Generational Differences in Workforce and Their Effects on Organizational Performance in Canada
Keywords:
Millennials, Generation X, Generation Y, Generational differences, Organizational performance, Labour force, Turnover rate, Retention
Abstract
The paper provides the results of the descriptive research on the generational
differences in the workforce of Canada. The aspects of the work with Millennials and its
effects on the organizational performance were studied with the focus on the data
provided by Statistics Canada and other agencies. It was found that the number of
Millennials, or representatives of Generation Y, in the Canadian labor force is high, and
this fact influences the human resource managers’ practices to improve the
organizational performance. The main positive feature of working with Millennials is their
orientation to innovations and changes. However, Millennials’ focus on flexible working
conditions, high compensation level, and opportunities for the personal and career
development influence the turnover rates and the organizational performance
accordingly
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References
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Boundaryless Careers in the Public Sector: The Vanguard of a More Mobile
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generation to the millennials. Human Resource Management International
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Dols, J., Landrum, P., & Wieck, K. L. (2010). Leading and Managing an
Intergenerational Workforce. Creative Nursing,16(2), 68-74. doi:10.1891/1078-
4535.16.2.68
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and beyond: Individual, interpersonal, institutional, international. Research in
Organizational Behavior, 35(1), 159-179.
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with a hospitality education. International Journal of Hospitality Management,
46(1), 130-137.
Trzesniewski, K. H., & Donnellan, M. B. (2010). Rethinking “Generation Me”: A study of
cohort effects from 1976–2006. Perspectives on Psychological Science, 5(1), 58–
75.
Twenge, J. M., Campbell, S. M., Hoffman, B. J., & Lance, C. E. (2010). Generational
differences in work values: Leisure and extrinsic values increasing, social and
intrinsic values decreasing. Journal of Management, 36(1), 1117–1142
http://www.torontojobs.com/article/profile-millennials-workplace/
Balda, J. B., & Mora, F. (2011). Adapting leadership theory and practice for the
networked, millennial generation.Journal Of Leadership Studies, 5(3), 13-24.
doi:10.1002/jls.20229
Bannon, S., Ford, K., & Meltzer, L. (2011). Understanding Millennials in the workplace.
CPA Journal, 81(11), 61-65.
Berry, J. (2013). Canadian public relations students' interest in government
communicationAn exploratory study.Management Research Review, 36(5), 528-
544. doi:10.1108/01409171311327262
Berry, J., Cole, R., & Hembroff, L. (2011). US-Canada study of PR writing by entry-level
practitioners reveals significant supervisor dissatisfaction. Journal of Professional
Communication, 1(1), 8-19.
Bott, J., Faulk, D., Guntupalli, A., Devaraj, S., & Holmes, M. (2011). An examination of
generational differences and media exposure. The Journal of Applied
Management and Entrepreneurship, 16(4), 78-100.
Brown, S. (2012). Attracting, challenging, and leading a multigenerational workforce - a
perspective. Frontiers of Health Services Management, 29(1), 29-38.
Cahill, T. F., & Sedrak, M. (2012). Leading a multigenerational workforce: Strategies for
attracting and retaining millennials. Frontiers of Health Services Management,
29(1), 3-12.
Cekada, T. L. (2012). Training a multigenerational workforce. Professional Safety,
57(3), 40-44.
Cotroneo, C. (2012). Generation Y In Canada: Millennial Dreams Hijacked By
Unflinching Reality Of The Great Recession, Retrieved from
http://www.huffingtonpost.ca/2012/11/20/generation-y-canadamillennials_n_2078000.html
Coulter, J. S., & Faulkner, D. C. (2014). The multigenerational workforce. Professional
Case Management, 19(1), 46-51.De Caluwé, C., Van Dooren, W., Delafortry, A., & Janvier, R. (2014). Mind-Sets of
Boundaryless Careers in the Public Sector: The Vanguard of a More Mobile
Workforce?. Public Personnel Management, 43(4), 490-519.
doi:10.1177/0091026014528479
DelCampo, R. G. (2012). Managing the multigenerational workforce: From the GI
generation to the millennials. Human Resource Management International
Digest, 20(2), 12-34.
