Generation Y – challenging clients for HRM?

Abstract

Purpose – The purpose of this qualitative paper is to seek more understanding of the elements important to the psychological contracts of working Millennials. The study also presents the implications of those findings for human resource management practices. Design/methodology/approach – Empirical data were collected from Facebook using the method of empathy-based stories (MEBS). A sample of working Millennials describes the factors they saw as motivating and desirable in working life. Findings – The findings are in line with previous quantitative studies in western countries, which reveal constant learning and developing at work; interesting, challenging, and varied tasks; social relations and the supervisor’s behaviour; reciprocal flexibility concerning timetables and working hours; and a good work-life balance to be important factors. However, the findings indicate that the desire to develop competences, and factors related to time may be even more significant for Millennials than previous literature on psychological contracts has suggested. Neither monetary issues nor a desire for long-term contracts emerged clearly as important factors from the material, showing that the manifestations of some elements that are important in the formulation of the psychological contract vary in different contexts. Practical implications – The findings of this study indicate that employing Millennials challenges HR professionals to develop HR practices that offer flexible time structures, systematic and individual development procedures, and a coaching form of leadership. Originality/value – The paper exhibits a methodological innovation in using Facebook as a vehicle for data gathering. Additionally it applies the MEBS: a method still rare in research in the field of business.

Gerações e comprometimento em diferentes contextos de gestão de pessoas no Brasil

“…Such results do not corroborate with the differences found on the researched subject, which did not include the organizational context in their analyses (D'Amato & Herzfeldt, 2008;Benson & Brown, 2011;Silva et al, 2015, Kultalahti & Viitala, 2015. However, there were variations in the two other variables.…”

“…Joshi et al (2010) suggest that the structural and normative context act together and influence the activation of a particular identity and generational interaction. For instance, the importance of some elements to the psychological contract of each generation may differ according to organizational context (Kultalahti & Viitala, 2015). The desire for mobility and skill development is more important in developed economies than among members of generation Y in Brazil (Silva et al, 2016).…”

“…This study does that by combining different studies that had examined these issues separately (Joshi et al, 2010, Costanza, 2012, Lyons & Kuron, 2014, Kultalahti & Viitala, 2015, Silva et al, 2016.…”

The Role of Work Motivation Based on Values in Employee’s Retention in the 21st Century

“…Within the fast pace changing rhythm of organisations another interesting fact to have into account is that employees from different generations have different work preferences and work values (Dokadia, Rai, & Chawla, 2015). In this line, numerous scholars have researched what drives people according to their generational cohort (Eversole, Venneberg, & Crowder, 2012;Lyons, Schweitzer, & NG, 2015;Twenge, Campbell, Hoffman, & Lance, 2010). Further work includes studying what different generation's values in regards to their generational cohort and more particularly the Millennial generation as it will represent a 74 per cent of the world's working population by 2025 (Myers & Sadaghiani, 2010).…”

Workplace Writing in L2 Experiences Among Millennial Workforce: Learning to Write in English

“…Correspondingly, the proponents of generational studies addressed them with certain labels namely, the next "greatest generation" (Howe & Strauss, 2000); "generation whine" (Hershatter & Epstein 2010)-that implies their protected generation who have been overindulged by the ultra-protective parents or the "hover-moms" (Morreale & Staley 2016); and "Look at me generation"-young people who are self-absorbed and overly self-confident (Fry 2015, Myers & Sadaghiani 2010 or "the me-generation" for their inflated sense of self or narcissistic (Tapscott 2010). Furthermore, they have been acknowledged as appreciating honesty and justifiable practices while seeking for work-life balance, more challenging and prefer flexibility (Kultalahti & Viitala 2015, Luscombe, Lewis & Biggs 2013, Society of Human Resource Management 2008. The significance of investigating this generation of workforces is palpable as they are observed as different from the previous generation besides partake own characteristics.…”