Key takeaways
Baby Boomers’ attachment to cash, phone calls, and paper records isn’t stubbornness; it’s been shaped by growing up in an era of scarcity and uncertainty.
Their habits represent a desire for security and tangibility, while younger generations, raised in digital abundance, prioritise convenience and autonomy.
What seems polite to one generation can feel intrusive or passive-aggressive to another.
Boomers see phone calls as genuine connections and ellipses as thoughtful pauses; Gen Z sees them as interruptions or tension. These differences highlight the need for empathy and adaptability in how we communicate at work and in life.
Boomers grew up believing that hard work equalled prosperity. But for younger Australians facing high housing costs and stagnant wages, that equation no longer holds.
Boomers value physical ownership - of homes, DVDs, photo albums, because they equate possession with security. Younger generations prioritise flexibility and digital access.
Whether you’re an investor, business owner, or employer, demographic awareness isn’t just academic, it’s strategic.
Knowing how each generation thinks and behaves helps you predict trends, connect with clients, and build wealth.
Every generation thinks the one before it is out of touch, and the one after it has it easy.
But few divides have been as pronounced, or as fascinating, as the one between Baby Boomers and today’s younger generations.
You’ve probably seen the memes: Boomers still writing cheques, carrying cash, leaving voicemails, or using ellipses (…) in texts.
To younger Australians, these habits seem old-fashioned, even maddening.
But scratch beneath the surface and these quirks reveal something far more meaningful: the story of how each generation’s values were shaped by the times they lived through.
As my Demographics Decoded podcast co-host and leading demographer Simon Kuestenmacher puts it, “Each generation grows old with their own particular background and history in mind, and the next generation enters under a new set of technology, economics, and social circumstances.”
When those worlds collide, in workplaces, families, and even the property market, sparks fly.
But understanding why generations think and behave differently helps us navigate those clashes more thoughtfully.
Let’s look at eight classic Boomer behaviours that younger Australians love to mock, and the lessons they hold about our past, our present, and our future.
For weekly insights, subscribe to the Demographics Decoded podcast, where we will continue to explore these trends and their implications in greater detail.
Subscribe now on your favourite Podcast player:
The love affair with cash
For many Boomers, physical money still feels more trustworthy than anything digital.
Some even keep cash “just in case” or cling to old cheque books that haven’t seen the light of day in years.
Simon traces this back to the Boomers’ upbringing.
“Boomers were raised by parents who lived through two world wars and the Great Depression,” he explains. “Those parents taught their kids that material belongings mattered, because they were tangible, they couldn’t be taken away.”
So when Boomers hold onto cash, it’s not stubbornness, it’s security.
Money they can touch represents control and safety in an uncertain world.
Contrast that with Millennials or Gen Z, who grew up in an age of tap-and-go and digital wallets.
To them, the concept of money is abstract, a number on a screen.
But that abstraction also creates distance from the value of money, which might help explain why younger Australians are more likely to spend impulsively or struggle to save.
Interestingly, this shift in how generations feel about money is reshaping entire industries.
From fintech start-ups to the cashless economy, Australia’s financial system is now catering to digital natives, while still trying not to alienate those who prefer the weight of a $50 note.
Picking up the phone
Note: Boomers love to talk. They see a phone call as polite, efficient, and personal.
For younger generations, however, an unannounced call can feel intrusive, the digital equivalent of knocking on someone’s front door without warning.
Simon explains this divide beautifully:
“For Boomers, a call is the communication equivalent of a handshake; it’s direct and honest.
For Gen Z, it’s a disruption. They prefer the control that comes with texting or sending a voice message.”
In workplaces, this difference often leads to friction.
Older leaders might see younger staff as evasive or uncommunicative, while Gen Z might view constant calls or “urgent” messages as micromanagement.
As I often remind business owners, the best workplaces adapt.
Understanding generational communication preferences isn’t about right or wrong, it’s about building bridges.
You don’t have to abandon the phone call, but you might need to back it up with a quick text first.
The ellipsis dilemma (…)
To a Boomer, the ellipsis is a sign of thoughtfulness, a gentle pause that softens what they’re saying.
To Millennials and Gen Z, it can sound passive-aggressive or ominous, like the digital version of a raised eyebrow.
Simon notes:
“Digital communication lacks a shared grammar between generations. The same symbol means different things depending on when you grew up.”
And it’s not just punctuation. Emojis, too, can create comic misunderstandings.
Tip: A Boomer might send a “thumbs up” to mean “great,” while Gen Z might interpret it as sarcastic or dismissive.
It’s the modern-day equivalent of a foreign language, except both sides think they’re fluent.
The takeaway for employers and marketers?
Tone doesn’t always translate across generations. What seems warm to one group can sound cold or confusing to another.
The paper trail obsession
If you’ve ever seen a Boomer’s desk stacked with printed bills, receipts, and documents, you’ll recognise this one.
Even in a digital world, many still prefer hard copies.
Simon says this habit stems from growing up in uncertain times.
“Boomers were raised to believe that if it’s there, it’s real,” he says. “A paper record can’t be deleted or hacked. It’s tangible proof.”
