Generational Differences in Work Values in China

Abstract

We examined the generational differences in Chinese employees' work values using the Chinese Work Values Scale with 1,015 Chinese employees across three generations (i.e., Cultural Revolution generation, n = 148; Transitional generation, n = 355; Millennial generation, n = 512). We found that, even with gender, education, and position taken into account, the Millennial generation placed more importance on intrinsic and extrinsic rewards than did the Transitional generation or the Cultural Revolution generation, and that the Cultural Revolution generation placed more importance on altruism than did the younger generations. Results also showed that generation exerted more influence on work values than did age. This implies that, taking these results into account, current human resource management practices in organizations and institutions in China should be adjusted accordingly.