Preview

reviewof empirical

Powerful Essays
Open Document
Open Document
7956 Words
Grammar
Grammar
Plagiarism
Plagiarism
Writing
Writing
Score
Score
reviewof empirical
J Bus Psychol (2010) 25:201–210
DOI 10.1007/s10869-010-9165-6

A Review of the Empirical Evidence on Generational Differences in Work Attitudes
Jean M. Twenge

Published online: 18 February 2010
Ó Springer Science+Business Media, LLC 2010

Abstract
Purpose This article reviews the evidence for generational differences in work values from time-lag studies
(which can separate generation from age/career stage) and cross-sectional studies (which cannot). Understanding generational shifts is especially important given the coming retirement of Baby Boomer workers and their replacement by those born after 1982 (GenMe/GenY/Millennials).
Findings Most studies, including the few time-lag studies, show that GenX and especially GenMe rate work as less central to their lives, value leisure more, and express a weaker work ethic than Boomers and Silents. Extrinsic work values (e.g., salary) are higher in GenMe and especially GenX. Contrary to popular conceptions, there were no generational differences in altruistic values (e.g., wanting to help others). Conflicting results appeared in desire for job stability, intrinsic values (e.g., meaning), and social/affiliative values (e.g., making friends). GenX, and especially GenMe are consistently higher in individualistic traits. Overall, generational differences are important where they appear, as even small changes at the average mean that twice or three times as many individuals score at the top of the distribution.
Implications To recruit GenMe, companies should focus on work–life balance issues and flexible schedules. Programs based on volunteering, altruistic values, social values, or meaning in work will likely be no more successful than they were for previous generations. The lack of generational differences in job hopping suggests that GenMe workers who are satisfied will be retained.
J. M. Twenge (&)
Department of Psychology, San Diego State University,
5500 Campanile Drive, San Diego, CA



References: Alsop, R. (2008). The trophy kids go to work. The Wall Street Journal, October 21 Appelbaum, S. H., Serena, M., & Shapiro, B. T. (2004). Generation X and the Boomers: Organizational myths and literary realities. Arnett, J. J. (2004). Emerging adulthood. New York: Oxford University Press. (2001). Bad is stronger than good. Review of General Psychology, 5, 323–370. Busch, P., Venkitachalam, K., & Richards, D. (2008). Generational differences in soft knowledge situations: Status, need for Cennamo, L., & Gardner, D. (2008). Generational differences in work values, outcomes and person-organisation values fit Chao, L. (2005). For Gen Xers, it’s work to live: Allowing employees to strike balance between job and life can lead to better retention (2008). Secular changes in psychophysically determined maximum acceptable weights and forces over 20 years for male industrial workers Cohen, J. (1977). Statistical power analysis for the behavioral sciences D’Amato, A., & Herzfeld, R. (2008). Learning orientation, organizational commitment, and talent retention across generations: A study of European managers Davis, J. B., Pawlowski, S. D., & Houston, A. (2006). Work commitments of Baby Boomers and Gen-Xers in the IT Dries, N., Pepermans, R., & De Kerpel, E. (2008). Exploring four generations’ beliefs about career: Is ‘‘satisfied’’ the new ‘‘successful’’? Journal of Managerial Psychology, 23, 907–928. Dumais, S. A. (2009). The academic attitudes of American teenagers, 1990–2002: Cohort and gender effects on math achievement. Families and Work Institute. (2006). Generation and gender in the workplace Gloeckler, G. (2008). The millennials invade the B-schools. Business Week, 47–50 Harris Poll. (2008). Widely held attitudes to different generations. August 20, 2008, from http://www.harrisinteractive.com/news/ allnewsbydate.asp?NewsID=1328. Hira, N. A. (2007). Attracting the twentysomething worker. Fortune (online exclusive), May 15, 2007 Howe, N., & Strauss, W. (2000). Millennials rising: The next great generation Jurkiewicz, C. L. (2000). Generation X and the public employee. Kowske, B. J., Rasch, R., & Wiley, J. (2010). Millennials’ (lack of) attitude problem: An empirical examination of generation effects Lancaster, L. C., & Stillman, D. (2003). When generations collide: Who they are, why they clash Low, K. S. D., Yoon, M., Roberts, B. W., & Rounds, J. (2005). The stability of vocational interests from early adolescence to middle Malhotra, N., & Krosnick, J. A. (2007). The effect of survey mode and sampling on inferences about political attitudes and behavior: Comparing the 2000 and 2004 ANES to Internet surveys Needleman, S. E. (2008). The latest office perk: Getting paid to volunteer Schaie, K. W. (1965). A general model for the study of developmental problems Sessa, V. I., Kabacoff, R. I., Deal, J., & Brown, H. (2007). Sirias, D., Karp, H. B., & Brotherton, T. (2007). Comparing the levels of individualism/collectivism between baby boomers and generation X Smola, K. W., & Sutton, C. D. (2002). Generational differences: Revisiting generational work values for the new millennium. Tulgan, B. (2009). Not everyone gets a trophy: How to manage Generation Y 123 J Bus Psychol (2010) 25:201–210 Twenge, J. M. (2001). Changes in women’s assertiveness in response to status and roles: A cross-temporal meta-analysis, 1931–1993. Twenge, J. M. (2006). Generation Me: Why today’s young Americans are more confident, assertive, entitled—and more miserable than Twenge, J. M., & Campbell, W. K. (2001). Age and birth cohort differences in self-esteem: A cross-temporal meta-analysis. Twenge, J. M., & Campbell, S. M. (2008). Generational differences in

