Motivation has been defined differently by different authors and scholars based on different values. Wants, needs, desires, wishes, aims, motives and incentives are included while defining it. Motivation, actually, is derived from the word “Movere” (Latin: meaning “to move”). Therefore, motivation is a process which begins with lack of need and emotion. Though it is necessary to achieve the vision of the organization it can become imperative to know what really motivates people. It has a significant effect on individual performance or a group of individuals. Thus, motivation can be defined as the ability and desire of people which energize, direct, maintain and sustain (Perry & Porter, 1982) the institutions and communities to perform their roles, resolve contradiction and set cohesive objectives.
Public Service Motivation has been understood in different ways in different regions. Different types of PSM have been suggested with very tough arguments based on the differences between rational, norm-based and affective motivation (Hansen, 2009). PSM is the individual attribute (Perry et al, 2008). People motivated by their own PSM are more likely to apply for jobs in public sector, have positive affect on the performance of public organization, and respond more to non-utilitarian incentives (Hansen, 2009). If the employees are unsatisfied with their need, it tenses them (DeCenzo & Robbins, 1998) which gets reduced when accomplished. Therefore, I would present a short review of some of the studies focusing on how to motivate the public servants.
Varied researches have been done on it to give concrete concepts realizing that it is difficult to explain PSM in terms of rational choice (Vandenabeele et al, 2004). According to Gregory (2006), PSM is an individual’s tendency to respond to the motives grounded exceptionally in the public institutions and organizations. Rainey et al (2008) argues that due to the intricate nature of the construct, PSM is inherently difficult to quantify and define. Vandenabeele et al (2004) also defined it but differently. It is the ideals and the attitudes which go beyond the self-interest or organizational interest, that capture the interest of a larger political entity, and that aggravate, through public interaction, motivation for targeted action. PSM is an employment in a governmental system, like Royal Civil Service Commission (RCSC) in Bhutan, wherein both the employees and employers are motivated and satisfied. They have the motive to serve for the significant and marked benefit of the public. But is there one such civil servant in Bhutan? It’s a broad case to be handled in a large society represented by various religious, cultural and linguistic groups.
PSM is not only important in motivation but also in varied practices (Moynihan & Pandey, 2007). It is important for upgrading the products, for improved management practices, accountability, and the trust in government (Ibid). To impart its significance, two methods were used to measure the PSM (Gregory, 2006). These are individual service orientation and individual economic orientation. What factors motivate Bhutanese people to these orientations? I believe that the rapid socio-economic development induces economic orientation (Neo-liberalism) and the concept of Tha Dam Tshig and Ley Jumdrey induces individual service orientation. But how and what actually does the line managers ensure commitment and motivation besides the power that is involved and the entitlements that they get? The RCSC must find effective ways and means to motivate our civil servants who are currently surviving with confused HR policies, weak reward system and career opportunities, less participation and involvement, inadequate performance management system, bureaucratic mentality and service tenure (Mishra, 2009). Some of it could be regular in-country and ex-country training, comprehensive refresher courses, adequate pay scale, broadly defined job description, employee involvement, comprehensive recruitment and selection process, decentralized decision making (Mishra, 2009) and abolish bureaucratic system. Others can be restructuring the public sector functions, accountability improvements, performance-related pay and capacity development (Perry & Porter, 1982).
The public values (Rainey et al, 2008), a value in the public management, play a very vital role in employee’s performance. The values deeply rooted in individual’s desires and perceptions will also be deeply rooted in normative and affective motive (Moynihan & Pandey, 2007) of attitude, behavior and personality in the work places. If change has to be there then the individual characteristics, job characteristics, work characteristics and environmental (both internal and external) characteristics has to be changed (Perry & Porter, 1982). It is these variables wherein the desires and perceptions are transformed physically to go the extra mile. They shall exhibit civic duty, sportsmanship, conscientiousness, courtesy, cheerleading and peace making, called as discretionary behaviour, since they have a high level of motivation (Mishra, 2009).
Hansen (2009) found out that the pride in public sector was the strongest positive indicator of PSM and the gender as the strongest negative predictor which I partially disagree. Of the total 72 Members of Parliament in Bhutan only 13.89% (10 women and 62 men) are represented by women. Since the MPs are highly paid, have very high pride and prestige in the Bhutanese society, the limited educated women has strived to join in the public service. Such feature indicates that gender equity is an important positive predictor of PSM beside their self-actualization needs, esteem needs, social needs, safety needs and physiological needs (Chettri, 2009). They can contribute in positive ways (Moynihan & Pandey, 2007) since they are driven with engagement desires like employee development and employee well being, recognition, company policy, security and salary. They may also demonstrate discretionary behaviours leading to the high performing organization whereby the workers are motivated, believe in service orientation, actively engaged, have strategic orientation, supportive process and structures (Mishra, 2009), exhibit and enjoy high level of organization commitment and job satisfaction (Moynihan & Pandey, 2007), have less probable to leave the job and demonstrate the pro-social behaviours. In contrast, if the employees are de-motivated, the horizontal and vertical relationships may decline. The employees are likely to leave the job and, finally, the performance of organization will deliberately fall.
