Abstract

In recent years, there has been increasing interest in generational dynamics in contemporary organisations (Parry and Urwin, 2011). This interest reflects a growing realisation of the impact that changes in organisations and society have as new generations enter the workforce. However, relatively little is known on the mechanisms through which societal developments affect the employment relationships of the three generations currently in the workforce (Baby Boomers (1945-1964), Generation X (1965-1980), Generation Y (1981-1995); Kupperschmidt, 2000). A key theory for understanding employment relationships is psychological contract theory (Rousseau, 1995). In this paper we therefore explore how generational experiences affect the psychological contract between the individual employee and his/her organisation.