You May Also Find These Documents Helpful

  • Better Essays

    Dohm, Arlene. (2000, July). Gauging the Labor Force Effects of Retiring Baby-Boomers. Monthly Labor Review.…

    • 3105 Words
    • 13 Pages
    Better Essays
  • Good Essays

    America has about five generations that function in our society today, and they are Traditionalists, Baby Boomers, Generation X, Generation Y, and the Millennial. It is interesting the way that an age gap influences the thinking of millions of people in different generations. Different times and situations require that different strategies be put in place for the following generation. Solutions that worked for one generation may be less useful for the next, so sometimes, because of the age gap, these solutions cause disagreements. These various ideologies all have one goal, and that is to be successful. We will discuss the path of the Baby Boomers and Generation X in the workplace environment.…

    • 776 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Satisfactory Essays

    Another demographic trend is the age mix. The aging trend has now created what some have called generational or age diversity in the workplace. For the first time, for distinct generations comprise today’s workforce---the Traditionalists (1900-1945), the Baby Boomers (1946-1964), the Generation Xers (1965-1980), and the Millennials (1981-2000). Different generations have different attitudes and values,…

    • 403 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Satisfactory Essays
  • Better Essays

    Patterson, C. (2007). The Impact of Generational Diversity in the Workplace. Diversity Factor, 15(3), 17-22.…

    • 2280 Words
    • 10 Pages
    Better Essays
  • Better Essays

    The Millennial Generation

    • 1392 Words
    • 6 Pages

    With technology easily accessible throughout their lives, it is easy to say the Millennial Generation had it easy, and they did. They take for granted the ease of access and the quick flow of information, a thing unlike any prior generation. Some may even say that they abuse their use of technology by using it at inappropriate or unnecessary times. Next, the generation’s expectations are far too high when looking for a job. David Bass takes this side of the argument. Although a Millennial himself, Bass describes a generation forcing themselves into massive debt, and then blaming outside factors. “... many reasons for my generation’s predicament… a direct result of our own choices.” (Bass, 31). With low employment rates, the Millennial Generation would rather go into debt than finding a job. Millennials will go to an undergraduate school for a four degree. Afterwards, unsure of what to do, they will then go to graduate school amassing an even larger debt. During this time period, the Millennial Generation will have also gained a large credit debit, setting them even further behind. These “self inflicted wounds” force Millennials to move in with the parents as they can’t afford, or can’t function, on their own. With all the schooling behind them, Millennials hold a higher expectation in their future job force than what is realistic. With this false reality, Millennials might reject jobs they see as beneath them. It is due the unrealistic employment placement that makes the Millennials seem lazy. Is it entirely their faults,…

    • 1392 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Better Essays
  • Best Essays

