Employee Generation
G
and Workplace
Experience:
Relationship to Workplace Satisfaction
and Workplace Climate Perceptions
Katerine Osatuke, Scott C. Moore, Jonathan Fishman,
Jill Draime, Sue R. Dyrenforth
Background for The Study
Generational
G
ti
l differences
diff
among employees
l
are in
i the
th focus
f
of attention within Veterans Health Administration (VHA):
g g workforce demographics
g p
•
Quicklyy changing
•
VHA strives to account for these changes in workforce
development planning
In research literature,
literature two strategies of studying
generational differences:
g
• One is based on age
• Birth generation of workers has implications for workplace climate and
job satisfaction because of its potential to lead to workplace conflict
(e.g., Kupperschmidt, 2000).
• Another is based on stage
• Perceptions change with time, so amount of experience on the job is a
factor in workplace perceptions ((e.g.,
g Jurkiewicz, 2000).
)
• Partial empirical support for both perspectives, but
findings remain inconclusive
• Many available summaries /recommendations on gender and
generational differences are anecdotally, not empirically, based.
Focus of This Study
Purpose: This study explored relative importance of
p
differences in satisfaction and workplace
perceptions among generations of employees
• Also accounting for length of experience at
particular workplace, and gender
Data Used:
•
Qualitative: workplace assessment interviews
•
Quantitative: VHA All Employee Survey (AES)
Groups compared in AES data:
• Respondents whose age placed them into the
categories of baby boomers (50-59),
(50 59), X generation
(30-39), and Millennials (20-29)
Qualitative Data
Method
p
assessments ask respondents
p
to
• VHA workplace
describe strengths, weaknesses, and desired
changes in their organizations.
• Interview data analyzed, themes relevant to
generational differences summarized
Principal Findings
p y
experience
p
at the specific
p
workplace
p
• Employees’
was salient, and generational differences were not
salient in respondents’ perspective within the
context
t t off discussing
di
i strengths
t
th and
d weaknesses
k
of their organizations
Quantitative Data
Method:
• We examined differences in AES ratings among the groups
of respondents whose age placed them into the categories
of Baby Boomers, X generation, and Millennials.
• Since differences in Supervisory level may contribute to
differences in ratings,
ratings only Frontline employees (non
(nonsupervisory) were examined.
g
between employees
p y
who worked more
• We distinguished
than, or less than 2 years at their current workplace, by
using ratings of overall satisfaction versus 2 years ago
• This AES question instructs to rate N/A if the respondent has worked
at the current workplace for less than 2 years
• If rated N/A, respondent placed in the sample with less than 2 years
of experience at current workplace
• If rated 1,2,3,4,or 5 (not N/A, not missing), respondent placed in the
sample with more than 2 years of experience
• We used a series of univariate ANOVAs on size-balanced
samples that were randomly selected from all the AES
respondents who had the demographics of interest
Scores Compared Across Groups: Satisfaction
“Compared to what you think it should be, how satisfied are you with… “
• the type of work that you currently do?
• the amount of work that you currently do?
Likert type scale
Likert-type
scale, 1 to 5:
• amount of pay that you receive?
from Not At All to Very
• relationships you have with your coworkers?
Satisfied
• quality of direct supervision you receive?
• quality of senior managers at your facility?
• number of opportunities
pp
for p
promotion?
• working conditions in your job?
• the amount of praise that you receive?
• the quality of work you provide to the organization?
Compared to what you think it should be, how satisfied do you think the
customers of your organization are with the products and services it
provides?
Compared to what you think it should be, what is your current overall level of
satisfaction with your job?
Compared to what it was two years ago
ago, how is your overall level of satisfaction
with your job? -- Likert-type scale, 1 to 5: from Much Less to Much More
Satisfied
Scores Compared Across Groups:
Workplace Perceptions
Civility: single score based on 8 AES items:
• People treat each other with respect in my work group
group.
• A spirit of cooperation and teamwork exists in my work group.
• Disputes or conflicts are resolved fairly in my work group.
• The p
people
p I work with take a p
personal interest in me.
• The people I work with can be relied on when I need help.
• This organization does not tolerate discrimination.