For digital-first generations, though, paper feels unnecessary, even messy. They trust the cloud, not the filing cabinet.
Businesses need to straddle both worlds.
Financial institutions, for example, can’t go fully digital without alienating older customers, yet younger ones will abandon any company that still insists on snail mail.
The solution lies in flexibility, providing choice rather than assuming one size fits all.
- Also read:Latest Property Price Forecasts Revealed. Australian Property Market Outlook 2026: Where To For Prices With Further Rate Cuts Unlikely.
- Also read:This week’s Australian Property Market Update – Latest Data, State by State December 16th 2025
- Also read:Melbourne property market forecast for 2026 | Is it a good time to invest in Melbourne?
- Also read:Sydney property market forecast for 2026. Is it a good time to invest in Sydney?
- Also read:Brisbane Property Market Forecast [2026] – What’s Ahead & Where to Invest
The avocado toast divide
The infamous “avocado toast” debate perfectly captures the generational rift over money, work, and opportunity.
Boomers see younger Australians as frivolous spenders who should “just work harder.”
Millennials and Gen Z feel they’re playing a rigged game.
Simon explains the demographic context:
“Boomers grew up in an economy where wages rose faster than house prices, and education was affordable.
Working hard genuinely improved your living standards. For today’s young Australians, that link has broken. A small pay rise doesn’t make housing more affordable.”
This disconnect fuels resentment on both sides.
Boomers feel their hard work is being dismissed; younger generations feel their struggles aren’t acknowledged.
But if we look past the stereotypes, both are right.
Boomers did work incredibly hard, but the world they built has changed.
Housing affordability, wage stagnation, and globalisation have rewritten the rules of success.
The real challenge is bridging that understanding, especially for employers managing multi-generational teams, or investors trying to predict future consumer behaviour.
Loyalty vs. job hopping
Boomers often stayed in the same job for decades. Loyalty was a virtue, and stability, a reward.
But as Simon points out:
“Boomers were part of a gigantic workforce cohort. Jobs were scarce, so holding one for 20 years was something to be proud of.”
Today’s younger workers have a very different reality. Low unemployment and new industries mean choice, mobility, and flexibility.
They aren’t less loyal; they’re loyal to purpose, growth, and work-life balance rather than a company name.
For employers, that means adapting their culture. Instead of expecting lifelong service, focus on creating meaningful engagement and growth opportunities.
For property investors, it’s another reminder that lifestyle flexibility, not permanence, is driving how people live and where they rent.
Physical media and the comfort of “stuff”
Shelves full of DVDs, CDs, and printed photo albums: to Boomers, these represent ownership, memories, and pride. For younger Australians, they’re just clutter.
Simon says this difference reflects how generations view permanence.
“Boomers were raised to believe that if you own something physically, it can’t be taken away,” he says. “Younger generations, with less space and more mobility, prefer everything in the cloud.”
But he also points out a fascinating twist: “Every trend creates its countertrend.”
As streaming dominates, vinyl records, printed books, and even Polaroids are making a comeback. We crave the tactile in a digital world.
The broader insight? Consumer behaviour isn’t linear.
Understanding generational preferences helps businesses anticipate these pendulum swings, and profit from them.
The fear of letting go
Ultimately, all these habits point to a single truth: Boomers value security, ownership, and control, because they lived through times when those things weren’t guaranteed.
Simon sums it up well: “Every generation struggles when they realise they’ve become the older generation.”
He admits that even he was startled when Gen Z started mocking Millennials.
“I thought, wait, we’re the ones who are supposed to make fun of the old people!” he laughs. “But that’s the sign you’re getting older.”
Boomers’ behaviours made perfect sense in their own context.
Their children and grandchildren will eventually develop habits that drive their kids crazy too.
That’s how society evolves, not in harmony, but in a constant generational dance.
The bigger picture: what it means for investors and business leaders
These generational quirks might seem like harmless fun, but they have real implications.
For businesses, understanding how people think and communicate is crucial for marketing, customer service, and leadership.
For property investors, it’s essential for predicting where and how people want to live.
At Metropole, we often say demographics drive markets.
Short-term shifts like interest rates or government policy make headlines, but long-term wealth comes from aligning with demographic demand.
That means owning the right kind of property, the type that will appeal to the affluent demographic of the future.
Boomers shaped Australia’s property landscape.
Millennials and Gen Z will reshape it again, valuing location, flexibility, sustainability, and lifestyle over size or status.
Understanding these shifts isn’t just interesting, it’s profitable.
Final thoughts
Generational habits are more than quirks; they’re clues to how our society is evolving.
The things that frustrate us about each other: cash versus cards, phone calls versus texts, permanence versus flexibility, all stem from the environments we grew up in.
As Simon says, “Demography teaches us that humans adapt — but we’re never in sync.” That’s what makes our world dynamic, creative, and full of opportunity.
So next time a Boomer insists on calling instead of texting, or a Gen Z refuses to print something, smile.
You’re witnessing history in motion, one generation learning to understand the next.
If you found this discussion helpful, don't forget to subscribe to our podcast and share it with others who might benefit.
Subscribe now on your favourite Podcast player:
