Exploring Job Satisfaction among Generation Z Employees: A Study in the SMEs of the Mekong Delta, Vietnam
This study examines the determinants of job satisfaction among Generation Z (Gen Z) employees in small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) operating in the Mekong Delta region of Vietnam. The objective is to identify key factors influencing job satisfaction and provide insights for SMEs to enhance employee well-being and organizational performance. Employing a mixed-methods approach, the research combines qualitative expert consultation to refine survey instruments and quantitative analysis to evaluate the impact of various factors on job satisfaction. A sample size of 300 Gen Z employees was surveyed across SMEs in Can Tho and Vinh Long provinces, with 278 valid responses obtained. The findings indicate that job characteristics, training and learning opportunities, the work environment, autonomy in work, income and benefits, and promotion opportunities significantly influence job satisfaction among Gen Z workers. These results underscore the importance for SMEs to prioritize these factors in their human resource management strategies to cultivate a positive work environment and foster employee engagement and loyalty. By addressing these key determinants, SMEs can optimize their workforce's satisfaction levels, leading to improved performance and competitiveness in the dynamic business landscape of the Mekong Delta region.
[1] Aamir, M., Salman, M., & Asif, M. (2014). Factors affecting employees' job satisfaction in telecommunication industry: A case study of Pakistan. Economics of Knowledge, 6(3). https://ideas.repec.org/a/eok/journl/v6y2014i3p53-73.html
[2] Abbas, J., Muzaffar, A., Mahmood, H. K., Ramzan, M. A., & Rizvi, S. S. (2014). Impact of technology on performance of employees (a case study on Allied Bank Ltd, Pakistan). World Applied Sciences Journal, 29, 271-276. https://www.idosi.org/wasj/wasj29(2)14/19.pdf
[3] Adams, J. S. (1963) Toward an understanding of inequity. Journal of Abnormal and Social Psychology, 67, 422-436. https://doi.org/10.1037/h0040968
[4] Alamdar, H. K., Muhammad, M. N., Muhammad, A. (2012). Impact of job satisfaction on employee performance: An empirical study of autonomous medical institutions of Pakistan. African Journal of Business Management, 6(7), 2697-2705.
[5] Alison, E. (2023). Generation Z - demographic group. https://www.britannica.com/topic/Generation-Z
[6] Artz, B. (2008). Job satisfaction review of labour. Economics & Industrial Relations, 22(2), 315-343. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1467-9914.2007.00398.x
[7] Baluyos, G., Rivera, H., & Baluyos, E. (2019). Teachers' job satisfaction and work performance. Open Journal of Social Sciences, 7(8), 206-221. https://doi.org/10.4236/jss.2019.78015
[8] Berkup, S. B. (2014) Working with generations X and Y in generation Z period: Management of different generations in business life. Mediterranean Journal of Social Sciences, 5(19), 218-229. https://doi.org/10.5901/mjss.2014.v5n19p218
[9] Biggs, S., & Lowenstein, A. (2011). Generational intelligence: A critical approach to age relations. Routledge.
[10] Bilge, H., Virlanuta, F. O., Zungun, D., Barbuta-Misu, N., Comuk, P., & Guven, E. T. A. (2021). Generation Y's perception of servant leadership and job satisfaction. Economies, 9(1), 24. https://doi.org/10.3390/economies9010024
[11] Bista, P. (2016). Job satisfaction among employees of commercial banks in Nepal. Journal of Nepalese Business Studies, 9(1), 63.
[12] Boeve, W. D. (2007). A national study of job satisfaction factors among faculty in physician assistant education. Eastern Michigan University. http://commons.emich.edu/theses/60
[13] Caliskan, E. N. (2010). The impact of strategic human resource management on organizational performance. Journal of Naval Science and Engineering, 6(2), 100-116. https://focusintl.com/data/documents/RBM152-066_Esra_Nemli1.pdf
[14] Carlson, R. E., Dawis, R. V., & Weiss, D. J. (1969). The effect of satisfaction on the relationship between abilities and satisfactoriness. Occupational Psychology, 43(1), 39–46.
