Encouraging the Productivity of Female Millennial Employees Who Apply Knowledge to Enhance Products and Services

Abstract

The almost 20 million female millennial knowledge workers enhance products, services, and customers in American businesses by applying their skillset knowledge. While participative management theories, like William Ouchi's Theory Z, are known to promote employee productivity and loyalty it is noted that they only focus on the majority population. This study looked to extend existing participative management theories to include the female millennial knowledge worker and avoid negative costs associated with poor productivity and turnover. This manuscript highlights key results from a qualitative embedded single-case study that explored the influence participative management techniques had on the turnover and productivity of female millennial knowledge workers. This study extended participative management theory to include the female millennial knowledge worker and noted that managers with female millennial knowledge employees should consider a focus on employee development, timely feedback, and cultivating a positive working environment. Keywords: female, millennial, knowledge worker, participative management, productivity, turnover.