Out to Pasture

There is a lot of hype surrounding the emergence of the millennial generation as a major factor in the workforce. In 2015 millennials comprised 34% of the workforce compared to 29% for the boomers, and by 2020 46% of the workforce will be Millennials. This will represent a powerful shift as younger leadership take control of the economy. But wait a minute. Gen-Xers and Boomers are fighting back against the push to staff-up with millennials. In yesterday’s Wall Street Journal it was reported that two men, ages 53 and 47, filed a class action suit against PwC, the firm that bills itself as the “place to work for millennials.” The suit alleges that PwC rejected their applications for employment because they lacked the “youthful” profile of millennials, and violates the Age Discrimination in Employment Act. This may or may not be true, but it does highlight the growing wave of changes and significant impact that the emergence of the millennial generation will bring to the workplace. This sea change will also be exacerbated by the fact that the baby-boomer generation will be working longer creating an even greater stress as millennials take the helm.