[15] Elena-Iuliana, I., & Maria, C. (2016). Organizational performance - A concept that self-seeks to find itself. Annals of Constantin Brancusi University of Targu-Jiu. Economy Series, 4, 179-183. https://ideas.repec.org/a/cbu/jrnlec/y2016v4p179-183.html
[16] Eliyana, A., Ma'arif, S., & Muzakki, M. (2019). Job satisfaction and organizational commitment effect in the transformational leadership towards employee performance. European Research on Management and Business Economics, 25(3), 144-150. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.iedeen.2019.05.001
[17] Ellickson, M. C., & Logsdon, K. (2001). Determinants of job satisfaction of municipal government employees. State and Local Government Review, 33(3), 173-184. https://doi.org/10.1177/0091026002031003
[18] Hair, J., Anderson, R., Tatham, R., & Black, W. (1998). Multivariate data analysis (5th ed.). Prentice Hall.
[19] Hair Jr, J. F., Black, W. C., Babin, B. J., & Anderson, R. E. (2009) Multivariate data analysis (7th ed.). Prentice Hall.
[20] Haryono, S., Supardi, S., & Udin, U. (2020). The effect of training and job promotion on work motivation and its implications on job performance: Evidence from Indonesia. Management Science Letters, 10 (9), 2107–2112. https://doi.org/10.5267/j.msl.2020.1.019
[21] Herzberg, F., Mausner, B., & Snyderman, B. (1959) The motivation to work (2nd ed.) (pp. 141-147). John Wiley & Sons Inc.
[22] Hoppock, R. (1935). Job satisfaction. Harper and Brothers.
[23] Iqbal, K. (2013). Determinants of organizational justice and its impact on job satisfaction: A Pakistan base survey. International Review of Management and Business Research, 2(1), 48-56.
[24] Kreitner, R., Kinicki, A., & Buelens, M. (2007). Organizational behaviour. McGraw Hill.
[25] Kupperschmidt, B. R. (2000) Multi-generation employees: Strategies for effective management. The Health Care Manager, 19(1), 65-76. https://doi.org/10.1097/00126450-200019010-00011
[26] Locke, E. A. (1976). The nature and causes of job satisfaction. In Handbook of industrial and organizational psychology Vol. 1 (pp. 1297-1343).
[27] Luddy, N. (2005). Job satisfaction amongst employees at a public health institution in the Western Cape. Faculty of Economic and Management Science, University of the Western Cape. http://hdl.handle.net/11394/1418
[28] Lyons, S., & Kuron, L. (2014). Generational differences in the workplace: A review of the evidence and directions for future research. Journal of Organizational Behavior, 35(S1), S139–S157. https://doi.org/10.1002/job.1913
[29] Hitka, M., Rozsa, Z., Potkány, M., & Ližbenová, L. (2019). Factors forming employee motivation influenced by regional and age-related differences. Journal of Business Economic Management, 20(4), 674-693. https://doi.org/10.3846/jbem.2019.6586
[30] Neog, B. B., & Barua, M. (2018). Factors influencing employee's job satisfaction: An empirical study among employees of automobile service workshops in Assam. The SIJ Transactions on Industrial, Financial & Business Management (IFBM), 2(7). https://api.semanticscholar.org/CorpusID:40799368
[31] Özkeser, B. (2019). Impact of training on employee motivation in human resources management. Procedia Computer Science, 158, 802-810. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.procs.2019.09.117
[32] Robbins, S. P. (2002). Organizational behavior (10th ed.). Prentice-Hall.
[33] Smith, P. C., Kendall, L. M., & Hulin, C. L. (1969). The measurement of satisfaction in work and retirement. Rand McNally.
[34] Stanton, J. M., & Crossley, C. D. (2000). Electronic resources for the JDI and JIG. Bowling Green State University.
[35] Statt, D. (2004). The routledge dictionary of business management (3rd ed.). Routledge Publishing.
[36] Spector, P. E. (1997). Job satisfaction application assessment, causes and consequesces. SAGE Publications.
[37] Vroom, V. H. (1964). Work and motivation. Wiley.
[38] Wagner, J. A., & Gooding, R. Z. (1987). Shared influence and organizational behavior: A meta-analysis of situational variables expected to moderate participation-outcome relationships. Academy of Management Journal, 30(3), 524–541. https://doi.org/10.2307/256012
[39] Weiss, D. J., Dawis, R. V., England, G. W., & Lofquist, L. H. (1967). Manual for the Minnesota satisfaction questionnaire. University of Minnesota, Minneapolis.