Creating a Motivated Workforce: How Organizations Can Enhance and Develop Public Service Motivation (PSM)

• Published in: Public personnel management Vol. 40; no. 3; pp. 215 - 238
• Main Author: Jacobson, Willow S.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Los Angeles, CA SAGE Publications 22.09.2011; IPMA; Sage Publications, Inc; SAGE PUBLICATIONS, INC
• Subjects: Altruism; Arbeitsuche; Behavior; Compensation (Remuneration); Emotional Response; Employee motivation; Employees; Employment; Evaluation; Factor Analysis; Federal employees; Focus Groups; Government (Administrative Body); Government employees; Human Capital; Human resource management; Human resources; Job performance; Leadership Styles; Literature Reviews; Managers; Middle Management; Mitarbeiterbindung; Motivation; Nonprofit organizations; Organization development; Pragmatics; Private Sector; Psychological Patterns; Public sector; Public Service; Qualitative research; Research Methodology; Semiotics; Socialization; Statistical Data; Studies; USA; Workforce planning; Öffentlicher Dienst; United States; United States > US
• DOI: 10.1177/009102601104000303
• ISSN: 0091-0260

The impact of organizational action on the enhancement and development of public service motivation (PSM) was explored through interviews with mid-level managers at two federal agencies. Participants expressed substantial individual variation in their initial reasons for pursuing government employment, with a large majority citing pragmatic reasons rather then the altruistic ones PSM research might indicate. However, individuals' conceptions of public service motivation are dynamic over time and change as those individuals move through organizational levels and positions. This research was undertaken in response to the call for more investigation into the practical implications of PSM for public employers, and results indicate that organizations can have a distinct impact on the development and framing of employees' public service motivation.