Lower Levels of Organizational Commitment among Generation Y and Z Workers within the Scope of Central New York Hospitals and Higher Turnover Rates ()
1. Background and Introduction
1.1. Cultural Shift to Individualism
The cultural shift to individualism has contributed to developing Generation Y and Z members’ perspectives ( Choi et al., 2020 ; Ogihara, 2017 ). Individualism encourages the prioritization of self over the needs of others ( Ogihara, 2018 ). Notably, individualism caused by industry and government entities provides for individual needs and lowers an individual’s dependence on other individuals ( Ogihara, 2017 ). Members of the Generation Y and Z populations experience more opportunities and freedoms that effectively allow them to pursue self-based needs ( Ogihara, 2018 ). This cultural transition has allowed for the inherently human nature of selfishness to thrive ( D’Souza & Gurin, 2017 ; Ogihara, 2017 ). Since the inherently human nature of self can thrive, Generation Y and Z members are beginning to desire the satisfaction of self-based needs as a priority ( Choi et al., 2020 ; Karon et al., 2015 ; Waltz et al., 2020 ). Therefore, organizational leaders must change their approaches since prioritizing self is a primary developing perspective of the Generation Y and Z population.
The research aimed to determine how individualism has impacted the Central New York healthcare system and what leadership approaches work best for leading Generation Y and Z healthcare organizational members. The problem included in the research is the lower level of organizational commitment among the Millennials (Generation Y) and Generation Z western populations within the scope of Central New York healthcare and its impact on turnover rates and organizational costs. To explore this problem, research questions were developed to examine firstly, the impact of individualism on the development of Generation Y and Z members; secondly, how their perspective contributes to the organizational setting; thirdly, what leadership approach would be practical; and lastly, what impacted turnover rates among the Generation Y and Z members.
A post-positivistic perspective governed the approach to the research. Post-positivism incorporates the foundation of positivism but is within the scope of the social sciences, considering cultural and personal perspectives ( Holliday & MacDonald, 2019 ; Tokovenko, 2016 ). Cultural influences contribute to individual perspectives and scientific reality ( Tokovenko, 2016 ). Including cultural considerations allows for a deeper understanding of social interactions, including leader-follower relationships ( Tanlaka et al., 2019 ; Tokovenko, 2016 ). A flexible research method was the most suitable for this study allowing the consideration of cultural influences and how those cultural influences impact the outcome.
Making discoveries through cultural insight allowed consideration of additional information and uncovering new questions that inspired greater insight and a further understanding of the truth. A single case study within the scope of a Central New York healthcare association was appropriate, because the research questions were related to a specific problem (possible lower organizational commitment rates and the associated costs) within a specific demographic (Central New York healthcare). Furthermore, the approach was qualitative and considered scientific facts while considering the participants’ perspectives. Face-to-face interviews and focus groups were the primary data collection methods. Triangulation included questionnaires, surveys, and interviews.
Lack of organizational commitment began because of a cultural shift in perspective among members of an organization and society ( Lussier, 2019 ). During the mid-1900s, workers were becoming less content with a pay-for-labor relationship. The workers began to focus on fulfilling personal needs while pursuing more rights in the workplace and societal social values ( Lussier, 2019 ). Along with this cultural shift that emphasized worker rights and the pursuit of human rights nationally came technological and industrial advances ( Ogihara, 2017 ). These technological and industrial advances made individuals more independent and less concerned with collective-based traditional values. Individuals are less dependent on others, and their community, to meet self-based needs, which are the primary internal motivator for human behavior ( Etzioni, 2017 ; Ogihara, 2017 ).
The cultural change to individualism in the western world resulted in a perspective change from one that was collective (individuals dependent on others for survival) to one that is individualistic (focused on the fulfillment of personal objectives) ( Etzioni, 2017 ; Lussier, 2019 ; Ogihara, 2017 ). Organizational leaders experience a current problem where individuals are more concerned with meeting their self-based needs and desires than being committed to one organization ( Ebeling et al., 2020 ). Technology and industrial advances allowed individuals to change jobs and locations to pursue career opportunities that meet their needs and objectives ( Ivanovic & Ivancevic, 2019 ; Ogihara, 2017 , 2018 ).
The development of Generation Y (Millennials) and Generation Z members during this time (cultural influence and advanced technology) has led to the development of a perspective that differs from older generations ( Kollmann et al., 2020 ). Generation Y and Z members are less content with a pay-for-labor relationship; they desire personal investments from their managers and leaders ( Ebeling et al., 2020 ; Kollmann et al., 2020 ). This trend exists across various industries, including the medical field ( Dean Martin, 2020 ; Ebeling et al., 2020 ). The inherent concern with this trend is worker commitment among medical staff, including that of the direct care providers ( Raykova et al., 2015 ). Furthermore, a lower sense of organizational commitment and a feeling of needing to be fulfilled may contribute to an unbeneficial to the overall care of patients ( Raykova et al., 2015 ). This study is structured by section one: the abstract, purpose statement, research question, assumptions, limitations, delimitations, and literature review. In addition, section two contains the research structure, data collection, and analysis. Section three contains the findings, recommendations, and conclusion.
1.2. Purpose Statement
This research project aimed to understand if the selfless leadership approach can contribute to organizational commitment among Generation Y and Z members in Central New York healthcare settings ( Nobles, 2019 ). The Central New York healthcare participants were evaluated within the scope of recruitment, motivation, and development while evaluating organizational commitment and the related turnover rates ( Limpanitgul et al., 2017 ). The research included how the Generation Y and Z perspectives contributed to the leader-member exchange, commitment among organizational members, and turnover rates. Understanding how the research applies to these various contributing factors has given greater insight into the cultural shift of individualism and the current-day organizational culture experience while providing greater insight into how to apply this new understanding to current-day leader-member exchanges.
