The relation of generational differences between employees and managers to employee work performance.

Abstract

Diversity in an organization may come from differences in culture, nationality, gender, and many other aspects, one of which is the focus of this study-generational differences. Members of an organization are categorized into four generations: the Traditionalists, Baby Boomers, Generation X, and the Millennials. Generational differences could demonstrate disagreement in attitude towards work, ideas, motivational factors, values, skills, and corrective measures people perceive to be effective. It would be beneficial to know whether generational differences between the manager and the employees are related to Employee Work Performance. This study presented the characteristics of each generation, revealed the problems that occur due to generational differences, and discussed what measures are taken to address them. Leadership Style, Motivation, and Job Attitude were the variables focused on. The following theories were used to guide this research: Generational Theory, Theory X, Y, and Z of Managers, and Herzberg's Two-Factor Theory. These theories were used to set assumptions and guide the framework to see whether the conditions involving the variables mentioned have a relation to Employee Work Performance. Qualitative and quantitative research were conducted where Survey Questionnaires and Structured Interview were used in data gathering. The final sample was a total of 42 employees and a manager for quantitative, and seven employees, two managers, and one supervisor for qualitative. The quantitative results suggest that age is not an effective indicator of generation since a person may possess characteristics across generations. Moreover, there is no relation between Generational Differences and Employee Work Performance, while the qualitative results express that the generational differences may not have a direct relation to the score of their performance as evaluated by the manager, but have an effect in their daily lives at work. The significant differences found were the manner in which the manager addresses his/her employees, how the manager motivates his/her employees, how the manager connects to his/her employees, and the perceptions on the company policy. The challenges faced by the employees revolved on having low self-esteem, lack of professional relationship, misinterpretation of messages, being unable to handle difficult situations, and expectations. As for the management level, the challenges faced revolved around the sensitivity to age, differences in work execution, and differences in the level of maturity. Experiences in having difficulty performing work were due to being intimidated, the feeling of being disregarded, having miscommunication, and having disagreements on leadership styles. Lastly, it is perceived that it should the leader/manager who should initially adjust with the differences shared with an employee.