Examining generational stereotypes

This study examined the extent to which the generational profiles advocated in popular literature accurately depict the four generations currently present in the workforce. A 12-item survey gathered data about the personal values, leadership values, attitudes about tenure, and attitudes about training and retention strategies of 33 participants across the four generations. Frequency analyses were performed on the data. Personal and leadership values were rather consistent across generations. Attitudes about tenure appeared to vary based on career stage rather than by generational cohort, with younger employees tending to switch jobs more frequently. Participants across the generations also reported similar preferences regarding training and retention strategies, with a focus on developing their job-relevant skills. Participants in the feedback session generally concurred with these findings. The recommendations of this study are to discard generational stereotypes, honor employees' universal personal and leadership values, and support employees' desires for learning