Focusing on the Central New York healthcare system allows for exploring, considering, and comparing various situational factors. The goal of understanding organizational commitment is to assist organizations within the scope of staff motivation, development, and retention, which contributes to lower turnover rates ( Limpanitgul et al., 2017 ; Singh Ghura, 2017 ). The foundational literature research states that if the individualistic and Generation Y and Z perspective desires more of an investment into themselves (the follower), the leaders need a selfless-based approach to meet that need ( Lussier, 2019 ; Nobles, 2019 ) therefore if an organizational leader desires lower turnover rates, individual benefits by investment into Generation Y and Z organizational members ( Kollmann et al., 2020 ).
1.3. Research Question
The following research questions guided this research project in discovering the impact of the Generation Y and Z perspective on organizational commitment, leadership, and turnover rates within the scope of the Central New York healthcare system ( Barbuto & Gottfredson, 2016 ; Singh Ghura, 2017 ). Furthermore, the research explored whether recruitment, motivation, beneficial development, and success required a selfless-based leadership approach to address high turnover rates and organizational commitment ( Nobles, 2019 ). The desire existed to understand the perspective of the Generation Y and Z populations while considering the mitigating factors of leadership approaches, costs associated with retainment and turnover, and moral issues ( Barbuto & Gottfredson, 2016 ; Singh Ghura, 2017 ).
RQ1: What is the impact of the millennial and Generation Z perspectives on the turnover rates in Central New York hospitals?
RQ2: How are the Generation Y and Z perspectives impacting Central New York hospitals and changing the leadership practices in these hospitals?
RQ3: How can the servant leadership approach address the needs of the millennial and Generation Z workers in Central New York hospitals?
RQ4: What other leadership approaches would be beneficial regarding organizational commitment and turnover rates, among Millennials and Generation Z members, in Central New York hospitals?
RQ5: What are the financial and morale costs associated with high turnover rates among the millennial and Generation Z workforce in Central New York hospitals?
1.4. Assumptions, Limitations, and Delimitations
The new generational perspective (Generation Y and Z) is more self-based and individualistic than older generations. Therefore, organizational leaders must change their approach ( Barbuto & Gottfredson, 2016 ; Dias et al., 2019 ; Nobles, 2019 ). The autocratic and director-based approaches are more impersonal than selfless-based approaches, such as the servant and transformational leader approach ( Barbuto & Gottfredson, 2016 ; Dias et al., 2019 ; Nobles, 2019 ). Leaders must develop a servant or transformational approach to contribute to the new generational workforce’s primary, social, and higher-order needs ( Barbuto & Gottfredson, 2016 ; Dias et al., 2019 ; Nobles, 2019 ).
A selfless-based perception exists with the servant and transformational approach. The two approaches (servant and transformational) are self-based. These approaches manipulate the follower’s sense of self-promotion to do as the leader wills ( Barbuto & Gottfredson, 2016 ; Dias et al., 2019 ; Nobles, 2019 ). Ultimately, leaders must assume a selfless approach, address the needs of their followers, and inspire dependency and intrinsic motivation ( Auger & Woodman, 2016 ). The selfless leadership approach improves performance and satisfaction rates while lessening the risk of turnover among Generation Y and Z organizational followers while lowering organizational risks and costs in the process ( Barbuto & Gottfredson, 2016 ; Dias et al., 2019 ; Nobles, 2019 ).
The characteristics of the Generation Y and Z perspective vary because of unique social-cultural influences that contribute to the development of the individual Generation Y and Z population members ( Barbuto & Gottfredson, 2016 ; Chillakuri & Mahanandia, 2018 ). Generation Y population members with a birth date closer to the Generation X period may demonstrate more Generation X characteristics than Generation Z ( Barbuto & Gottfredson, 2016 ; Chillakuri & Mahanandia, 2018 ; Ebeling et al., 2020 ). Therefore, members of the Generation Y perspective born closer to 1997 may share more commonalities with individuals identified as Generation Z members ( Barbuto & Gottfredson, 2016 ; Chillakuri & Mahanandia, 2018 ; Ebeling et al., 2020 ).
Generation Z members born in 1997 may have more of a Generation Y perspective than Generation Z members born around 2012 ( Barbuto & Gottfredson, 2016 ; Chillakuri & Mahanandia, 2018 ; Ebeling et al., 2020 ). Another limitation of the research would be that the Generation Y population has reached 21 years of age, while Generation Z is currently entering the workforce ( Barbuto & Gottfredson, 2016 ; Chillakuri & Mahanandia, 2018 ). With this being a considering factor, it was impossible to evaluate the Generation Z members who have yet to enter the workforce because of the delimitations. This research focuses on individuals who identify as Generation Y and Z, born between 1981 and 2002. The omission of Generation Z members born between 2003 and 2012 impacted the results, but the findings can establish a foundation and trajectory for future research.
The research was conducted within the scope of the Central New York healthcare setting. The focus was on the Generation Y and Z perspectives and how those perspectives contributed to organizational commitment among Generation Y and Z organizational members ( Limpanitgul et al., 2017 ). The age range of the sample group consisted of individuals born between 1981 and 2002. This scope covers the age ranges of Generation Y and Z members that are adults. Additionally, the sample group included adults born between 1981 and 2002 employed within the scope of the Central New York healthcare setting. The aim was not only to explore the general mindset of Generation Y and Z members; it also included the Generation Y and Z perspective within the scope of the Central New York healthcare setting. By making the research available to all healthcare professionals, I could differentiate between professional norms and the Central New York healthcare environment.
