Generational Differences in the Workplace Study Overview
The Generational Differences in the Workplace Study is being performed by the Management Department of the College of Business and Innovation at The University of Toledo. This study is focused on determining the differences in attitudes towards work, compensation desired, and the working environment by employees of various ages. To date, there have been over 13,263 participants between the four major surveys. Our research has resulted in 8 published papers and one white paper. We are working on several additional articles for publication.
Our surveys employ open-ended questions to provided deeper insights. The responses have helped guide our future research. In our most recent survey, we asked participants to scale how important proposed work benefits were to them on a 1 to 10 scale. Additionally, participants were able to provide their thoughts on the benefit as an open ended response. We received over 16,000 responses to the open-ended questions on that survey alone, with over 80,000 total overall. The participant’s comments were helpful in determining the factors used to score the benefit. The last survey question asked participants to list any insights they wanted to share with us on work environment and compensation issues that the survey had not covered. In short, what was important to them that we did not ask about. This question alone led to 1,847 responses. These comments helped steer our future research into directions that were important to employees.
We are requesting that you help us with follow-up research since we need more participant organizations. We hope you will allow your employees to complete a short survey for us. The survey is 20-25 questions including demographic data such as age, gender, and pay. Each question also permits optional comments. Participants are sent an invitation email with a link to the survey, and can complete the survey at their leisure. One reminder email is sent out 2 days later, and then one final reminder sent out 2 days after that. The survey is open only one week. Our research has been approved by our Institutional Review Board as “Exempt” status with our methodology approved.
The prior participants include: University of Toledo, Bowling Green State University, Ohio State University (main and satellite campuses), Ohio University, University of Akron, Old Dominion University, and Ferris State University.
Thank you for considering my request to allow your employees to participate in a survey, and please contact me if you have any further questions.
We have been doing this research since 2015, and we are IRB certified as “Exempt”. (University Employee Email Study, UT #200774, approved 08/2015 with no expiration date, re-approved Generational Differences in the Workplace Study, 09/2017 with no expiration date.)
Sincerely,
The Department of Management
University of Toledo College of Business and Innovation
COBIResearch@Utoledo.edu
PS. Our research has also been highlighted in two features in Human Resource Executive Magazine. Those are:
Cook-Ramierez, Julie, Transitioning at Work: With the acceptance of transgender people on the rise, more employers are adopting specific policies for their workers who are transitioning. Human Resource Executive, April 4, 2017, P. 29. http://www.humanresourceexecutive-digital.com/humanresourceexecutive/april_2017?pg=49#pg49 (Note: online pagination appears off because of an advertising insert. It is page 29 of the magazine itself, but page 49 of the online PDF.)
Shadovitz, David (EIC), An Ethical Divide: Are millennials more likely than older generations to lie to their employers and sabotage their co-workers? New research suggests the answer is an unequivocal “yes.” Human Resource Executive, April 4, 2017, p.35. http://www.humanresourceexecutive-digital.com/humanresourceexecutive/june_2_2017?pg=35#pg35.
Our Articles
1. Workplace Drug Screening: How to Prevent it From Driving Away Millennial Employees.
Journal of Leadership, Accountability and Ethics, Vol 13 (2) 2016.
Abstract: As marijuana use is decriminalized in more states, but remains criminal under Federal laws, employers often face a scenario where employee drug testing is alienating the new largest work segment—Millennials. Further, even though few Millennials actually use marijuana, they do favor the right to use and are strongly against employer workplace testing. Further, Millennials have demonstrated they will—in far greater numbers than their preceding generations—leave employers they do not feel politically or socially aligned with. This paper discusses these issues, and offers suggestion on how employers can retain their testing practices while addressing the feelings of Millennials, to create an environment where Millennials feel more positively aligned with their employers despite the testing.
2. How Millennials are Redefining What Benefits Employers Should Offer– Transgender Inclusivity
Journal of Compensation and Benefits, Vol 32, No. 4. Nov/Dec 2016
Abstract: In April 2016 researchers from The University of Toledo College of Business and Innovation surveyed 3,552 employees from Midwest universities to gauge the importance of various work-environment related factors. These ran from traditional compensation and benefits criteria such as retirement packages and profit-sharing to nontraditional criteria such as flexible work procedures and unpaid discretionary time off. The results give an indicator of how important various factors of employment can be seen as a benefit to employees, as they define “benefit”, and can then be assessed on the cost of the benefit. The final results included five “benefits” which cost incredibly little to implement, and yet outranked other traditionally defined benefits. This paper is the first of five which will cover low or no cost benefits desired by employees that managers can inexpensively implement. This first paper will cover the benefit of working for an employer that has policies inclusive of transgender people. It does not argue the politics or philosophy of being transgender. Instead, it merely looks at the subject from a cost analysis based on how strongly employees, especially Millennial employees, favor these inclusive policies.
3. How Millennials are Redefining What Benefits Employers Should Offer—Flexible Workplace Procedures
Journal of Compensation and Benefits, Vol 32, No. 5, January/February 2017
Abstract: In April 2016, researchers from The University of Toledo College of Business and Innovation surveyed 3,552 employees from Midwest universities to gauge the importance of various work-environment related factors. These ran from traditional compensation and benefits criteria such as retirement packages and profit-sharing to nontraditional criteria such as flexible work procedures and unpaid discretionary time off. The results give an indicator of how important various factors of employment can be seen as a benefit to employees, as they define “benefit”, and can then be assessed on the cost of the benefit. The final results included five “benefits” which cost incredibly little to implement, and yet outranked other traditionally defined benefits. This paper is the second of five which will cover low or no cost benefits desired by employees that managers can inexpensively implement. This paper will cover the benefit of working for an employer that has policies that allow, and encourage, flexibility in work place procedures where possible – i.e. focusing on results, or “Management by Objectives”. It also covers some of the potential problems associated with implementing flexible work procedures, as well as potential problems from not doing so.
