The heterogeneity of Generation Z and job crafting

Abstract This article presents the results of a literature review on the typology of Generation Z sub-generations, as well as the findings of an analysis of the Web of Science and Scopus databases concerning the association between belonging to a Generation Z sub-generation and job crafting, highlighting an existing research gap. The aim of the article is to present the results of this (taking into account three forms and global job crafting), established on the basis of an analysis of data collected via a questionnaire comprising the Polish adaptation of the Job Crafting Questionnaire (JQC) and a specification of values/preferred job characteristics according to one of the four identified Generation Z sub-generational typologies. Generational heterogeneity was confirmed, establishing that the Professionals sub-generation is the most numerous in the sample, whilst the Mainstreamers – as defined in other authors’ studies – are the least numerous. A statistically significant, albeit weak, association was found between sub-generational affiliation and global, task-oriented and cognitive job crafting, and a lack of association with relational job crafting. The value of this article lies in demonstrating that generational knowledge should be continually enriched not only with insights into generational similarities and differences, but also into sub-generational ones, which will help to avoid unjustified oversimplification and ensure that intra-generational differences are taken into account.