Do shifting demographics equal shifting values? an analysis of values and aspirations of current and potential government communicators

The original contribution to knowledge in this research portfolio is a better understanding of current and potential Generation Y employees within Canadian government communication and an exploration of the future values, beliefs and skills needed within this integral branch of government. In any democracy, government communicators are an essential link between a government and its citizens (Lee, 2008). Specifically, in Canada it is recognized that there is a need for an influx of new talent to the public service as Canada's population is getting older each year (Statistics Canada, 2012) and "Baby Boomers", that is, persons born between 1946 and 1964 (Tapscott, 2009), are retiring in great numbers (Public Service Commission, 2009). Staffing these positions with younger employees, particularly those born 1977 to 1997 (ages 14 34 when the surveys were conducted in 2011), commonly referred to as "Generation Y", is an integral component of current government recruitment and retention planning and policy. "Generation X", persons born 1965 to 1976, remain in the workplace and are also integral to understanding the generational dynamic within government. This doctoral portfolio for a higher research degree in professional communication comprises three interrelated research studies. The first two studies are exploratory in nature and use a descriptive, online survey to collect data which is analyzed using the predictive analytics software, Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS).