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Factors That Motivate Millennial Public Servants in the Workplace Lisa Maria Mallory Walden University

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Factors That Motivate Millennial Public Servants in the Workplace Lisa Maria Mallory Walden University Walden University ScholarWorks Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies Collection 2015 Factors That Motivate Millennial Public Servants in the Workplace Lisa Maria Mallory Walden University Follow this and additional works at: https://scholarworks.waldenu.edu/dissertations Part of the Business Administration, Management, and Operations Commons, and the Management Sciences and Quantitative Methods Commons This Dissertation is brought to you for free and open access by the Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies Collection at ScholarWorks. It has been accepted for inclusion in Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies by an authorized administrator of ScholarWorks. For more information, please contact [email protected]. Walden University College of Social and Behavioral Sciences This is to certify that the doctoral dissertation by Lisa Mallory has been found to be complete and satisfactory in all respects, and that any and all revisions required by the review committee have been made. Review Committee Dr. Ernesto Escobedo, Committee Chairperson, Public Policy and Administration Faculty Dr. Gema Hernandez, Committee Member, Public Policy and Administration Faculty Dr. Cassandra Caldwell, University Reviewer, Public Policy and Administration Faculty Chief Academic Officer Eric Riedel, Ph.D. Walden University 2015 Abstract Factors That Motivate Millennial Public Servants in the Workplace by Lisa María Mallory MBA, George Washington University, 1993 BS, University of Maryland University College, 1987 Dissertation Submitted in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy Public Policy and Administration Walden University November 2015 Abstract There is an abundance of scholarly literature examining the Millennial generation’s characteristics and their uniqueness in the workforce, but few studies have examined the lived experiences of Millennials and what motivates them in the public sector workplace. Given the size of the Millennial cohort, the largest and most educated in history, this generation of public servants merits more research. This phenomenological study sought to determine what factors motivate Millennial public sector workers through a criterion sample of 20 District of Columbia government employees. Data obtained from interviews were analyzed through use of NVivo10 allowing for the identification of themes, findings and recommendations for further studies. Findings revealed that these 20 workers were motivated by the same factors that impact other generations, as Herzberg delineated in his 2-factor theory. Despite these similarities, participants felt they were unique and not understood by the generations of workers that precede them. The themes obtained from this study can inform public administrators seeking to increase workforce collaboration and productivity and underscores the need for further scholarly attention. Millennial public servants need to feel engaged through increased responsibility, recognition, and the nature of work, as they will soon comprise 1/3rd of the workforce. These findings have implications for social change by educating public administrators and Millennials’ coworkers to capitalize on the younger workers’ ability to contribute to the overall productivity and competitiveness of government. Factors That Motivate Millennial Public Servants in the Workplace by Lisa María Mallory MBA, George Washington University, 1993 BS, University of Maryland University College, 1987 Dissertation Submitted in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy Public Policy and Administration Walden University November 2015 Dedication This accomplishment would not have been possible without the love, care, support and nudging of my wonderful circle of family and friends. In particular I want to thank all of my daughters and grandchildren, but particularly Alana Jean and Kayla María for pushing me forward daily as only 12 year-olds can. To Yul, thank you for caring for all of us through the ups and downs. And to my mother, Evangelina Renovales, who told me at an early age that the years will pass anyway, and quickly, so I should not wait until the perfect time. I dedicate this work and my future contributions to all of you. Acknowledgements I would like to thank Dr. Ernesto Escobedo who served as Committee Chair and worked with me through the years on getting to the finish line. Also, I truly appreciate the thoughtfulness and input of the Methodologist for this work, Dr. Gema Hernandez and the URR support of Dr. Cassandra Caldwell. Dr. Tanya Settles provided last minute support that was timely and very helpful. Your encouragement and guidance were invaluable and are much appreciated. Table of Contents List of Tables ..................................................................................................................... iv List of Figures ......................................................................................................................v Chapter 1: Introduction to the Study ....................................................................................1 Introduction ....................................................................................................................1 Background ....................................................................................................................4 Statement of the Problem ...............................................................................................6 Purpose and Objectives of the Study .............................................................................7 Research Questions ........................................................................................................7 Theoretical Foundation ..................................................................................................8 Nature of the Study ........................................................................................................9 Definitions....................................................................................................................11 Assumptions .................................................................................................................13 Scope and Delimitations ..............................................................................................14 Limitations ...................................................................................................................15 Significance of the Study .............................................................................................17 Summary ......................................................................................................................18 Chapter 2: Literature Review .............................................................................................20 Introduction ..................................................................................................................20 Literature Search Strategy............................................................................................22 Theoretical Foundation ................................................................................................23 Conceptual Framework ................................................................................................25 i Overview of Millennials ..............................................................................................27 Characteristics of Millennials ............................................................................... 30 Millennials in the Workplace ................................................................................ 34 Leading Millennials in the Workplace .................................................................. 37 Four Generations in the Workplace ...................................................................... 39 Gen X in the Workplace ....................................................................................... 44 Baby Boomers in the Workplace .......................................................................... 45 Traditionals in the Workplace ............................................................................... 47 Theories of Motivation ................................................................................................48 Summary and Conclusions ..........................................................................................53 Chapter 3: Research Method ..............................................................................................55 Introduction ..................................................................................................................55 Research Design Rationale ..........................................................................................56 Role of the Researcher .................................................................................................57 Methodology ................................................................................................................59 Research Design...........................................................................................................60 Issues of Trustworthiness .............................................................................................65 Summary ......................................................................................................................67
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