1.5. Significance of the Study
This research included exploring the individualistic cultural shift, its influence on the development of the Generation Y and Z perspective, and how the Generation Y and Z perspective impacts the Central New York healthcare sector. The literature review included a correlation between the Generation Y and Z members’ perspectives and a lower level of organizational commitment among the Generation Y and Z members ( Barbuto & Gottfredson, 2016 ; Chillakuri & Mahanandia, 2018 ; Nobles, 2019 ). Lower levels of organizational commitment could contribute to higher turnover rates and additional operational costs for organizations ( De Winne et al., 2019 ; Park & Ko, 2020 ). Furthermore, high turnover rates can lower performance levels among organizational members because of the loss of experienced organizational members to guide their organizational development ( De Winne et al., 2019 ).
1.6. A Review of the Academic Literature
A lack of organizational commitment has developed among the Generation Y (Millennials) and Z populations ( Lussier, 2019 ). This lack of organizational commitment is related to the cultural shift of individualism ( Lussier, 2019 ; Ogihara, 2017 ). Generation Y and Z members desire a more personal investment from their leaders ( Barbuto & Gottfredson, 2016 ; Chillakuri & Mahanandia, 2018 ; Etzioni, 2017 ). A leader must satisfy Generation Y and Z’s desire to fulfill their basic, social, or higher-order needs ( Auger & Woodman, 2016 ; Barbuto & Gottfredson, 2016 ; Dias et al., 2019 ; Kollmann et al., 2020 ; Nobles, 2019 ; Ogihara, 2017 ). Servant and transformational leadership approaches meet Generation Y and Z members’ expectations ( Dias et al., 2019 ; Nobles, 2019 ). Generation Y and Z members desire more of a coach or mentor relationship with their organizational leaders and a personally beneficial relationship ( Ebeling et al., 2020 ; Graczyk-Kucharska & Erickson, 2020 ; Ivanovic & Ivancevic, 2019 ).
Leading and managing Generation Y and Z members begins before the members of these generational groups become applicants ( Shufutinsky & Cox, 2019 ). Organizations must attract Generation Y and Z members by addressing the generational members’ need to fulfill basic primary and higher-order goals ( Shufutinsky & Cox, 2019 ). When an organization hires a Generation Y or Z member, the organization must socialize the Generation Y and Z members ( Shufutinsky & Cox, 2019 ). Generation Y and Z members desire official environments and leaders that contribute beneficially to their growth and goal-attainment process ( Barbuto & Gottfredson, 2016 ; Shufutinsky & Cox, 2019 ). Moreover, Millennials and Generation Z generational group members feel entitled, and desire more than they deserve. They have a self-based human nature that aggressively promotes social change, which complements their progressive political ideologies ( Kaplan, 2020 ). Leaders must realize that the millennial and Generation Z perspective is more progressive and self-fulfilling and complement Generation Y and Z progressive perspectives to effectively lead Generation Y and Z followers ( Kaplan, 2020 ).
Leadership Practices
Shufutinsky and Cox (2019) explored how inadequate organizational onboarding programs impact Millennials negatively ( Shufutinsky & Cox, 2019 ). Millennials differ from previous generations because they developed in a culture where technology saw significant advances with social media and the availability of information ( Shufutinsky & Cox, 2019 ). Instead of being raised in a culture governed by their parents’ perspective, Millennials grew up with various perspectives readily available ( Shufutinsky & Cox, 2019 ). Western society began to see a cultural change among Millennials because various cultural perspectives, including diverse domestic views, influenced the Millennials’ perspective ( Shufutinsky & Cox, 2019 ). Therefore, organizational leaders must realize that there is a cultural shift and address it if they desire a beneficial and productive organizational culture ( Shufutinsky & Cox, 2019 ).
One of the crucial components of organizational leadership is the ability to socialize new hires successfully into the organizational culture ( Shufutinsky & Cox, 2019 ). The socialization process can make new hires feel like they are an essential or irrelevant part of the team ( Shufutinsky & Cox, 2019 ). Millennials have more of a sense of community, expectations, and standards than the earlier generations ( Shufutinsky & Cox, 2019 ). Millennials are not content with a pay-for-labor relationship. Instead, Millennials want to be essential and contributing members of an organization, appreciated, and feel as though they are personally benefiting from the experience ( Auger & Woodman, 2016 ; Ebeling et al., 2020 ; Ivanovic & Ivancevic, 2019 ; Pyöriä et al., 2017 ; Shufutinsky & Cox, 2019 ). The servant leadership approach is beneficial and meets the millennial generation’s needs ( Barbuto & Gottfredson, 2016 ).
Barbuto and Gottfredson (2016) explored how the servant leadership approach directly impacts Millennials’ experience in the organizational setting. Notably, currently, Millennials make up approximately 50% of the workplace. For organizations to attract and retain millennial employees, the organizational leaders must make the organization desirable for Millennials ( Barbuto & Gottfredson, 2016 ). The servant leadership approach is beneficial because it is an approach that prioritizes the needs and desires of the follower. If the leader is willing to take a servant or selfless approach and invest in their followers, they will become more productive, motivated, and committed. If the organizational leaders adopt a servant or selfless-based leadership approach, they can attract millennial workers, retain them, and benefit from the Millennials’ performance increase. Furthermore, organizations will have senior employees to mentor new employees (socialization) ( Barbuto & Gottfredson, 2016 ; Shufutinsky & Cox, 2019 ).
Hafsteinsdóttir et al. (2017) explored practical leadership approaches with postdoctoral nurses. The research included that mentorship-based approaches contributed beneficially to productivity among postdoctoral nurses. Hafsteinsdóttir et al. indicated a need for mentor-based approaches, that mentor-based approaches can benefit, and that organizational member productivity can increase. Additionally, Hafsteinsdóttir indicated that a mentorship-based approach contributed to the well-being of postdoctoral nurses. Even though this research did not explore the millennial generational perspective specifically, the research demonstrates that mentorship-based approaches can lead to increased productivity, a sense of belonging, and the overall well-being of postdoctoral nurses ( Hafsteinsdóttir et al., 2017 ). Increased productivity, beneficial socialization, and follower well-being are organizational factors that are important to the millennial generation ( Auger & Woodman, 2016 ; Ebeling et al., 2020 ; Ivanovic & Ivancevic, 2019 ; Pyöriä et al., 2017 ; Shufutinsky & Cox, 2019 ).
