Organisational Behaviour among Generation Z: A Conceptual Exploration

Generation Z (born between 1997 and 2012) is rapidly becoming a significant part of Malaysia’s workforce, reshaping organisational behaviour and human resource management practices. Unlike earlier generations, Gen Z exhibits distinct values concerning work–life balance, organisational culture, leadership, and technological integration. Their entry into the Malaysian labour market presents both opportunities and challenges, particularly given the high turnover intentions and job-hopping behaviours observed locally. This conceptual paper investigates organisational behaviour among Gen Z by combining established theoretical perspectives such as Self-Determination Theory, Person–Organisation Fit, and Leader–Member Exchange, with emerging empirical findings from Malaysia. A conceptual framework is developed to connect antecedents (work design, leadership, digital readiness, and values alignment), mediators (psychological contract fulfilment, perceived autonomy, and work engagement), and outcomes (job satisfaction, organisational commitment, and turnover intention). The paper contributes to the literature by synthesising recent findings and providing a theoretical perspective to understand Gen Z in the workplace, offering implications for practice and future research.