Personality Traits and Organisational Commitment of Gen X and Gen Y Employees

Abstract

Today, workplaces have people of different generations working together. It becomes necessary that organizations practices should not be driven by need of one generation more than the other. This needs understanding of whether different generations working together in organization have different personality traits. The aim of this research is to investigate whether differences in personality and organizational commitment exist in generation X & Y employees in private sectors organisation. The research design includes using the 16 Personality Factor Questionnaires by Cattell (1943) and the Organisational Commitment Questionnaire by Allen and Meyer (1990). The method includes examining cross-sectional differences in personality and organisational commitment with respect to generation X & Y. The results revealed there was significant difference in personality and organisational commitment between Gen X and Gen Y. Result also depicted that personality traits affect organisational commitment of Gen X employees, but personality traits do not affect organisational commitment of Gen Y employees. In case of Gen Y employees, organisational factors are more important to enhance organisational commitment such as working environment, culture, reward system, career growth among others. Managers and HR professionals may find the study useful to construct HR practices which can help in improving organisational commitment of employees.

Keywords: Personality, Organisational Commitment, Generation X & Y

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