Exploring Positive Perspectives of Person-Job (P-J) Fit and Person-Organization (P-O) Fit and Their Impact on Job Satisfaction for Gen Z and Employer Perspectives
Exploring Positive Perspectives of Person-Job (P-J) Fit and Person-Organization (P-O) Fit and Their Impact on Job Satisfaction for Gen Z and Employer Perspectives
Sylvia Anne Turner | 2026
Abstract
I began this study by reading an article about employers firing Gen Z employees and no longer hiring them because of shortcomings, including inadequate communication skills, poor organizational skills, a lack of motivation, a lack of initiative, and inappropriate language in the workplace (Royle, 2024). Balen and Vreja (2018) presented a paper that showed how work-related values and attitudes can have significant implications for Gen Z’s workplace integration. I decided to conduct a study exploring positive perspectives of person-job (P-J) and person-organization (P-O) fit and their impact for job satisfaction for Gen Z and employer perspectives. I interviewed eight Gen Z individuals, two males and six females, ages 19-26, via Zoom using open-ended, semistructured interview questions to address four research questions. I transcribed the interviews and uploaded them to Intellectus Qualitative, an analysis software I used for this study that expedited my qualitative data analysis by coding, thematizing, and generating reports. After transcribing the interviews, I organized and grouped the interview questions and created files for each research question, each containing the corresponding interview questions. In Intellectus Qualitative, I separately created four new projects, one for each research question. I uploaded the interview questions, one for each created project, for the corresponding research question, making the appropriate selections in Intellectus Qualitative, and followed the prompts. Intellectus Qualitative then generated separate reports for each research question, including codes, themes, and excerpts. I used the themes and codes generated by Intellectus Qualitative to answer the research questions, and I have attached the generated coded excerpts as appendices to this study. Intellectus Qualitative was very useful in simplifying the coding and thematic process. Research could continue for future studies to address other areas of P-J fit and P-O fit other than job, employer, and organization, as they relate to Gen Z. The current study comprised Gen Z participants, ages 19-26, from various job sectors, located on the East and West Coasts in the United States, so perhaps narrowing the study to a single job field, or expanding the age range a bit, or expanding to different geographical areas could yield new insights related to P-J and P-O fit for job, employer and organization satisfaction for Gen Z.
Keywords: Gen Z, person-job fit, person-organization fit, job satisfaction