    The U.S. workforce contains four different generations of workers: the Silent Generation, Baby Boomers, Generation X, and Millennials. There is however, a consensus among experts that the two largest generations creating change in the workplace are the Baby Boomers and Millennials (Gesell, 2010). Understanding generational gaps in the workplace is critical in today’s business environment. Bridging those gaps can help ensure a productive, cohesive, and successful…

    • 3591 Words
    • 15 Pages
    Best Essays
  • Better Essays

    Examples Of Ageism

    • 1090 Words
    • 5 Pages

    However, the results of the younger worker were as explained above, much different compared to the older worker. They were favored greatly by employers and will be the first to get promoted. This study has proven a glimpse of ageism and how it effects the work force. Overall, ageism is indeed a continuingly…

    • 1090 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Better Essays
  • Better Essays

    Baby Boomers are defined as the group of people born from approximately 1946 – 1963. They welcome team-based work, especially as an anti-authoritarian declaration to "The Silents" ahead of them, but they can become very political when their turf is threatened. They long to stabilize their careers.…

    • 1107 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Better Essays
  • Good Essays

    Floundering Research Paper

    • 1015 Words
    • 5 Pages

    In the depths of the terrible Recession, school graduates from the millennial generation, those who were born between the 1980s and 1990s, are floundering due to appalling economic conditions. Recent statistics of the census show how only 45.7 % of the millennials are employed. That would mean almost half of the millennial generation is unemployed, this rate has never been that low since the end War World Two. Many factors can contribute to that, like for example lack of motivation, or struggle finding jobs. In the other hand teens aren’t that far from the millennials rate. Recent census show teenagers are at 25 percent of unemployment. Assuming that the…

    • 1015 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Best Essays

    De Meuse, K. P., & Mlodzik, K. J. (2010). A Second Look at Generational Differences in the Workplace: Implications for HR and Talent Management. People and Strategy, 33(2), 50-58. Retrieved from http://search.proquest.com.laureatech.idm.oclc.org/…

    • 2293 Words
    • 10 Pages
    Best Essays
  • Better Essays

    Henry Ford

    • 1880 Words
    • 8 Pages

    Cited: Armour, Stephanie. “Generation Y: They 've arrived at work with a new attitude.” USA Today, 27 Nov 2009: 11-12. Print.…

    • 1880 Words
    • 8 Pages
    Better Essays
  • Powerful Essays

    Workplace Ethnography

    • 1790 Words
    • 6 Pages

    Tolbize, A. (2008). Generational differences in the workplace. Research And Training Center On Community Living, 1--21.…

    • 1790 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Powerful Essays
  • Best Essays

    Paper

    • 3173 Words
    • 13 Pages

    There are four groups of generations in today’s workplace: Traditionalists, Baby Boomers, Generation Xers, and Millennials. Each group is unique and a valued part of the organization they belong to however, each group prefers to work in different ways and expects different things out of their career. Whereas Traditionalists are concerned with moving up the corporate ladder, Millenials are concerned with higher education and skills they learn that can be taken with them on their next career move. Generation Xers and Millennials also dress differently than the older generations as well as view work/home balance more importantly than prior generations.…

    • 3173 Words
    • 13 Pages
    Best Essays
  • Good Essays

    As “Baby Boomers”, people born between the years of 1946-1964, begin to retire, the new generation is stepping into their shoes. Generation X (born between 1965-1976) and Generation Y or Generation M.E. (born between 1977-1998) are a new generation of leaders who have entirely different characteristics than their elders. They balance their time between home and work. The new generations want rewarding, intellectually stimulating work. They thrive on a more individualized approach to management. Creativity, independence, and forward thinking are all equally important to these new generations. The Baby Boomer generation believes in “paying your dues” (Mindtools.com, 2011) and showing your loyalty by working long hours. They have traditionally felt that working is life, and if you hate your job, well then that is just part of life. It is easy to see there are many differences between the generations and adjustments must be made based on the different characteristics and leadership styles.…

    • 827 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Powerful Essays

    Chang, E. (1999) ‘Career Commitment as a Complex Moderator of Organizational Commitment and Turnover Intention’, Human Relations, 52(10): 1257 – 78.…

    • 13663 Words
    • 55 Pages
    Powerful Essays