Chillakuri and Mahanandia (2018) explored the Generation Z perspective regarding organizational leadership. Specifically, the aim of the research was to understand Generation Z’s perspective and find ways to increase their productivity. Chillakuri and Mahanandia (2018) suggested that organizations should shift their approaches to accommodate the Generation Z population. The first step is for leaders to make the organization more attractive for potential Generation Z organizational members since Generation Z members enjoy individuality and working on tasks alone. These tasks can be performing individual duties or learning. In addition, to being more individualistic, Generation Z members are inherently motivated when subjected to servant-based leadership approaches. Generation Z members must be appreciated for their efforts and invested in, but leaders should see elevated levels of productivity and effective self-management among Generation Z followers. Generation Z workers excel in time management and staying focused. Not only are Generation Z workers productive, but they are also efficient and contribute beneficially to organizational success ( Chillakuri & Mahanandia, 2018 ).
The research highlights that organizations must adapt to the new Generation Z perspective and cater to this perspective of individuality and personal value ( Chillakuri & Mahanandia, 2018 ). Another area of consideration would be the Generation Z members’ technology-focused perspective. Generation Z members enjoy engaging with technology and utilizing it to complete tasks ( Chillakuri & Mahanandia, 2018 )—secondly, Generation Z members like being connected through technology functionally and socially. Organizational leaders must be willing to integrate technology into organizational functions. As with Millennials, Generation Z members bring a new perspective to the organizational setting ( Chillakuri & Mahanandia, 2018 ). Both generational groups offer beneficial organizational attributes, but for leaders to fully realize and utilize the Generation Y and Z talents, Generation Y and Z followers must be invested in beneficially ( Auger & Woodman, 2016 ; Ebeling et al., 2020 ; Ivanovic & Ivancevic, 2019 ; Pyöriä et al., 2017 ; Shufutinsky & Cox, 2019 ).
The Problem
Organizational commitment is becoming a concern because of the cultural shift to individualism and the individualistic perspective that prioritizes self-based needs over the needs of the collective ( Lussier, 2019 ). During the mid-20th century, workers began to desire a less pay-for-labor relationship and to require fulfillment on a basic, social, and higher-order level ( Lussier, 2019 ). The cultural shift to individualism also inspired a greater desire for workers’ rights ( Lussier, 2019 ; Ogihara, 2017 ). Additionally, individualism inspired an independent rather than a group-based perspective ( Ogihara, 2017 ). Lower dependence on others inspired the development of individualistic ideologies because of the inherently human nature of self-prioritizing ( D’Souza & Gurin, 2017 ; Lussier, 2019 ; Ogihara, 2017 ).
Theories
Santos et al. (2017) researched that modern research into individualism has been primarily based on studies in developed countries. To address the stated void in the research, the researchers explored data collected over 51 years. The data included individualistic practices and values from 78 countries and concluded that there is a global increase in individualism. Even though individualism is on the rise, cultural differences still significantly mitigate the impact and expression of individualism across various cultures ( Santos et al., 2017 ). Notably, individualism is known to have originated in Western societies, specifically the United States of America, a leading contributor to western culture ( Ogihara, 2017 ).
Ogihara (2017) indicated that individualism is a highly discussed phenomenon across cross-cultural studies ( Santos et al., 2017 ). It inspires a cultural and personal perspective that prioritizes a self-directed approach to living, and separation from others, in the pursuit of personal interests. In contrast, collectivism encourages an interconnected approach among individuals if the collective approach contributes beneficially to the individual’s needs fulfillment process. The research found that the collective mindset is behavioral among individuals and stems from thoughts and feelings that motivate the collective-minded approach. Individualistic cultures prioritize uniqueness and separation from others, while collectivism emphasizes conformity and maintaining close family relations even with extended family members ( Santos et al., 2017 ).
The individualistic and collective perspectives influence values and norms, which include socialization practices and cultural products ( Santos et al., 2017 ). Individualistic individuals prioritize living alone, while collective-minded individuals favor living with family members, including grandparents. With this said, cultural perspectives are not a consistent phenomenon and are subject to change because societal influences consistently change cultural perspectives and practices. This change from a collective-minded perspective to a more individualistic one has been seen within the scope of American culture. Americans are more likely to give their children unique names, and Americans are less likely to live in multigenerational households ( Santos et al., 2017 ). This shift has also been seen in the traditionally collective-minded Japanese culture ( Ogihara, 2018 ; Santos et al., 2017 ). Japanese culture has shifted from multigenerational households to more individualistic households and rising dependence on nursing homes for aging family members ( Ogihara, 2017 ).
In individualistic societies, the frequency of words such as self, unique, and personal is more common, whereas in collective cultures, obedience, belong, and together are more frequently utilized words ( Santos et al., 2017 ). The difference in cultural terminology is prevalent in American books, as well. Researchers explored socioeconomic developments, natural disaster frequencies, climatic stress, pathogen prevalence, ecological affordance, and threats to understand the cultural difference and the shift to individualism. The typical influence of these cultural factors contributes to developing individualistic perspectives within the scope of different cultures ( Santos et al., 2017 ).