• Differences among
g individuals are respected
p
and valued in my
y work g
group.
p
• Managers/supervisors/team leaders work well with employees of different
backgrounds in my work group.
Customer Focus: single score based on 4 items:
• Products, services and work processes are designed to meet customer needs
and expectations.
• Customers of my work group are informed about the process for seeking
assistance, commenting, and/or complaining about products and services.
• Employees in my work group are involved in improving the quality of products,
services,, and work processes.
p
• Employees in my work group have the job-relevant knowledge and skills
necessary to accomplish organizational goals.
Scores Compared Across Groups:
Workplace Perceptions--CONTINUED
Management for Achievement : single score based on 10 items:
OAI 1,, 2,, 3,, 4,, 5,, 8,, 15,, 17,, 21,, 25))
• My supervisor is fair in recognizing individual accomplishments.
• My supervisor is fair in recognizing team accomplishments.
y work group,
g p, employees
p y
are rewarded for p
providing
g high
g q
quality
yp
products and
• In my
services to customers.
• I am given a real opportunity to develop my skills in my work group.
• New practices and ways of doing business are encouraged in my work group.
• Managers
M
sett challenging
h ll
i and
d yett attainable
tt i bl performance
f
goals
l ffor my work
k group.
• Supervisors/team leaders understand and support employee family/personal life
responsibilities in my work group.
• My workgroup manager reviews and evaluates the progress toward meeting goals
and objectives of the organization.
• My supervisor provides fair and accurate ratings of employee performance.
• I have a lot of say about what happens on my job.
These 3 factors emerged as underlying dimensions of workplace
ratings in Exploratory Factor Analyses by Meterko et al.
(2009) We hypothesized them as likely to reflect influence of employee
(2009).
differences in Generation and Workplace Experience.
Quantitative Data: Principal Findings
Overall: Effects of Generation and Experience at Current
Workplace
Satisfaction:
G
Generation
had statistically significant,
f
iff small, effects
ff
for
f satisfaction
f
with type of work (older generations--higher ratings),
with senior management (Millennials’ ratings higher than others’),
promotion opportunities (Millennials
(Millennials’ ratings higher than others’)
others )
and non-significant effects for all the other examined aspects of satisfaction
Having Spent > 2 Years versus < 2 Years at the Current Workplace had
significant
i ifi
t and
d large
l
main
i effects
ff t for
f all
ll the
th examined
i d satisfaction
ti f ti
aspects and for overall job satisfaction:
In every instance, those with less experience had higher ratings
Workplace Perceptions:
Generation had significant, if small, effects for Customer Focus only
(Millennials’ ratings higher than others’)
Having Spent > 2 Years versus < 2 Years at the Current Workplace had
significant and large main effects for all the three dimensions
examined: Civility,
Civility Customer Focus,
Focus Management for Achievement
In every instance, those with less experience had higher ratings
Quantitative Data: Principal Findings
• Men versus Women (as separate subsamples):
Effects of Generation and Experience at Current Workplace
Satisfaction:
• For men and for women alike, Experience had
significant effects on more aspects of satisfaction than
G
Generation
did, and these were much stronger effects
ff
• In every instance, those with 2+ years of experience had lower ratings
than those with <2 years of experience
Workplace perceptions:
• Both Generation and Experience at the current
workplace had significant effects on all the three
workplace dimensions we examined
• Experience had stronger effects than generation
• In every instance, those with 2+ years of experience had lower ratings
than those with <2 years of experience
• All main effects were stronger (F values twice as large)
f men th
for
than they
th were for
f women.
Quantitative Data: Principal Findings
• Employees with More Than,
Than versus Less Than,
Than 2 years at Current
Workplace (as separate subsamples):
Effects of Generation and Gender
Employees with <2 years of experience:
Satisfaction: significant effects
• both Generation and Gender—on Pay
• B
Boomers mostt satisfied,
ti fi d Xers—least,
X
l
t Mill
Millennials
i l iin b
between—except
t
t for
f men
Millennials and men Xers who had similar low scores;
• Also, in all generations women more satisfied than men except for Xers where men
and women had the same low means
• Generation only—on Working Conditions (Xers with <2 years of
experience less satisfied than Boomers and Millennials with <2 years of
experience) and Senior Management (younger generations more satisfied);
• Gender only—on
only on Type of Work (women more satisfied than men) and
Coworker Relationships (women less satisfied than men—especially
Millennial women)
Workplace perceptions: significant effects
• Both Generation and Gender—on Civility (women—lower ratings than
men; Millennials—higher ratings than older generations);
• Gender effect was stronger than Generation effect
effect,
• No significant effects for Management For Achievement and for
Customer Focus
Quantitative Data: Principal Findings
Employees with More Than, versus Less Than, 2 years at
Current Workplace (as separate subsamples):
Effects of Generation and Gender
Employees with >2 years of experience:
Satisfaction:
• More
M
differences
diff
related
l d to Generation
G
i and
d Gender
G d for
f
employees with more than 2 years than for those with less than 2
years of workplace experience
• Significant effects of Both Generation & Gender:
on Type of Work, Pay, Senior Mgmt, Ovrall Sat
• women’s scores always higher than men’s--except similarly high scores on Pay for
women Boomers and women Millennials;
• Boomers most satisfied, Xers—least, Millennials in between—except similar low
scores for men Xers and men Millennials on Type of Work and Pay
on Amount
• lower scores for Xers than for others;
• lower scores for men then for women
on Promotion Opportunities
• higher scores for Boomers than for others;
• higher scores for women than for men
Quantitative Data: Principal Findings
Employees with More Than, versus Less Than, 2 years at
Current Workplace (as separate subsamples):
Effects of Generation and Gender
Employees with >2 years of experience:
Satisfaction:
• Significant
Si ifi
effects
ff
off G
Generation
i only—on
l
P i
Praise
• Men Millennials—higher ratings than other men
• Significant effects of Gender only:
on Coworker
C
k R
Relationships
l ti
hi and
d Direct
Di
t Supervision:
S
i i
• women—higher scores
on Working Conditions
• women Boomers—higher
B
hi h scores th
than men B
Boomers
Workplace perceptions:
Significant effects of both Generation and Gender:
on all
ll 3 dimensions
di
i
(Civility,
(Ci ilit Customer
C t
Focus,
F
Management
M
t for
f
Achievement);
• Millennials most satisfied, Xers—least, Boomers in between; in all instances, women
gave higher ratings than men
• Effects of comparable strength
Quantitative Data: Principal Findings
• E
Employees
l
with
ith More
M
Than,
Th
versus Less
L
Than,
Th
3 years
within the VA System (as separate subsamples):
Effects of Generation and Experience at Current Workplace
Employees with less than 3 years within VA:
Satisfaction:
• Significant and large effects of Experience at Current Workplace on
all Satisfaction aspects examined
• More experience at current workplace, less favorable ratings
• Statistically significant effects (but 10 to 20 times smaller) of
Generation on all Satisfaction aspects except Direct Supervision
• Summarizing the differences, Boomers are more satisfied than the other two
cohorts, Xers less satisfied than the other two cohorts
• Millennials are like Boomers on some satisfaction aspects (e.g Working
Conditions, Senior Management), like Xers on others (e.g. Type of Work),
and in between Boomers and Xers on yet others (e.g. Promotion).
Employees with more than 3 years within VA:
Satisfaction:
• Significant effects of Experience at Current Workplace on all
Satisfaction aspects examined
• More experience at current workplace, less favorable ratings
• No significant effects of Generation on any Satisfaction aspects
Tentative Conclusions
• Taken together, these findings show that at least for nonsupervisory employees, organizational age (being a
new versus old
ld employee
l
iin a particular
ti l workplace)
k l
) had
h d
stronger effects on workplace perceptions and
satisfaction than employees’
employees age per se
se.
• That is, differences in Generation (Baby Boomer, X or
Millennial) may be less important at the workplace
than length of experience within particular facility.
• Additionally,
y, both of these factors (age
( g or generation,
g
,
and length of experience at a particular workplace) may
have different weight for male versus female nonsupervisory
i
employees,
l
i iinfluencing
in
fl
i th
their
i perceptions
ti
of civility, management for achievement, and customer
focus at their workplace
workplace.
Contact:
VHA National Center for
Organization Development
513 247 4680
513-247-4680
Email:
VHANCOD@va gov
VHANCOD@va.gov