Dols, J., Landrum, P., & Wieck, K. L. (2010). Leading and Managing an
Intergenerational Workforce. Creative Nursing,16(2), 68-74. doi:10.1891/1078-
4535.16.2.68
Gentry, W. A., Griggs, T. L., Deal, J. J., Mondore, S. P., & Cox, B. D. (2011). A
comparison of generational differences in endorsement of leadership practices
with actual leadership skill level. Consulting Psychology Journal: Practice And
Research, 63(1), 39-49. doi:10.1037/a0023015
Generations in Canada, (2011). Retrieved from https://www12.statcan.gc.ca/censusrecensement/2011/as-sa/98-311-x/98-311-x2011003_2-eng.cfm
Generations: Demographic Trends in Population and Workforce 2013. Retrieved from
http://www.catalyst.org/knowledge/generations-demographic-trends-populationand-workforce#Canada
Government of Canada. (2015). Statistics Canada: Labor force survey estimates (LFS),
by sex and detailed age group. Retrieved from
http://www5.statcan.gc.ca/cansim/a47 De Caluwé, C., Van Dooren, W., Delafortry, A., & Janvier, R. (2014). Mind-Sets of
Boundaryless Careers in the Public Sector: The Vanguard of a More Mobile
Workforce?. Public Personnel Management, 43(4), 490-519.
doi:10.1177/0091026014528479
DelCampo, R. G. (2012). Managing the multigenerational workforce: From the GI
generation to the millennials. Human Resource Management International
Digest, 20(2), 12-34.
Dols, J., Landrum, P., & Wieck, K. L. (2010). Leading and Managing an
Intergenerational Workforce. Creative Nursing,16(2), 68-74. doi:10.1891/1078-
4535.16.2.68
Gentry, W. A., Griggs, T. L., Deal, J. J., Mondore, S. P., & Cox, B. D. (2011). A
comparison of generational differences in endorsement of leadership practices
with actual leadership skill level. Consulting Psychology Journal: Practice And
Research, 63(1), 39-49. doi:10.1037/a0023015
Generations in Canada, (2011). Retrieved from https://www12.statcan.gc.ca/censusrecensement/2011/as-sa/98-311-x/98-311-x2011003_2-eng.cfm
Generations: Demographic Trends in Population and Workforce 2013. Retrieved from
http://www.catalyst.org/knowledge/generations-demographic-trends-populationand-workforce#Canada
Government of Canada. (2015). Statistics Canada: Labor force survey estimates (LFS),
by sex and detailed age group. Retrieved from
http://www5.statcan.gc.ca/cansim/a47Ng, E., Schweitzer, L., & Lyons, S. (2010). New Generation, Great Expectations: A Field
Study of the Millennial Generation. Journal Of Business & Psychology, 25(2),
281-292. doi:10.1007/s10869-010-9159-4
North, M. S., & Fiske, S. T. (2015). Intergenerational resource tensions in the workplace
and beyond: Individual, interpersonal, institutional, international. Research in
Organizational Behavior, 35(1), 159-179.
Scott, G. F. (2015), Millennials are now the biggest generation in the Canadian
workforce, Retrieved from http://www.canadianbusiness.com/innovation/themillennial-majority-workforce/
Suleman, R., & Nelson, B. (2011). Motivating the Millennials: Tapping into the potential
of the youngest generation. Leader to Leader, 2011(62), 39-44.
The Conference Board of Canada. (2015). Canada’s Telecommunications Industry:
Industrial outlook spring 2015. Ottawa, Canada: Author.
Thomas, N. J., Brown, E. A., & Bosselman, R. H. (2015). Are they leaving or staying: A
qualitative analysis of turnover issues for Generation Y hospitality employees
with a hospitality education. International Journal of Hospitality Management,
46(1), 130-137.
Trzesniewski, K. H., & Donnellan, M. B. (2010). Rethinking “Generation Me”: A study of
cohort effects from 1976–2006. Perspectives on Psychological Science, 5(1), 58–
75.
Twenge, J. M., Campbell, S. M., Hoffman, B. J., & Lance, C. E. (2010). Generational
differences in work values: Leisure and extrinsic values increasing, social and
intrinsic values decreasing. Journal of Management, 36(1), 1117–1142
Published
2015-12-31
How to Cite
Hamid, D. (2015). Generational Differences in Workforce and Their Effects on Organizational Performance in Canada. IJRDO-Journal of Applied Science, 1(8), 48-63. https://doi.org/10.53555/as.v1i8.2345
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