2. Research Methodology
The research was a flexible design, conducted as a single case study, and the research validity was through triangulation. Utilizing a flexible design is beneficial within the social sciences and leadership-based research scope. Furthermore, this allows researchers to consider personal biases and contributing cultural factors related to the research ( Fàbregues & Paré, 2018 ). While considering the literature and the data collected, the researcher must ensure that a triangulation process is in place to ensure the reliability of the research ( Fàbregues & Paré, 2018 ). The triangulation process included participant feedback gathered through interviews and focus groups, the literature review, surveys and questionnaires, and statistical analysis for verification purposes. With several factors to compare in the triangulation process, the researcher could better detect discrepancies while gaining further insight ( Farquhar et al., 2020 ).
2.1. Participants
The research was conducted with the Stronger Together Mohawk Valley Community & Healthcare Workers. The research included Generation Y and Z members employed by or routinely interacting with the Central New York healthcare setting. The participants were of the legal age of consent (18) in New York State. They had a birth year that fell on or between 1981 and 2002. The age range of 1981 to 2002 represents the Generation Y and Z population in or entering the workforce ( Barbuto & Gottfredson, 2016 ; Chillakuri & Mahanandia, 2018 ). The control group consisted of healthcare workers associated with the Central New York healthcare environment that identified as Generation X and Baby Boomers. The participants had various educational backgrounds. Educational experience included individuals in the research. Notably, various educational backgrounds allowed me to consider the impact of educational experiences on generational perspectives, culture, and organizational turnover rates.
2.2. Population and Sampling
The targeted groupings within the scope of the Central New York healthcare sector were members of the Generation Y and Z populations and the Generation X and Baby Boomer generation. To ensure that participants were of the legal age to consent, the participants had a birth year between 1981 and 2002. The Generation Y and Z populations have been exposed to the individualistic Western cultural shift ( Kutlák, 2021 ; Ogihara, 2017 ). The individualistic-based research has found that individuals are becoming less dependent on traditional community support because industries and governmental agencies continually meet citizen needs through technological and industrial advancements ( Ogihara, 2017 ). The government and industries are meeting the needs of individuals, which makes individuals less dependent on family, friends, and neighbors.
The individualistic nature of the Generation Y and Z perspective was explored within the Central New York healthcare environment. I explored how organizational leaders addressed the new individualistic perspective in Generation Y and Z members. Additionally, the research included increasing organizational commitment among these Generation Y and Z organizational members. Organizational leaders must make Generation Y and Z members dependent on the organization while the leader ensures that their leadership approach benefits their followers ( Ezcurra, 2021 ; Ogihara, 2017 ). The goal was to establish a sample group comprising 15 to 30 Generation Y and Z members and the Generation X and Y populations routinely working in the Central New York healthcare setting. The established groupings consisted of 17 Generation Y and Z participants and 11 Generation X and Baby Boomer participants that worked in a healthcare capacity in Oneida County, New York. Oneida County, New York, is in Central New York.
2.3. Data Collection
The Selection of the participants was primarily based on their generational grouping and healthcare roles. The generational grouping of the participants was important because the research addresses how the Generation Y and Z perspectives impact the organizational setting. Secondly, the research is specifically focused on the Central New York healthcare sector, so medical personnel was selected for the study based on their affiliation with the Central New York healthcare setting—an interview guide and questions that reflect the research questions. Interviews and focus groups were utilized as the primary data collection methods. Moreover, surveys, questionnaires, and observations were tools utilized to gather data for triangulation.
Requests for permission to access the Central New York healthcare employees were submitted to the hospital or hospital associations and employee associations that serve the targeted demographics. The template provided by Liberty University was utilized to contact the hospitals and healthcare organizations. Stronger Together Mohawk Valley Community & Healthcare Workers agreed to participate in the research. Since the Utica and Syracuse, New York-based hospitals serve most of the Central New York Community, the above-stated locations represented a large segment of the Central New York medical personnel. The population of 15,951 organizational members represents a large portion of the Central New York population. Syracuse, New York, has a population of 142,874 (2019); Utica et al. have a population of 60,320 (2019); and Rome, New York, has a population of 32,253 (2019) ( Bureau, 2022 ). The total population of Syracuse, Utica, and Rome, New York, according to 2019 U.S. Census statistics, is 235,447. The total hospital staff reported in 2017 comprises 6.5% of the 2019 population of the three significant urban Central New York populations combined ( Burke, 2009 ). Central New York healthcare Generation Y and Z employees were the targeted sample grouping. The target participation rate was 15 - 30 members of the Generation Y and Z population in a Central New York healthcare setting.
Instruments
An interview guide was developed that reflected the research questions. As the research progressed, the interview guide was adjusted to consider newly discovered variables. The first set of research questions is referred to as research questions. The first set of questions explored the foundational baseline perspective of the participants and what factors contributed to their reasoning and perspective. The birth year was collected to determine whether the participant was associated with the targeted generational grouping. The next question asked the participant what generational grouping they identify with, to discover what traditional generational perspective is held by the participant.
Understanding what generational grouping the individual identifies as, and what the individual identifies with, allowed me to discover how closely the participant reflected the established viewpoint of their generational grouping. Understanding the participant’s deviation from the norm allowed the researcher to understand discrepancies since there was an expectation for individuals to deviate from the foundational literature’s generational findings. These expectations were correct, and the Baby Boomer and Generation X control group demonstrated higher-than-expected levels of individualism.
2.4. Data Analysis
A qualitative data analysis approach is rigorous and accelerated data reduction or RADaR ( Watkins, 2017 ). The RADaR process includes unitizing multiple general-purpose spreadsheets and tables for all the trackable data. The revision of the data included summarizing and collecting on the all-inclusive spreadsheets. The data revisions contributed to data reduction and more concise tables. Collecting the data on spreadsheets and then engaging in data reduction made the data analysis process more efficient. Essential computer programs for data analysis make this approach cost-effective. The RADaR technique assisted in analyzing data gathered through interviews and focus groups ( Watkins, 2017 ). The data collected were organized and formatted in the same font, regardless of the data source I collected, copied, and pasted into the spreadsheet. Once the initial spreadsheet was developed, the subsequent spreadsheets resulted from the data reduction process that streamlined the various data points into common data points. This allowed streamlining of the data while still having access to the original data for verification purposes ( Watkins, 2017 ).
