The Impact of Generational Differences on Human Values in the Workplace

Document Type : Research

Authors

• Afsaneh Yousefpour ^{1, 2}
• Alireza Khorakian ³

¹ PhD in Organizational Behavior Management, Faculty of Administrative Sciences and Economics, Ferdowsi University of Mashhad, Mashhad, Iran

² PhD in Management, Faculty of Management, Warsaw University, Poland (Dual-degree)

³ Professor, Faculty of Economics and Administrative Sciences, Ferdowsi University of Mashhad, Mashhad, Iran

https://doi.org/10.22067/social.2022.76446.1173

Abstract

Recent historical changes in Iran have created a generational gap. Younger Iranians appear to be bound by different values, which, if appropriately recognized, will help employees avoid numerous conflicts and challenges and take a good approach to their workplace. It is difficult for people to fulfill their potential while in dispute and conflict. Besides, understanding the values of different generations can lead these organizations to a high degree of job satisfaction, commitment, retention, and creativity. Consequently, human resource management should find a way to nurture human engagements and collaborations by building cohesive multigenerational teams to make the best use of human forces’ abilities of different generations with a wide range of values. This study examines generational differences in human values in Iran to help human resource management takle potential challenges. For this purpose, two empirical studies were conducted. The first one employed 71 Iranian families (238 adult children and parents) to examine generational differences in human values through Schwartz's Portrait Value Questionnaire. The second study focuses on gathering more detailed information by interviewing 125 family members to support the first study’s findings. The first study found generational differences in all values studied except benevolence, with the younger generation favoring power, achievement, and hedonism over conformity and tradition. Generally, the first and second studies’ results matched.

Keywords

• Generation
• Human values
• Iranian Families
• Organizational Management

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