You can't ignore millennials: Needed changes and a new way forward in entitlement research

Abstract

Abstract As millennials flood the workplace, both researchers and practitioners agree that entitlement is increasing. Given the increasing number of millennials in the workforce and their high levels of entitlement, HRM must find ways to capitalise on this phenomenon. However, the existing state of the field is problematic. Past entitlement research has overwhelmingly ignored millennials, used a limiting trait conceptualisation, and primarily investigated negative effects for the entitled individuals. This article seeks to provoke that HRM must address the millennial entitlement phenomenon by making needed changes and taking a new way forward in entitlement research. Specifically, we argue that HRM scholars must (a) adopt a new state conceptualisation of entitlement and (b) move beyond the sole focus on negative effects to look for positive effects for individuals, teams, organisations, and society. Millennial entitlement—for better or worse—is a pressing issue for HRM, and we believe it may be for the better.

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