Values and Attitudes in the

Workplace
 Values
• Values
– Right vs. wrong
– Personal or social preference for action / cognitive
process / end state existence
• Content
• Intensity
– Value system: rankings of behavior
– Relatively stable
 Values
• Rokeach Value System
– 2 sets of values
• Terminal values
– End states of existence
» Comfort
» Stimulation
» Accomplishment
» Equality
» Inner harmony
» Contentedness
 Values
• Rokeach Value System
– 2 sets of values
• Instrumental values
– How to achieve terminal values
» Ambitious
» Broad-minded
» Capable
» Courageous
» Imaginative
» Honest
 Values
• Rokeach Value System
– Similarities found within similar groups
• E.g. Frederick & Weber (1990)
 Values
• Hodgson General Moral Principle
– Ethics: study of moral values and principles
• Guides behavior
• Decision making: Magnificent 7 [moral principles]
– Dignity of human life
– Autonomy
– Honesty
– Loyalty
 Values

• Hodgson General Moral Principle

– Ethics: study of moral values and principles
• Guides behavior and determines right vs. wrong
• Decision making: Magnificent 7 [moral principles]
– Fairness
– Humaneness
– Common good
 Values
• Assessing Cultural Values
– Hofstede
• Interviewed 116 000 IBM employees across 40 countries to
find differences in national culture
• 5+1 dimensions
– Power distance: power distributed unequally
» High = large chasm

» Low = equality and opportunity

 Values
• Assessing Cultural Values: Hofstede
• 5+1 Dimensions
• Individualism vs. collectivism
– Individuals vs group member
– Symbiosis
– Masculinity vs. Femininity/Motivation towards
Achievement and Success (2023)
» High vs low: Achievement, power and control
» Masculinity: traditional masculine roles and society
» Femininity: gender equality
 Values

• Assessing Cultural Values

– Hofstede
• 5+1 Dimensions
– Uncertain avoidance
» Structured vs. unstructured situations
• High: increased level of anxiety about
ambiguity and uncertainty
• Low: acceptance of ambiguity
 Values
• Assessing Cultural Values
– Hofstede
• 5+1 Dimensions
– Long term vs. short term orientation
» Traditional values
» Long term orientation: values persistence
» Short term orientation: value the present
 Values
• Assessing Cultural Values: Hofstede
– 5+1 Dimensions
• Indulgence vs. restraint
– Indulgence: hedonistic pursuits
– Restrained: control
• Canada
– Low on power index
– High in individualism
– Short term orientation
– Low uncertainty avoidance
– High on masculinity
 Values
• Assessing Cultural Values
– GLOBE framework
• Global Leadership and Organizational Behavior
Effectiveness (GLOBE)
– Cross cultural research: 825 organization across 62
countries
– 9 dimensions
» Power distance
» Individualism/collectivism
» Uncertainty avoidance
» Gender differentiation (masculinity/femininity)
» Future orientation (long term vs. short term
orientation)
 Values
• Assessing Cultural Values
– GLOBE framework
• 9 dimensions
– Human orientation: altruism, generosity, kindness
– Assertiveness: societal encouragement for
individuals to be tough and competitive vs. modest
and tender
– Performance orientation: performance improvement
and excellence
– In group collectivism: group members taking pride
in membership in small groups
 Values
• Canadian Workplace
– Better job adjustment, more satisfaction,
organizational commitment, more positive
attitudes at work, lower turnover, greater
productivity
– Typical mismatch within Canadian organizations
• Generational
• Cultural
 Values
• Generational Differences
– Baby boomers (mid 1940s-mid 1960s)
generation Xers (mid 1960s to late 1970s)
generation Ys (1979-1994) Generation Zs (post
1996)
• Baby boomers and generation y have large population
within the workforce
• Generation Y starting to climb within organizations
• Generation Z starting to populate organizations
• Clash of generational values
 Values
• Generational Differences
– Baby Boomers
• Born after WWII
• Hippie ethic
• Characteristics: success, hard work, ends justify the
means
• Terminal values: accomplishment and social recognition
 Values
• Generational Differences
– Generation X
• Value: flexibility, life options, and job satisfaction,
family and friendship relationships
• Characteristics: team oriented work, skeptical of
authority
• Less willing to make personal sacrifices
• Terminal values: true friendship, happiness, pleasure
 Values
• Generational Differences
– Generation Y
• High expectations and meaningful work
• Terminal values: prosperity, fame, social responsibility
• Work well with different cultures and
• Issue of entitlement and neediness
• High performers
 Values
• Generational Differences
– Generation Z
• Value technological literacy at work
• High expectations and challenging work met with effort
• Values: work flexibility, creativity, authenticity
• Terminal values: prosperity, accomplishment, social
responsibility
• Issue of entitlement and neediness
 Values
• Generational Differences
– At the workplace
• Similarity in values between baby boomers and
generation Y