Emergent Themes
Emergent themes highlighted by the literature review process included the importance of an individualistic approach among Generation Y and Z members ( Ogihara, 2017 ). The traditional pay-for-labor relationship fails to meet the needs of the new generations, Y and Z ( Barbuto & Gottfredson, 2016 ). Generation Y and Z members desire more of a servant-based leadership approach and less of the director-based leadership approach ( Barbuto & Gottfredson, 2016 ). With this stated, Generation Y and Z members tend to prefer a leadership approach that addresses not only their basic needs, but social and higher order needs as well ( Barbuto & Gottfredson, 2016 ; Chillakuri & Mahanandia, 2018 ). If the new Generation Y and Z members’ basic, social, and higher-order needs are not addressed, the potential for high turnover rates within the scope of an organization increases ( Kollmann et al., 2020 ; Limpanitgul et al., 2017 ). When an organizational leader invests in their workforce, an expectation of a higher level of productivity from their Generation Y and Z organizational members exists ( Limpanitgul et al., 2017 ).
Coding Themes
Emerging themes included the turnover potential of Generation Y and Z members. The participants were asked about their level of organizational commitment and what factors contributed to their current level of organizational commitment. Organizational commitment levels were one code broken down into low, moderate, and high-risk levels for turnover. Generations Y and Z were assigned to one grouping to identify similarities and differences between both generational groupings within the scope of the participants. The Baby Boomer and Generation X participants were put into a separate grouping to serve as a control group. Internal and external contributing factors were evaluated and compared among the participants. These included educational level, local cultural experiences, and experiences within the organization’s scope that impacted the Generation Y and Z members’ organizational perspective. Factors contributing to the participants’ organizational perspective were codified by deductive and inductive coding methods.
Interpretation
Interpretation included thematic analysis ( Clarke & Braun, 2017 ). Thematic analysis is an accepted method of identifying, analyzing, and interpreting qualitative data. The first step was codifying the identified data for analysis codifying the data allowed me to categorize the data into manageable units, allowing me to discover themes during the process of codifying. The codified data led to establishing themes, contributing to a supported interpretation of the data. Within the scope of thematic analysis, I compared the codified data with the entire data set, contributing to the triangulation process and the validity of the research. Once the data were identified, codified, analyzed for emerging themes, and verified, I could interpret the data collected through the interviews and focus groups. Within the scope of qualitative research, I must be able to identify and analyze themes in a manner that leads to verifiable interpretations.
Data Representation
The data presentation accurately reflected the literature, data collection, and analysis. The analysis included participant feedback and a triangulation process that ensured the data represented were accurate. The data representation needed to reflect the actual perspectives of the participants identified by the research. Once the data were organized and analyzed, I accurately reported the data. Moreover, I ensured that personal biases were not the motivation for the research, nor were personal biases allowed to alter the results and representation of the research data. All conclusions were verified through triangulation to ensure the data’s accuracy and the final presentation.
Reliability and Validity
Reliability ensures trustworthiness in qualitative research, providing confidence in the data, interpretation, and methods utilized ( Connelly, 2016 ). The reliability of research and data collection occur trustworthily. If the researcher engages in deceitful practices while conducting research to prove the researcher’s point of view based on bias, the research will seem unreliable ( Jordan, 2018 ). Ethnicity must therefore occur ethically while integrating a triangulation process into the research process to ensure reliability and validity. Triangulation must ensure research reliability and validity ( Jordan, 2018 ). A triangulation process ensured reliability and validity, and a trustworthy and ethical approach was ensured. The five factors (literature reviews, collected data, statistical analysis, statistical verification, and observations) were part of the triangulation process. Personal biases did not jeopardize the credibility or the validity of the research.
Validity ensures the accurate representation of the information and research findings ( Jordan, 2018 ). Triangulation is not the only way a researcher ensures validity ( Jordan, 2018 ). The researcher must be ethical and willing to receive feedback from experts in the field ( Jordan, 2018 ). Additionally, bracketing is another area of consideration ( Gregory, 2019 ). Researchers must be aware of personal biases, their research approach, and personal worldviews. The researcher must remain a neutral participant in the research process. Researchers must view themselves as a team member with the participants, and the team’s goal should represent the truth. The participants may have personal biases or perspectives, or the research topic or questions may personally trigger them. Secondly, participants can give straight-line or false answers, which will discredit the research results if the researcher is unaware of these concerns. Researchers must be able to recognize these personality traits and consider how the data collected are impacted ( Gregory, 2019 ).
Data saturation is another consideration within the scope of validity. Data saturation occurs when no new factors occur during the data collection ( Gugiu et al., 2020 ). Care was taken to ensure the identification and presentation of the sample group characteristics. The data collected was adequate to form valid and reliable conclusions. Member checking ensured participant responses were accurately collected and reported by seeking feedback ( Birt et al., 2016 ). Member checking is also referred to as participant verification. Ensuring that respondents accurately represent the targeted demographics, and verifying their responses, contributed to ensuring trustworthiness within the scope of this research. Follow-up interviews were conducted to ensure that the collected data were accurate. Within the scope of validity, a triangulation process had to be in place, and the data collected had to be adequate and verified by the respondents.
