There are two section stated in this chapter. The first section included the conclusions that based on the purpose and statement of the problem described in chapter one. The second section stated research limitations and provides some suggestion for human resources field, Gen Y, and line manager of Gen Y.
Conclusions
In order to have a broad understanding of Gen Y on learning intention, career adaptability and employee retention, this research adopted quantitative approach by delivering an online questionnaire, and a total of 349 questionnaires were collected as valid sample. Furthermore, t-Test and One-Way ANOVA were conducted to gender and educational levels difference on variables; also, Pearson correlation and SEM were conducted to test the hypothesis in this research.
According to the result of analysis, this research found that learning intention has a positively influence on employee retention and career adaptability, but career adaptability has a negative relationship toward employee retention of Gen Y. That is to say, an individual who had higher learning intention may lead a higher level of employee retention and career adaptability when they plan their career path, on the contrary, an individual who have higher career adaptability means he or she have lower level of remaining in an organization. In other works, individual who have higher ability to solve unfamiliar, complex, occupational transitions, work traumas and ill-defined problems presented by vocational tasks, have lower level of retention.
Additionally, the demographical analysis showed that gender do not have distinguish relationship on the level of employee retention, Similarly, educational level do not have
obvious differences on employee retention, which means no matter male or female, late Gen Y or early Gen Y, their concept toward employee retention is the same.
Limitations
There are some limitations in this study. First, the approach of data collection is distribute by researcher personal network instead of random distribution, so that the demographic status of respondent are not distributed equally, for example, the uneven distribution of non-management and management fail to provide more concrete information about the discrepancy between position level difference. Second, the industry of respondent is various and roughly categorize into four kinds of industry, instead of carry out the specific industry, so that we can track the employees perspective in specific industry. Furthermore, the respondent is only represent a small group of Gen Y in Taiwan, thus the outcome is not enough to stand for all of the Gen Y workforce. Last, the limitation is given to the model fit index of Confirmatory Factor Analysis of each measurement, some of the model fit is not perfect but already met the acceptable criteria.
Recommendations
In this section, limitation, and suggestion is included. Furthermore, in order to prove a concrete suggestion to parities that related to Gen Y, the suggestions for HR field, Gen Y and future research is inclusive.
Suggestion for Human Resource Field
It’s a challenge for HRD practitioner when delivering learning activities because a successful training not only need a seasoned planning, supervisor support, plenty budge, facilities, and experienced facilitators, but also employee themselves need have the admiration toward learning. Therefore, the suggestion for HR field is for whom charge in
recruitment and training development practitioner.
For recruiter. Count in learning intention as one of the criteria when interviewing candidates. A sustainable company is required to able to developing the learning atmosphere in organization to confronting the advanced technology. The one who lacking of learning intention is considered as fewer tendencies to keep tracking on the state-of-the-art information related to their job. On the other hand, a learning climate will cultivate a positive cycle which can lead a speedy grow up in organization. As stated at previous section, a learning goal orientation have better outcome than performance goal orientation. Furthermore, Gen Y is willing to change due to they are living in a rapid change environment, if they realize the supervisor organization is rigid to having change, it is difficult to make them to remain in organization.
For training practitioner. Given that employees' capacity to adjust to meet challenges at work can enhance their positive attitudes toward their career, management could invest more company resources on improving the employees' career adaptability (e.g., self-control skill, work-related knowledge and self-confidence), in order to improve their CS.
Have employee consider training is important and believe in it’s a way to keep improvement instead of a routine job. According to Kyndt et al. (2009), the finding showed that the employees’ perception on importance of learning and the quality of work climate is a strong predictor of employee intentions to remain with their current employer. The purpose of training is to make the organization more profitable, and learning intention is taken an antecedent of a successful training. Training manager need to make trainees value the developing opportunity simultaneously have them well prepared to attend the training because training is not merely an activities but a robust of improving competency and skill of
employee then further profit the organization. Last but not least, design a proper approach to confirm the effectiveness of training transfer, in order to design the proper training content.
For supervisors. Firstly, encourage and support employee to participate training program. According to Messmer (2000) found that one of the important factors in employee retention is investment on employee training and career development. Supervisor support is an important element of how employee perceived toward training program, the learning intention also impact from supervisors support.
