SHOULD WE UNDO THE FLAT ORGANIZATION: ACCOMMODATING NEEDY MILLENNIAL GENERATION WORKERS

Abstract

The late 1980s and the 1990s brought major flattening to corporations to facilitate higher per employee profitability and to bring about a new modern and more effective organization structure. However the entry of the largest generation of managerial workers (generation Y) solicits a rethinking of the flat organization. Entry of the Millennial Generation into the corporate world has created problems. In response to these problems firms are seeking to redesign how managers manage, encourag e, critique, appraise and motivate the new worker to reduce employee job dissatisfaction, absenteeism and turnover. We propose that not only do interpersonal managerial techniques need to change but organizational structure could be redesigned to help incr ease employee morale, loyalty and help reduce employee turnover. We conducted a study on millennial students to understand their expectations for promotions and how they view promotions as a satisfier. Findings indicate that a flat organizational structure may not facilitate the needs of the millennial worker. Millennials want promotions and project they would leave flat organizations where they do not receive promotions.