Abstract:

The management of Chinese millennial generation has been a huge challenge for organization, how to manage them base on their work values has great significance. However, there were no studies explored the work values of Chinese millennial generation with scientific method. To improve the management effectiveness, the present study explores the structure and measurement of work values of Chinese millennial generation and examines effects work values on employee performance. Study one explored the content of work values of Chinese millennial generation with 183 open questionnaires, after the scientific process for item collection, 26 items in five specific categories were collected. Base on 502 employee questionnaires, study two examined the structure of work values of Chinese millennial generation with exploration factor analysis (EFA), confirmation factor analysis (CFA) and reliability analysis, and the results showed that the measurement of work values of Chinese millennial generation contain twenty items in five dimensions. Using 208 matched questionnaires, study three explored the content validity, structure validity, discrimination validity and predictive validity of the measurement, moreover, with the multi-source and longitudinal data, study three examined the effects work values of Chinese millennial generation on employee in-role and extra-role performance. The results indicated that the work values of millennial generation are a second-order structure, which include utilitarian orientation, intrinsic preference, interpersonal harmony, innovative orientation, and long-term development. The five-dimension measurement had good reliability and validity in scientific research. Furthermore, the work values of millennial generation had positive effects on the employee in-role and extra-role performance. This study is the first research to explore the structure and measurement of work values of millennial generation as well as their effects on employee performance in the Chinese context with scientific and rigorous method. It is valuable for managers to understand the work values of new generation and improve their management base on their work values. The implication, limitation and further research direction of the study were highlighted as well.

Key words: millennial generation, work values, measurement, in-role performance, extra-role performance