The Effect of Workplace Characteristics on Millennial Worker Organizational Commitment

The Effect of Workplace Characteristics on Millennial Worker Organizational Commitment by Karen E. Heizman MBA, Keller Graduate School of Management, 2006 BS, University of Wisconsin –Superior, 2003 Dissertation Submitted in Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy Psychology Walden University February 2019 Abstract Existing research on the Millennial generation has focused on identifying the workplace attributions and stereotypes between generations, and the relationship between those attributions and stereotypes, as related to organizational commitment. However, research has not addressed which workplace characteristics influence organizational commitmentExisting research on the Millennial generation has focused on identifying the workplace attributions and stereotypes between generations, and the relationship between those attributions and stereotypes, as related to organizational commitment. However, research has not addressed which workplace characteristics influence organizational commitment of the Millennial generation. Herzberg’s 2-factor theory was used to investigate the relationship between workplace characteristics and organizational commitment of the Millennial generation. The purpose of this quantitative study was to determine whether workplace characteristics influence organizational commitment in the Millennial generation. This quantitative study used the Minnesota Satisfaction Questionnaire and the Organizational Commitment Questionnaire. A convenience sample of 215 individuals born between 1984 and 1998 were surveyed. The key research questions investigated which workplace characteristics had the greatest impact on organizational commitment. The results indicated that self-management of career paths, combined with opportunities for employee development provided the best predictors for organizational commitment of the Millennial generation. These 2 variables accounted for 21% of the variance of the OCQ (R = .463, R2=.21). By understanding which workplace characteristics impact organizational commitment, organizations will be able to reduce turnover, employees will become more committed to the organization, which may provide employers with a greater opportunity to develop future leaders of their organizations and thereby initiate positive social change at the level of the individual employee and the organization. The Effect of Workplace Characteristics on Millennial Worker Organizational Commitment by Karen E. Heizman MBA, Keller Graduate School of Management, 2006 BS, University of Wisconsin – Superior, 2003 Dissertation Submitted in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy Psychology Walden University February 2019 Dedication This dissertation is dedicated to my cousin, Shannon Marie (Johnson) Snyder, who lost her battle with alcoholism on February, 27, 2016. I did it, Nan. I finished. Acknowledgments I would like to thank, first and foremost, Dr. Medha Talpade for taking a chance on me and my dissertation topic and agreeing to be my Committee Chair. I would not be here without her and I am forever grateful to her and thank her for her patience and guidance during this process (We did it, Dr. Talpade! ). I would also like to thank Dr. Peggy Gallaher for her guidance as my Committee Member; her feedback was invaluable during this process. Thank you to Mr. Kevin Hornish, for encouraging me to never give up and to finish my “story”. Thank you to my family for supporting me and my decision to pursue my PhD, and for reminding me that I am the first doctor in the family; I hope there are many more to follow. Finally, I would like to thank Kyle Kraft for listening to me talk about the Millennials for the last 2.5 years between sets. I appreciate it more than you know.