Gregory (2006) questions whether PSM can be applied only in civil servants and public servants or does it also exist in the nonprofit organizations and private sectors as well. It is covered in every area including private sector (Moynihan & Pandey, 2007), civil society organization (CSO), non-government organization (NGO) and corporation. However, Perry et al (2008) concluded that public sector employees place greater values on service than private sector employees with extrinsic values being least bothered. The ability, motivation and opportunity (AMO theory) has to be accounted to motivate the employees in such organization. But how will they be always motivated? In a study by Jirel (2008) there are five simple and efficient ways to keep them motivated which include creating a positive environment, learning something optimistic, avoiding negativities, celebrating the achievements, and controlling the emotions. Institutions of these “always motivating factors” by RCSC may shape the administrative behaviour of civil servants. They will develop positive attitude towards public service and exhibit high performing work practices (HPWPs) (Mishra, 2009). Ultimately, the public sector will become a high performing organization whereby many educated and experienced Bhutanese will not turnover their job to corporations and private sectors.
Many scholars have worked to show the existence of PSM. Its utility leads to the outcome of specified antecedents and predictor of attitudes and behaviours (Perry et al, 2008). Antecedents of PSM can be measured by monastic involvement, piousness, religiosity and religious socialization (Ibid), altruism, civic duty, volunteerism, gender equity and justice, educational and professional recognition, commitment, age and personal income. However, Hansen’s (2009) concept states that the religiosity and parental relations were insignificant to measure PSM, which has been developed due to different experiences (Perry et al, 2008). It includes association in childhood, religious activities and professional life. Similarly, Moynihan and Pandey (2007) concluded that socio-historical context influences PSM which was found to be proportional to education qualification and professional life. Therefore, five areas of antecedents focused to measure PSM are Job description, horizontal or employee-leader relationships, and perception to organization by the employees, personal attributes, and the role inconsistency and ambiguity (Perry et al, 2008). The income and volunteerism (Smith 1994, as cited in Perry et al, 2008) has an indirect impact on PSM. However, considering the Bhutanese approach in socialization and religiosity it can have an enormous direct and indirect impact on PSM. By virtue Bhutanese are born Buddhist, and it has significantly influenced our life which is the predominant determinants of PSM. Despite any socio-economic and political changes in our country, very little changes have been brought in the minds of Bhutanese civil servants.
The most important thing to remember is that the public service practitioners need motivation (Johnson, 2009) besides seeing the public as part of their job. The motivated employees are usually contended with their current job. Their aim has been fulfilled. The job behavior of such individual will increase the organizational function. Recruitment, selection and retention are the three areas that PSM causes ramification (Perry & Porter, n.d.). It is an additional tool while recruiting and selecting a person to work for the organization when certain procedures have to be adapted. Such adaption in the new organization may or may not favour to those selected individuals. Here, PSM will play vital role in directing these people in all types of organization.
Motivated people perform better then de-motivated people (DeCenzo & Robins, 1988). The five areas of antecedents of PSM have positive relationship with PSM. The employees engaged in organizational activities with sincerity, trust and commitment will be retained. Such people believe and perceive that they are “like any other better employees”. Pro-social behaviours, other discretionary behaviours, and organizational commitment will be deep rooted. Hence, the organization will become a high performing organization (HPO) whereby its goods and services provided will be of better quality and customer orientated. However, if the stimuli in the environment (Chettri, 2009) do not draw any attention to the employee, the perception, attitude and behaviour will not fetch any better changes. There will be common myths on motivation wherein the employees will feel that “no one is like me” though they work so hard. The expectations to fulfill the need and other hygiene factors of the organization may be declined since they will be actively disengaged. The input may not be shown. Consequently, the organization will become low performing. In order to motivate the valued added, rare and inimitable employees (Resource Based View) they have to be committed to their job. To influence their commitment following strategies can be in placed in the organization.
1. Offer extensive refresher courses and training for personal development.
2. Make them (employees) understand their career opportunities by being employed in the current organization. It shall induce to exhibit discretionary behaviours.
3. Have satisfactory performance appraisal (Mishra, 2009) systems like promotion, placement, selection, career planning, and bonus payment and reward (Chettri, 2009).
4. The 360 degree performance evaluation method has to be in placed so that the focus is both from top management and subordinates as well as from the customers, peers and other key stakeholders (Chettri, 2009).
5. The managers have to understand the employee’s needs and wants because if the employees feel that they are neglected by their superiors, then, they will be de-motivated (Rainey et al, 2009).
6. The work and their contribution to the organization have to be balanced which will promote positive attitudes and increase motivation.
7. Empower the employees and reduce the status difference. It shall be done by controlling less, role modeling, emotional support and social reinforcement (Mishra, 2009). This will lead to a people-friendly and community-friendly organization.
8. The objective of the organization must be specific, measurable, appropriate/attainable, realistic and time-bound objectives (SMART).
Whatever has been recommended and suggested are some of the features that shall bring a large improvements in every aspects of individual performance, and in turn the organizational performance. In contrast, if there are shortcomings, both the individual performance and organizational performance will be declined. Consequently, the organization will become low performing. My concern is: “Will all the above motivating factors still keep the value added, rare and inimitable employees still motivated”?
References
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