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Mission-Driven Motivation: Aligning Public Sector Goals with Employee Passion

The Unique Challenges of the Public Sector

Public sector organizations face distinct challenges in motivating their workforce compared to private companies. Unlike the profit motive or financial incentives that can drive performance in the private sector, public agencies must rely on more intrinsic forms of motivation. Employees in government, non-profits, and other public institutions are often drawn to their work by a desire to serve the greater good and make a positive impact on society.

This dynamic, known as public service motivation (PSM), can be a powerful tool for aligning employee passion with organizational goals. PSM refers to “an individual’s predisposition to respond to motives grounded primarily or uniquely in public institutions or organizations”. In other words, it is the innate drive to contribute to the public interest.

The Power of Mission Valence

One key factor that influences PSM is mission valence – the perceived attractiveness or salience of the organization’s purpose. When employees find the mission compelling and meaningful, they are more likely to be motivated to achieve organizational goals. Leaders can enhance mission valence by:

Clearly Communicating the Mission

Articulating the organization’s mission, vision and values in a clear and compelling way helps employees understand the “why” behind their work.

Linking the Mission to Personal Values

Showing how the organizational mission aligns with employees’ own personal goals and values taps into their intrinsic motivations.

Celebrating Impact and Success Stories

Highlighting the real-world impact of the organization’s work and the difference it makes in people’s lives brings the mission to life.

Transformational leadership that inspires employees through ideals and moral values has been shown to increase mission valence and PSM. By appealing to employees’ pro-social identities and desire to be seen as moral, leaders can tap into intrinsic motivations beyond just rewards and punishments.

Aligning HR Practices with the Mission

To fully leverage PSM, all human resource practices should be aligned with the public service mission. This includes:

Recruitment and Selection

Attracting and hiring employees who not only have the right skills, but also share the organization’s values and commitment to the mission.

Onboarding and Training

Designing induction programs, training and development to promote public service values and a sense of purpose.

Performance Management

Basing evaluations on both role-specific goals and demonstration of public service behaviors that support the mission.

Work Design

Offering intrinsically motivating work that allows employees to directly contribute to the organization’s social impact.

By creating a supportive work environment that nurtures PSM, public sector organizations can attract, retain and motivate a high-performing workforce even in the face of budget constraints and public scrutiny.

The Bottom Line

While harnessing PSM requires a more nuanced approach than simply dangling financial carrots, the potential payoff is significant. Employees who are passionate about the mission are more likely to go above and beyond, innovate, and find meaning in their work. By aligning employee passion with organizational purpose, public sector leaders can unlock the full potential of their human capital to deliver better outcomes for citizens. The key is to make “public service matter” in every aspect of the employee experience.