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Workplace fun: the moderating effects of generational differences

Eric Lamm (College of Business, San Francisco State University, San Francisco, California, USA)
Michael D. Meeks (College of Business, San Francisco State University, San Francisco, California, USA)

Employee Relations

ISSN: 0142-5455

Article publication date: 2 October 2009

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Abstract

Purpose

This paper aims to investigate how generational differences moderate the relationship between workplace fun and individual workplace outcomes.

Design/methodology/approach

The authors review and integrate the literatures on workplace fun and generational theory and empirically test the interaction effects of generation membership and workplace fun with job satisfaction, task performance, and OCB using a sample of 701 workers.

Findings

The findings suggest that not only do members of different generational cohorts respond differently to workplace fun, but cohort membership moderates the relationship between workplace fun and some individual workplace outcomes.

Research limitations/implications

Snowball sampling and cross‐sectional data limit the generalisability of the study's findings.

Practical implications

The authors provide managerial implications for promoting workplace fun.

Originality/value

The paper contributes to the workplace fun conversation by addressing the overlooked question of “fun for whom?”.

Keywords

Citation

Lamm, E. and Meeks, M.D. (2009), "Workplace fun: the moderating effects of generational differences", Employee Relations, Vol. 31 No. 6, pp. 613-631. https://doi.org/10.1108/01425450910991767

Publisher

:

Emerald Group Publishing Limited

Copyright © 2009, Emerald Group Publishing Limited

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