3. Application to Professional Practice, Findings, and Conclusions
This case study consisted of Central New York Healthcare workers. Several factors identified were lower levels of organizational commitment and turnover rates among Central New York Healthcare workers. The factors contributing to lower organizational commitment levels include staffing shortages and heavy workloads, non-competitive pay, the lack of needs fulfillment, and ineffective leadership-based approaches. The failed leadership approaches identified were ineffective communication and an unwillingness to meet the demands of the workforce. The case study also highlighted that the individualistic cultural shift is more comprehensive than just the Generation Y and Z populations. Baby Boomers and Generation X members have begun adopting individualistic-based worldviews like their Generation Y and Z counterparts. The individualistic perspective was prevalent during the Generation Y and Z development stages. The case study deviated from the foundational research by indicating an individualistic shift among Baby Boomers and the Generation X populations.
The case study included the Stronger Together Mohawk Valley Community and Healthcare Workers organization members. The case study had 28 participants. Out of the 28 participants, 17 identified as Generation Y and Z members, while 11 identified as members of the Baby Boomer and Generation X populations. A flexible qualitative approach included focus groups, interviews, and surveys. The foundation of the research was the literature review. This foundational literature review was a baseline for comparison as part of the triangulation process. The participants answered interview questions that reflected the research questions. The responses to these questions were collected, codified, and entered on a data sheet. The information was collected, codified, and consolidated into broader categories to simplify the data analysis process. Consequently, follow-up interviews confirmed and clarified the findings of the case study. Saturation occurred after 12 participants.
3.1. Discussion of Themes
One Generation X member stated they had witnessed a Generation Z member resign within two weeks of starting their position. According to P3x, Generation Z members left their positions due to a paycheck discrepancy. According to the Generation Z member, their hospital’s payroll and human resources department was unresponsive to the Generation Z member’s concerns when they approached them. As for turnover rates in general, the results demonstrated that turnover risk is high among Central New York healthcare workers. The Generation Y and Z participants demonstrated that 94% are at high turnover risk. From the Generation Y and Z interview, participants 10 (P3, P4, P5, P7, P8, P9, P10, P11, P12, P13) stated that they were unsure whether they would leave their positions, and P10 stated that they were doubtful to leave their position for employment opportunities with other employers. P10 stated that they felt their position was personally rewarding and that their organizational leaders met their needs.
Among the Baby Boomer and Generation X interview participants, two (P3x and P9x) stated that they are very likely to leave their current position, four (P4x, P5x, P7x, P8x) were undecided, and five participants (P1x, P2x, P6x, P10x, P11x) were doubtful to leave their positions for opportunities elsewhere. Generation Y and Z participants are more indecisive than their Baby Boomers and Generation X counterparts. This suggests that the turnover risk among Generation Y and Z participants is greater than that of their Baby Boomers and Generation X counterparts. While considering decisive responses, P10 stated they were committed to their organizations. At the same time, 45% of the Baby Boomers and Generation X members stated they were committed to their organizations (P1, P2, P6, P10, P11). Considering participants that lacked organizational commitment decisively, six of the Generation Y and Z interview participants (P1, P2, P6, P9, P16, P17) stated that they were actively considering other employment opportunities. In contrast, two Baby Boomers and Generation X interview participants (P3x and P9x) were likely to leave their positions.
Within the scope of the participants, Generation Y and Z participants are at a higher risk of turnover potential. Of the Baby Boomer and Generation X interview participants, 18% had decided to leave their positions for better opportunities. In comparison, 35% of Generation Y and Z interview participants had decided to consider other opportunities actively. Within the scope of organizational commitment, 5% of the Generation Y and Z participants were committed to their organization. In comparison, 45% of Baby Boomers and Generation X members were committed to their organization. This information demonstrates that Baby Boomers and Generation X participants are more committed to their organizations, while Generation Y and Z participants are less committed. The indecisive responses verify this because 58% percent of the Generation Y and Z members were undecided, while 36% of the Baby Boomers and Generation X members were undecided. Within the scope of lacking organizational commitment, 94% of Generation Y and Z members needed clarification on their commitment, or they had decided to look for employment opportunities with other organizations. As shown in Figure 1 below, the Baby Boomer and Generation X participants demonstrated that 54% needed clarification on their organizational commitment or had decided to look elsewhere for employment opportunities.
3.2. Findings
The collected data was consistent with the findings of the foundational literature regarding the Generation Y and Z populations. An individualistic tendency was discovered among the participants in this case study. The participants were concerned with their personal needs being met and were willing to fight for what they perceived to be their entitlements as organizational healthcare workers. Participant concerns included feeling that their personal needs needed to be met on a basic, social, or higher-order level. In addition to the desire to meet various
![]()
Figure 1. Level of organizational commitment.
needs, 94% of the Generation Y and Z participants desired more than just their basic needs (P2 only desired basic needs to be addressed). In comparison, 63% of the Baby Boomers and Generation X participants desired more than their basic needs to be addressed (P1x, P2x, P5x, P6x, P7x, P9x, P11x). These findings indicate that not only is the individualistic ideology present within the scope of the Generation Y and Z population, but Baby Boomer and Generation X participants are also developing individualistic ideologies about labor expectations.
The triangulation results demonstrated that the participants had an individualistic perspective. The main discrepancy with the foundational research was that individualistic characteristics are wider than generational groupings. The Baby Boomer and Generation X participants consistently demonstrated individualistic tendencies. The focus group, interviews, surveys, and questionnaires confirmed these findings. From the Baby Boomer and Generation X participants (focus group, interviews, surveys, and questionnaires), 73% said they expected to have more than just their basic needs met. Moreover, 46% of Baby Boomer and Generation X participants (focus groups, interviews, surveys, and questionnaires) stated that they were either undecided or very likely to leave their organizations because their needs were not satisfactorily addressed. The results indicate that individualism is not limited to the Generation Y and Z populations.