• Technological advances and familiarity of generation Y

and Z
 Values
• Cultural Differences
– Canada enjoys a multicultural existence
– Macro level multicultural society does not always
translate to micro level harmony

– Canada vs. US
• Free spirited vs. traditional
• Conformist vs. personal autonomy and political agentic
 Values
Cultural differences: Quebec distinct from Canada
• Anglophone • Francophone:
– Individualistic – Interpersonal aspects of
– Cooperative techniques workplace
within Canada – More cooperative
– Value autonomy techniques cross-
– Put organization first culturally
– Affiliation
– Put individual interest
first
 Values
• Cultural Differences
– Indigenous Values
• Collectivist mindset:
– Community goals > individualistic ones

– Viewed as counter to non-indigenous views

– Belief within community, traditions, culture, values and
distinct language can build self sustaining economy
 Values
• Cultural Differences
– Asian Values
• Guanxi
– Connection between 2 independent individuals to
form bilateral personal and social transactions
– Reciprocity
– Long term relationships vs. short term gain
» Collectivism vs. individualism: shame vs. guilt
– Person level orientation > institutions
Attitudes
 Attitudes
• Attitudes
– Positive or negative evaluations about objects,
persons, or events
– Specific attitudes predict specific behaviors

– Big impact on work related behavior

 Attitudes
• Attitudes: Job Satisfaction
– Positive
– Causes
• Intrinsic:
– Self Determination Theory: autonomy, relatedness,
competence
• Extrinsic
– Salary and pay related to happiness and satisfaction
– Satisfaction/employment but not necessarily happiness
 Attitudes
• Attitudes: Job Satisfaction
– Core Self-Evaluation
• Positive: inner worth and competence

• Negative: less ambitious goals

– Productivity
• Positive correlation

• Unidirectional
 Attitudes
• Attitudes: Job Satisfaction
– Productivity
• Positive correlation with productivity
– Higher productivity recognition, salary,
promotion increase satisfaction
– Satisfaction productivity and/or performance
• Individual and organizational level
– Organized Citizenship Behavior (OCB)
• Positively related to satisfaction
 Attitudes
• Attitudes: Job Satisfaction
– Customer Satisfaction
• Satisfied employees increase customer satisfaction and
loyalty
– More friendly, upbeat, responsive, OCB
– Stay longer with the company
– Dissatisfied customers decrease job satisfaction
 Attitudes
• Attitudes: Job Satisfaction
– Expressing Dissatisfaction
• Employee withdrawal (deviant workplace behavior):
tardiness, stealing, undue socialization …
• Responses to dissatisfaction
– Exit: leave organization
– Voice: improve work conditions
– Loyalty: waiting for improvement
– Neglect: allowing conditions to worsen
 Attitudes
• Attitudes: Job Satisfaction
– Expressing Dissatisfaction

Organization

Individua
l
 Attitudes
• Attitudes
– Organizational Commitment
• Identification with organization and its goals
• Membership maintenance
• 3 Types:
– Affective Commitment: emotional
– Normative Commitment: ethical or moral grounds
– Continuance Commitment: economic value
• Relationship with productivity stronger for new employees
vs. more experienced
 Attitudes
• Attitudes
– Increasing Organizational Commitment
• Pride and share in organization’s aspirations,
accomplishment, legacy
• Role, expectations, performance measurement,
importance
• Self determination within high-risk high-reward
environment
• Recognized for quality
• Supportive and socially interactive environment
 Attitudes
• Attitude
– Job Involvement
• Identification with job and perceived performance level
important to self worth
– Psychological empowerment
• Influence on work environment, competencies,
meaningfulness and autonomy
– Both related to OCB and performance
 Attitudes
• Employee Engagement
– Work satisfaction, involvement and enthusiasm
– Individual level
• High engagement passion and connection
• Low engagement lack of effort and/or deviant
behavior
– Organizational level
• High average employee engagement higher customer
satisfaction, more productive, higher profile, lower
turnover and less workplace accidents (less serious, less
costly)