Determining methods for leaders to motivate a multigenerational workforce
Throughout the 8 weeks of this course (in separate but interrelated assignments), you will describe and
evaluate the data collection methods to ensure quality used in a selected qualitative doctoral study. To
facilitate this evaluation, this week you will search for an appropriate doctoral study from the Walden
online library or ProQuest. Follow the guidelines below to choose a study:
�Use the ProQuest online database to search for a study.
�Please be sure to choose a doctoral study that is focused on a business-related topic. The search
terms “qualitative” and “business” find many options to explore, or search for sample study that is directly
related to your emerging doctoral study research topic.
�Do not choose a master’s thesis or an undergraduate study.
�Choose a qualitative doctoral study, or a mixed-methods doctoral study with a substantial qualitative
component that has data collections and data analysis sections. This study should be done within five
years. If you are uncertain if your selected doctoral study meets these requirements, please discuss this
with your Instructor. If you choose a mixed-method doctoral study, focus only on the qualitative
components in the paper for this course.
Determining methods for leaders to manage a multigenerational workforce
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The study selected for the above topic was conducted by Rajput, Marwah, Balli and
Gupta (2013) and was titled “Managing Multigenerational Workforce: Challenge for Millennium
Managers.” Diversity of workforce presents itself in all organizations and of interest to this study
was basically generational diversity. Leaders are faced with the challenge of handling employees
who possess complex characteristicsthat are not only different from each other but also
contradict each other.
The objective of this study therefore was to determine work values of a workforce that is
multigenerational in nature in order to increase its morale and efficiency and performance. This
study made an attempt of coming up with better strategies for the management of generationally
diversified workforce. The answers derived from this study sought to address the opportunities
and challenges that exist in a multigenerational human resource as well as the leadership
strategies that were deemed as most effective for this type of human resource. Stevens (2010)
noted that organizational managers have the ability to understand different characteristics and
ethical issues present in a multigenerational workforce and be able to contribute to both the
organization and team’s success despite the difference in opinions among this workforce.
According to Rajput et al., (2013), a multigenerational workforce is made up of people
who were given birth to around the same period and therefore share various historical or social
events that took place during their growth and development. Therefore, any workforce can be
divided in to four different generational groups, namely, baby boomers, veterans, generation X
and the millenials/generation Y (Rajput et al., 2013). The findings of this study revealed that
these four generations of employees exhibit different characteristics and their productivity and
morale at work could only be improved after understanding their differences.
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The study revealed that, veterans, who are basically those workers who were born before
the Second World War,apart from being very much loyal to the organization where they work,
they also had a very high level of maturity. Collins et al.,(2009) added that veterans were also
hardly absent at work, very hardworking and more concerned with quality performance of work
rather than quantity. They are therefore the easiest cohort to manage as they only need to be
respected and involved in all the key decisions of an organisation as a way of recognizing their
vast experience. On the other hand, baby boomers (born during the post-World War II period)
also turned out to be very loyal to the authorities, with high level of conformity to work related
ethics. They have a high spirit of participation but also heavily driven by finances which can
make them play by any rules. This category according the study can therefore be motivated by
ensuring that well paid and in good time. It is also important to guarantee this category security
of tenure and a participative working environment.
Another category was generation X. These are employees who were born between 1961
and 1971. They are known to be very good at multi-tasking as well as in the management of their
schedules. They value collaborative efforts at work, teamwork and human relations. Managers
should also beware that this group are very fast in noticing loopholes in organisations and
usually demand immediate solutions. To manage them, leaders must enhance teamwork,
collaboration and come up with immediate proper decision-making strategies. Lastly, the study
found out that millenials (born between 1977 to the 1990’s) were the most radical of all. The put
no interest in hierarchy and are excellent in multi-tasking apart from being quick learners.
Despite their young age, managers should put measures in place to ensure that they feel
recognised and respected. They should also be reasonably given their space given that they
heavily rely on the social interface for entertainment outside work.
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Reference list
Rajput, N., Marwah, P., Balli, R., & Gupta, M. (2013),Managing Multigenerational Workforce:
Challenge for Millennium Managers. International Journal of Marketing and Technology,
3(2), 132-149.
Knowledge in Today’s Multi-Generational Workforce. International Business Research,
3(3).
Collins et al., (2009), The Older-Worker-Younger-Supervisor Dyad: A test of the reverse
Pygmalion effect.Human Resource Development Quarterly, 20(1), 21-41.
