company “was founded on the principle that the people who work for the firm are the source of its success.”
For the baby boomers as well as all the firm’s employees, that means sharing the profits, being in a culture of caring that “helps associates through personal and professional challenges,” and partnership to those who “demonstrate significant contributions to the firm.”
CHG Healthcare Services
Revenues: N/A
Headquarters: Salt Lake City
Number of employees: 1,764
This health care staffing provider is a real boon for baby boomers. Especially attractive is the benefits package, with its low medical deductibles, free onsite health clinic, 401(k) match, and paid time off to volunteer in the community.
CHG also does a lot of promoting from within, making it easier to stay around for a longer time, according to the company.
But that doesn’t mean the company stops searching for new talent. CHG is “always on the lookout for strong external candidates who can make CHG stronger with their experience and leadership skills.”
See the other perks at CHG on our 100 Best Companies to work for list here.
Ultimate Software
Revenues: $506 million
Headquarters: Weston, Fla.
Number of employees: 2,622
When it comes to health care benefits, it may be hard to find a better place than this HR and payroll software developer. Ultimate pays 100% of the premium cost for employees and their families for medical healthcare coverage, dental, prescription, and vision.
Also, many departments at Ultimate sponsor biannual trips that include many expenses paid for both employees and their family members, to such destinations as the Bahamas’ Atlantis Hotel and Orlando’s Disney World, Universal Studios, and Epcot.
Cooley LLP
Revenues: $802 million
Headquarters: San Francisco
Number of employees: 1,850 lawyers across 12 offices in the United States, China and Europe
This international law firm said many of its lawyers have been there for a long time. But it’s not just about the work at Cooley that makes it attractive for baby boomers. Cooley “values individuals who are educated and lead active, balanced, happy, lives. We want people with strong a work ethic, but who also value socializing with their colleagues.”
To help create the fun, Cooley offers generous family leave policies, and a fitness/gym reimbursement plan.
See the other perks at Cooley on our 100 Best Companies to work for list here.
David Weekley Homes
Headquarters: Houston
Baby boomer headcount: 318
To help the older generation work their way up and through the years, David Weekley offers comprehensive healthcare coverage for employees and their relatives, as well as generous 401(k) and profit sharing plans.
To keep the home construction pipeline flowing, David Weekley says it “will continue to seek individuals whose talents and values fit with our culture and goals.”
See the other perks at David Weekley Homes on our 100 Best Companies to work for list here.