4. How Millennials are Redefining What Benefits Employers Should Offer— #3 Discretionary Time Off
Journal of Compensation and Benefits, Vol 32, No. 5, January/February 2017
Abstract: In April 2016, researchers from The University of Toledo College of Business and Innovation surveyed 3,552 employees from Midwest universities to gauge the importance of various work-environment related factors. These ran from traditional compensation and benefits criteria such as retirement packages and profit-sharing to nontraditional criteria such as flexible work procedures and unpaid discretionary time off. The results give an indicator of how important various factors of employment can be seen as a benefit to employees, as they define “benefit”, and can then be assessed on the cost of the benefit. The final results included five “benefits” which cost incredibly little to implement, and yet outranked other traditionally defined benefits. This paper is the third of five which will cover low or no cost benefits desired by employees that managers can inexpensively implement. This paper will cover the benefit desired by employees of what is known as “Discretionary Time Off”, or DTO. This is a concept that allows employees to take unpaid time off of work for non-emergency issues. It also covers some of the potential problems associated with implementing DTO policies, as well as potential problems from not doing so—especially amongst Millennial employees.
5. How Millennials are Redefining What Benefits Employers Should Offer— #4 Flextime
Journal of Compensation and Benefits, Vol 33, No. 1. May/June 2017
Abstract: In April 2016, researchers from The University of Toledo College of Business and Innovation surveyed 3,552 employees from Midwest universities to gauge the importance of various work-environment related factors. These ran from traditional compensation and benefits criteria such as retirement packages and profit-sharing to nontraditional criteria such as flexible work procedures and unpaid discretionary time off. The results give an indicator of how important various factors of employment can be seen as a benefit to employees, as they define “benefit”, and can then be assessed on the cost and advantage of the benefit. The final results included five “benefits” which often cost little to implement, and yet outranked other traditionally provided benefits in their perceived importance to employees. This paper is the fourth of five which will cover under used benefits that are highly desired by employees and that managers can implement at low or no cost. This paper will cover the benefit known as a “Flexible Schedule”, or “Flextime”. This paper also covers some of the potential problems associated with implementing Flexible Schedule policies, as well as potential problems from not doing so—especially amongst Millennial employees.
6. How Millennials are Redefining What Benefits Employers Should Offer— Clearly Defined Advancement Criteria
Journal of Compensation and Benefits, Vol 33, No. 2. July/August 2017
Abstract: In April 2016, researchers from The University of Toledo College of Business and Innovation surveyed 3,552 employees from Midwest universities to gauge the importance of various work-environment related factors. These ran from traditional compensation and benefits criteria such as retirement packages and profit-sharing to nontraditional criteria such as flexible work procedures and unpaid discretionary time off. The results give an indicator of how important various factors of employment can be seen as a benefit to employees, as they define “benefit”, and can then be assessed on the cost and advantage of the benefit. The final results included five “benefits” which often cost little to implement, and yet outranked other traditionally provided benefits in their perceived importance to employees. This paper is the final of five which cover under used benefits that are highly desired by employees and that managers can implement at low or no cost. This paper will cover the benefit known as “Clearly Defined Advancement Criteria”, or “CDAC”. This paper also covers some of the limited safeguards needed when implementing a CDAC policy, as well as potential problems from not doing so—especially amongst Millennial employees.
7. Sexual Harassment Attitudes Across Generation and Gender: Troubling Differences Between Male and Female Views
Management Policy and Practice, Vol 19(4) 2018
Abstract:This paper discusses original research and data from 4,598 survey participants who offered their attitudes towards the duty of employers to proactively eliminate sexual harassment, and their feelings towards the creation of a Sexual Harassment Officer, a new position in the work environment. The findings indicate strong support for both among both males and females, and across age categories. A trend was also found for females to favor both propositions more favorably than males did, with younger females tending to show more support than older females. Additionally, data has shown to exist that between 7.8% and 14.8% of the males (depending upon their age) did not indicate they felt employers had a duty to take proactive steps to eliminate Sexual Harassment.
8. Whitepaper: Transgender Inclusion in the Workplace: How the DOJ, EEOC, OSHA, Millennials, and Gen X are Forcing Changes in Employer Practices
Workforce Productivity and Compensation Institute and Journal of Compensation and Benefits
November 8, 2016
Abstract: 2015 and 2016 have been pivotal years for employers as the transgender community has moved to the forefront of many conversations. High profile celebrities such as Caitlyn Jenner and Laverne Cox have brought many transgender people out of hiding, and seeking employment. The news is full of reports in the national media about states passing laws affecting the lives of transgender people.
These debates are heated, dramatic and provide little instruction to employers who are faced with this seemingly new diversity and discrimination issue. Gender identity and transgender issues often are a new topic for corporate America. The intention of this report is to provide legal guidance and assistance as HR practitioners trying to wade through the confusion. In addition, it will provide a summary of best practices that advocacy groups are encouraging corporate America to adopt. Inclusion and diversity is required, and this report will provide a basic playbook for how to create a welcoming and inclusive culture that is insulated from legal risks.