All motivated by public service? The links between hierarchical position and public service motivation

Abstract

Research into public service motivation (PSM) is currently witnessing exponential growth. However, the universal application of the concept to all categories of public employees raises questions. Indeed, the origins of the concept, which can be traced back to political science studies in the United States, may suggest that the concept applies mainly to senior management but much less to other types of employee, whose motivations seem more instrumental. Research into the antecedents of PSM has thus shown that high hierarchical levels were associated with employee profiles with a high level of PSM (Bright, 2005; Camilleri, 2007). Some authors go as far as to consider that the concept does not apply at all to blue-collar jobs (Gabris and Simo, 1995). The purpose of this article is therefore to analyse the differences between the public service motivation of operatives and that of other categories of employees. To do so, we draw on two empirical studies, one quantitative (n = 2868), conducted among the public employees of cities in 12 countries, and the other qualitative, conducted among public employees working in the technical service of a French town. Our results show that the level of PSM is not lower among blue-collar workers but that, on the other hand, it is different in nature and dimensions.

Points for practitioners

The issue of the PSM of blue-collar public employees takes on a managerial dimension. Indeed, it has potential policy implications for human resource management policies to be implemented and on the segmentation of the public employees in the light of these policies. Our results thus argue for the mainstreaming of the public service dimension in the management of executives and would suggest that it is in the interest of public organizations to encourage the public service motivation of their employees by designing tasks in such a way that public employees can better appreciate the result of their work among customers and users.