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The views expressed are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of ASPA as an organization.
By Michelle Bassetti
January 12, 2018
For public managers, the principles of public service motivation and employee engagement are something that play a significant impact on organizational outcomes. If employees are not motivated to come to work every day and give 100 percent, the agency will suffer as a result.
Motivation and employee engagement are key ingredients in making sure employees feel appreciated and valued in the work they do. It is no big secret that what motivates public service employees is different from the motivational factors of employees within the private sector. In the private sector, employees are traditionally motivated by higher salaries and better benefit packages and play an active role in earning their company increased revenues. Public sector employees are motivated by the willingness to serve the public and the underlying desire to make the world a better place through their actions.
From a management standpoint, it is important to understand which factors have the most impact in achieving high levels of employee motivation and engagement among staff. One way in which public managers can better understand motivating factors is through the application of Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs theory. Maslow’s theory held the psychological well-being of individuals was dependent on fulfilling their needs in order of priority. This “needs” perspective of motivation was developed with the belief that individuals must have their own basic needs met to be able to pursue their own personal growth and development.
The five needs in Maslow’s theory are, in order:
While Maslow’s needs are argued to be the basis for human survival and growth, these needs can also be interpreted on an organizational level to build the foundation to help engage and motivate employees. From a public management standpoint, we can interpret that:
Public service motivation and employee engagement needs to be the top concern for any agency. If employees are engaged and motivated, they work with energy, enthusiasm and initiative. However, when employees are unmotivated to work, valuable time and energy is lost. If managers do not keep a trained eye on staff motivation levels, they could find themselves in a situation where employee burnout is inevitable. To keep employees motivated, it is important for public managers to remember the ideals of Maslow’s theory and understand the ways in which these principles can be applied to bolster employee engagement and motivation.
Author: Michelle A. Bassetti is a graduate of John Jay College of Criminal Justice where she earned her MPA in Public Policy and Administration with a specialization in criminal justice policy reform. Michelle’s other areas of research work include economic inequalities in public education and social welfare policies. She can be reached via email at [email protected] or on Twitter @MBassetti_MPA
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