Generational differences in organizational leaders: an interpretive phenomenological analysis of work meaningfulness in the Nordic high-tech organizations

This paper analyzes the influences of generational differences in organizational leaders (founders) on work meaningfulness dynamics in the high-tech sector. Based on a novel interpretative phenomenological analysis of five Finnish case firms, we found that generational differences between leaders concerning work meaningfulness visibly existed. The differences manifested themselves in the form of different views concerning material well-being, house ownership, freedom, teamwork, and the general approach to working life (being a co-owner and being an employee). At the same time, we found that issues like job security, temporary contracts, part-time work, and gig working needed to be seen more in-depth instead of assuming their generic negative influence on well-being and work meaningfulness. Finally, the findings reveal that change is the name of the game for many millennial and post-millennial high-tech workers, and they may not necessarily associate these aspects negatively with work meaningfulness.