Exploring the Impact of Tenure or Organizational Generational Cohorts and Leadership Behavior on Job Satisfaction, Intent to Turnover, and Senior Leadership Performance in the Federal Government

While a number of studies have examined generational differences in the workplace over the past several decades, few studies have examined generational differences in the federal government. Rather than focusing on age-based generational differences, which has been the predominate focus of recent studies, this article focuses on tenure or organizational generational cohorts. This is the first study to examine whether having a critical mass of a tenure or organizational generational cohort impacts employee attitudes and perspectives. The study reveals that leadership behaviors and employee motivation are more important predictors of employee attitudes and perceptions than tenure or organizational generations controlling for other demographics. Overall, this article contributes to the literature by introducing a new concept, critical mass of a tenure cohort, and offering insights into generational patterns in the federal government