
“Generation Me”: Understanding the Work Values of Young People Entering the Workplace
Lucy Bolton (Heriot-Watt)
This research seminar is based on Lucy’s PhD work exploring the work values of young people as they enter, and transition, into the workplace. The stage at which young people transition into the workplace is a crucial turbulent time, often creating feelings of flux and chaos, as work values and career expectations can become less stable during adjustment and socialisation processes.
38 interviews were conducted with young people working in organisations on a training scheme (e.g., placement, internship), and data thematically analysed to add insight around work value preferences, career expectations and the identities of these individuals. Following this a longitudinal survey was designed, gather data at three time points: pre-entry (n=454), one month into employment (n=229) and four to six months into employment (n=171). Moderated mediation models were run to explore the stability of work values and moderating effects from perceived organisational values, job satisfaction, organisational investiture, self-efficacy and age.
Study findings will be discussed in the seminar, yet entering an organisation was found to be a challenging time, creating ‘reality shock’ and not always matching high work value preferences. Higher work value stability was found during the first month upon entry to the organisation, with these becoming less stable thereafter up to six months. Interestingly social work values were more susceptible to perceive work values, suggesting more social authenticity when desired work values were being met. This research adds insight to the work values theory, particularly from the eyes of young people, and questioning their work values hierarchical structure and meaning.