Additionally, let employee join a challenge but important work after training. The reason is because learning transfer involves the application of previously learned knowledge while completing tasks or solving problems, or have trainees share the most take away after the training because according to learning pyramid, teaching others have the highest rate of learning remaining, which means an practice and sharing opportunity can maximize the training outcome.
Therefore, cooperate with HR colleagues and set up an individual development plan (IDP) for employees, IDP is a long-term planning belongs to individual development in the current company, the plan can enhance professional growth and provide concrete evidence of how company value employees. The IDP included basic analysis of strengths, talents and passions and planning ways to use them on the job, furthermore, set up a future goal and stated the important competencies improvement needed.
Last, according to Rousseau (2001) suggested that a feeling of loyalty to an organization comes in part from the psychological contract between employers and employees. It is a mutual relationship needs to build up by management, policy, leadership and compensation.
Thus, the individual development plan is a way to build the psychology contract between
employers and employees.
Suggestions for Gen Y
Be conscious to develop the competency of career adaptability. Career adaptability can be an anchor of career path. Although Gen Y is a group that well educated, embrace change, also adopted sophisticated technology change, but also has plenty options in front of the youngest generation that make them feel confused. According the definition of career adaptability “the readiness to cope with the predictable tasks of preparing for and participating in the work role and with the unpredictable adjustments prompted by changes in work and working conditions” (Savickas, 1997, p. 254), in other words, career adaptability is considered as a competence to construct one’s career in a clear vision, thus, Gen Y should bravely set up a goal in career path, and try to make it realize. The goal might seem little chance to come true, but somehow it will become a great teacher to develop the career adaptability. Furthermore, career adaptability helps people know how to face the difficult situation or tremendous change during the work-life in proper attitude. This prediction is based on conceptual implications that individuals who are willing and able to adapt are more likely to generate options, fit into new circumstances, and achieve career goals (Savickas &
Porfeli, 2012)
Suggestions for Future Research
Due to the limitation and the finding of this study, there have some suggestions for future research. Firstly, there have a large number of respondents served as non-management, only few of respondents served as management level. To be more clearly, the survey should randomly distributed to individual that served non-management and management as well, so that the research could provide additional finding about the discrepancy on variables between
non-management and management of Gen Y.
Additionally, due to the industry of respondent are various, it’s insufficient to analyzed the differences of each industry. The suggestion to future research is having a depth survey in a specific industry, so that the finding could improve industry development.
Last, regarding the result of the negative influences on career adaptability and employee retention, there is a need to investigate the reason of the negative influences. Based on the predecessor finding, career adaptability resources help preventing person-job mismatch, underemployment and positively influence employee retention. (Gutman & Schoon, 2012;
McKee-Ryan & Harvey, 2011; Takase, Nakayoshi, & Teraoka, 2012). Thus, the finding leaves an unclear outcome between two variables, the future research could have more deeply investigation on the factors of the result.
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APPENDIX A: EXPERT REVIEW
專家效度審查
Y 世代工作者職涯發展因素之調查問卷
（建立專家效度）
各位教育先進：
本問卷主要目的為了解Ｙ世代工作者職涯發展的因素，以學習意圖、職涯適應力以及留 職意願為探討方向。為建構專家效度，懇請 惠賜卓 見，以期能提供學術及業界發展人 力資源實務之參考。此份問卷需要您珍貴的意見，以臻理想。感謝您的鼎力支持與協助。
敬祝 平安
國立臺灣師範大學國際人力資源發展研究所 副教授賴志樫 Steven Lai 研究生王子惠 Lydia Wang 一同敬謝 聯絡電子信箱 email address: [email protected] 填答說明:
1. 本問卷共分為三個變數：學習意圖（Learning Intention）、職涯適應力（Career
Adaptability）以及留職意願（Employee Retention）。請依照您對每一小題的適
用程度,在空格內打勾。
2. 若問卷中有語意不清、文句不順、分類不適或任何修正卓見,均懇請您不吝指
教,使問卷更為完整。謝謝您。
研究目的：
1. 探討學習意圖、職涯適應力、以及留職意願的關係
1. 探討學習意圖、職涯適應力、以及留職意願的關係