Date

9-19-2024

Department

School of Behavioral Sciences

Degree

Doctor of Philosophy in Psychology (PhD)

Chair

Gilbert Franco

Keywords

Job satisfaction, Millennials, Gen Z, organizations, generations, mental health, therapist, work-life balance, Leadership, supervisors

Disciplines

Psychology

Abstract

Millennials and Generation Z perceive job satisfaction in different ways. The mental health profession requires a lot of time and sacrifice to meet the needs of clients, and the organization served. The diverse beliefs, ambitions, and work-related attitudes of these younger generations are critical in shaping the dynamics of the mental health profession for employers seeking to hire younger talent as the workforce increased. The problem in this study is that some employers don't understand how supervisory support affects job satisfaction in millennial and Generation Z mental health employees. Managers struggle to maintain an environment where work-life balance provides job satisfaction to the younger generations, and, in the end, this can result in reduced retention rates with employees. The purpose of this qualitative phenomenological research study was to explore how managers could provide an environment where job satisfaction was maintained through two factors: work-life balance and supervisory support. A phenomenological approach was used, with interviews as the data collection method. Interviews allowed for an in-depth investigation of what influenced job satisfaction for Generation Z and millennial workers in the mental health field. Through the interviews, both Generation Z and Millennial participants expressed a clear preference for a mentorship/transformational style of leadership. They believed that having a supportive mentor who guides them in the right direction, rather than micromanaging, was effective in their job satisfaction. Findings also found that the notion that work-life balance is an important part for job satisfaction among Generation Z and Millennials. Participants emphasized the need for flexible work arrangements and the importance of relationships. This study examines millennials and Generation Z mental health professionals' work-life balance and the supervisory support within of job satisfaction.

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