Individualism is uniformly a societal influence, but the data collected indicated that Generation Y and Z participants were more individualistic than their Baby Boomers and Generation X counterparts. Of the Generation Y and Z participants (focus group, interviews, surveys, and questionnaires), 96% indicated that they expected organizational leaders to meet more than just their basic needs. Of all case study participants, 81% stated that they were undecided or actively considering leaving their organizations. These findings are based on the findings of the various data collection methods and the findings of the foundational literature ( Lussier, 2019 ; Ogihara, 2017 ). Modern-day western organizational members are beginning to expect that their basic social and higher-order needs should be addressed by their organizational leaders ( Auger & Woodman, 2016 ).
The participants were asked in a follow-up interview whether they perceived turnover rates to be frequent, not frequent, or other. Out of 17 Generation Y and Z interview participants, P3 and P17 rated the turnover rate as not frequent, while 15 of 17 participants stated that the turnover rate was frequent. For the two interview participants who stated that the turnover rate was not frequent, one identified as Generation Y (P3), and the other identified as Generation Z (P17). When asked why the turnover rate was satisfactory, P17 stated that their leaders were responsive and that the work environment was enjoyable. P3 stated that the turnover rate was rare because the pay was excellent, and the schedule was flexible due to working in a hospice. The Baby Boomer and Generation X participants responded, with 8 of the 11 stating that the turnover rates were frequent (P2x, P3x, P4x, P5x, P7x, P8x, P10x, P11x). The three participants that stated that the turnover rate was not frequent stated that their department offered a low workload and that their coworkers worked together to accomplish tasks (P1x, P6x, P9x). The participants that stated that the turnover rate was frequent highlighted concerns associated with employee needs not being met, organizational commitment levels, teamwork concerns, leadership approachability concerns, low quality of care, and non-competitive compensation.
3.3. Recommendations for Further Studies
The case study results indicate that individualism is present within the scope of the culture of the Central New York healthcare system. Generations Y and Z are not the only generational groupings demonstrating individualistic tendencies. Baby Boomers and Generation X individuals also demonstrate individualistic tendencies. Further research should be conducted into how childhood and adolescent development factors contribute to mitigating individualistic perspective development. The case study demonstrated that Generation Y and Z members tended to be more individualistic than their Baby Boomer and Generation X organizational counterparts. This may be because of differing developmental influences during the various groupings’ early childhood and adolescent development.
Even though the Generation Y and Z grouping tends to be more individualistic, the Generation X and Baby Boomer grouping also demonstrated individualistic tendencies. Research should shift from a generational grouping to a focus on individualism and its cultural impact on Western-based organizational settings. Even though individualistic ideologies influenced Generation Y and Z participants throughout their early childhood and adolescent developmental periods, individualism is influential within all generational groupings. The early childhood and adolescent developmental periods may mitigate the influence of individualism. An understanding of, and a focus on individualism, may contribute to a greater understanding of the foundational concern of self-prioritization. Additionally, research should be conducted into beneficial remedies for the impact of individualism on modern-day Western-based organizations.
4. Conclusion
The individualistic perspective has encouraged a shift in perspective among Generation Y and Z organizational members. Generation Y and Z organizational members desire leaders that invest in organizational members on a basic, social, and higher-order level. Furthermore, Generation Y and Z members desire less of a simplistic pay-for-labor relationship. The labor-for-pay relationship only meets the basic needs of Generations Y and Z, leaving them unfulfilled. The feeling of needing to be fulfilled contributes to lower levels of organizational commitment and higher turnover rates for organizations. In turn, high rates of turnover contribute to additional costs in the areas of hiring and training. High turnover rates also result in a less experienced workforce and lower performance. Organizational leaders must therefore adopt selfless-based leadership approaches, such as a servant or transformational leadership approach. Generation Y and Z members desire less of a director or autocratic leadership approach while expecting a coaching or mentorship relationship with their organizational leaders.
I have a post-positivist perspective, and I conducted a single case study to discover how the cultural shift of individualism has influenced the Generations Y and Z Central New York healthcare workers. The sample group included 17 Central New York healthcare community members born between 1981 and 2002. The birth year range of 1981 to 2002 ensured that the participants were of the lawful age of consent in New York State. I considered not only verifiable scientific data but the personal perspectives of the participants as well. Other areas of exploration were cultural influences, development, performance, and how the findings were related to the foundational findings of the literature review. The primary purpose of the research was to explore how the individualistic cultural shift has impacted the Generation Y and Z members of the Central New York healthcare community and how individualism impacts turnover rates and organizational costs.
The research primarily focused on the data collected through face-to-face interviews and focus groups. A thematic analysis was utilized for interpretation purposes. Thematic analysis is an accepted method that I utilized to identify, analyze, and interpret the collected qualitative data. I codified the collected data for analysis, which allowed me to categorize the data into manageable data points. The codified data led to the establishment of themes. The triangulation process included using surveys, questionnaires, and observations to test the collected data from the interviews and focus groups. Statistical analysis was used to analyze the data gathered through interviews, focus groups, and particular testing methods (surveys, questionnaires, and observation).
The statistical analysis included identifying critical factors for coding. The key factors were identified, codified, and inputted into an all-inclusive spreadsheet. The spreadsheet was evaluated, and the data were consolidated into more concise theme-based groupings. This process is called data reduction, making the data more manageable. Statistical analysis was utilized strictly for the triangulation process. The triangulation process compared the foundational literature, the qualitative data gathered through face-to-face interviews and focus groups, and the data acquired through surveys, questionnaires, and observation.
Throughout the research, I ensured that I ethically conducted myself so that the research was reliable and valid. I pursued the truth regardless of personal biases. This single case study focused on face-to-face interviews and focus groups as the primary source of data collection. A triangulation process and participant feedback verified the gathered data. The triangulation process included using questionnaires, surveys, and observations for comparison purposes only. Moreover, the triangulation helped determine whether my biases or wrong perceptions negatively impacted the data being identified, collected, and analyzed. Utilizing a triangulation process contributed to research reliability and validity.