The Relationship between Work and Home: Examination of White and Blue-Collar Generational Differences in a Large U.S. Organization

Sarah Y. Moore^1*, Leon Grunberg², Alan J. Krause³

¹Department of Psychology, University of Puget Sound, Tacoma, WA, USA.
²Department of Sociology and Anthropology, University of Puget Sound, Tacoma, WA, USA.
³School of Business and Leadership, University of Puget Sound, Tacoma, WA, USA.

DOI: 10.4236/psych.2014.515183                

Abstract

The popular press and some practitioner and empirical articles have emphasized work-related generational differences, describing the recent influx of “Gen Y” employees as being less work-centric, more likely to value work and home, and more concerned with achieving work-life balance than “Gen X” or “Baby Boomer” employees. In the current paper, we examine these constructs, focusing on whether such generational differences, if present, extend equally to “white” and “bluecollar” employees. Survey data from 3171 white and blue-collar employees of a large U.S. company revealed that these characterizations were principally found among the white-collar, Gen Y employees. We discuss possible reasons for these findings and question the degree to which generational differences versus workplace experiences shape employee’s work-home relationship.

Keywords

Generational Differences, Occupational Status, Work-Home Conflict, Work-Home Integration

Conflicts of Interest

The authors declare no conflicts of interest.

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