Workplace Happiness Among the Millennial Generation in the Entertainment Industry

One in three individuals in the U.S. workplace is a millennial, born between 1980 and 1995. In preparation for a workforce dominated by millennials, this research addressed the gap concerning the need for more research on millennials’ happiness in the entertainment industry workplace and how to engage and retain them. The purpose of this descriptive phenomenological study was to explore millennials’ lived experience of workplace happiness in the entertainment industry. The theoretical basis for this study was flow theory. Fourteen participants were recruited using snowball sampling via Facebook. Seven participants were interviewed, and seven participated in a focus group. The interview transcripts were processed and coded using phenomenological inquiry. Five themes emerged: creativity, autonomy, collaboration, networking, and freelancing; these themes align with flow theory. Findings may serve as a valuable tool for employers considering the importance of millennials’ workplace happiness. Further, findings may serve as a valuable tool for positive social change through shaping workplace culture and increasing employees’ happiness, thereby reducing unemployment.