Motivation of public sector employees and enhancement of their productivity

In fact the driving forces behind motivation of employees are varied from person to person 

• Content Theories focus on the factors within the person that energise , direct and stop his behaviour

By W. A. De Silva

One of the crucial criticisms levelled against public sector employees is that their performance is not up to the satisfaction of the General Public due to the fact that they are not motivated and efficient enough.

It may be noted that there could be some exceptions whose performance is considered excellent. In that context,  the criticism above referred to is applicable only to the certain categories of employees in public sector whose average performance consists of deficiencies and short of the standard ought to be.

Within the context of Strategic Human Resource Management (SHRM) the performance of an employee means “the effect to be made by the employee concerned to achieve the set work targets together with the achievement of the objectives and goals of the organisation”. 

Motivation is considered as one of the prominent driving forces of the performance of employees efficiently although it is not the only factor. In the context of Organisational Behaviour (OB), “motivation is a concept that describes the forces acting on or within the employees that initiate and direct their behaviour.”

There are two categories of theories on motivation within the context of Organisational Behaviour (OB) namely Content Theories and Process Theories.

Content Theories focus on the factors within the person that energise , direct and stop his behaviour. It takes into consideration individual needs, in the explanation of job satisfaction, performance of the job assigned to the employees and the determination of their compensation. In that context compensation consists of wages, salaries, fringe benefits and all type of perks, offered by employer to the employee. Process theories provide for description and analysis of how behaviour of an employee is energized, directed, sustained and stopped.

The prominent Content theories and Process theories are given below in a nutshell

Content theories - Five level need hierarchy of Maslow based on physiological needs, safety needs, belongingness needs, esteem needs, self-actualization needs.  Three level need hierarchy of Alderfer based on existence, relatedness and growth (EGR). Learned need theory of McClelland based on needs for achievement  affiliation and power.

Process Theories - Expectancy Theory of Vroom based on choices among alternative forms of voluntary activities. Reinforcement Theory of Skimmer based on needs for learning. Equity Theory of Adams based on comparisons that individual make are the determinant of behaviour. Goal Setting Theory of Lock based on goals are the determinant factors of behaviour.

None of the above theories are capable for covering miscellaneous aspects of motivation required in the performance of employees.

It may be noted that needs of employees and the driving forces behind their performance cannot be restricted only to the needs and conditions set out in the motivation theories above referred to.  The critics have pointed out that founders of those theories had done insufficient research on what would be the impact of the application of those theories to motivate the employees and to energize and drive their performance.

In fact the driving forces behind motivation of employees are varied from person to person depending on their socio-cultural background, living conditions, education, experience, family background, physical fitness etc.

Extensive research conducted by researchers on Behavioural Science have confirmed that comprehensive compensation schemes, job-security, job-satisfaction, appreciation of employees, team work and appropriate training have played a prominent role in the process of motivation of employees in any organization either in public or private sector.

Compensation Scheme should be able to satisfy the major objectives of the organization concerned and the objectives and needs of its employees as well .  The compensation scheme (which includes salaries, fringe benefits and all kinds of parks and facilities provided for employees) should be able to ensure quality of work, attract and retain the talents that organization needs, encourage employees to develop their skills and abilities and to perform their duties efficiently and effectively.

It is doubtful whether any of the existing compensation schemes in public sector organisations and the majority of organisations in private sector as well are capable to satisfy the entirety of objectives above referred to. 

Job satisfaction is another factor which promotes motivation of employees on their performance. The concept of job satisfaction has been defined by HERZBERG, in his two factor theory of motivation as follows. “Job satisfaction of employees results from the presence of intrinsic conditions such as achievements, recognition, responsibility and the possibility of growth”.

“Job dissatisfaction stems from not having extrinsic conditions, which consists of compensation, job security, appropriate working conditions, job status, procedures, required to follow, quality of supervision, quality of interpersonal relations etc.” 

It is not possible to establish a constant and standard job satisfaction applicable to all levels of employees. 

Elimination of deficiencies emerged in performance is one of the most important factors for motivation of employees. This has to be done by using appropriate performance evaluation techniques and training methodology. Deficiencies could be identified by applying of appropriate performance evaluation techniques. The deficiencies so identified could be rectified by training. 

It has been observed that politicisation is the worst obstacle that hinders motivation of employees in Public sector organisations. It is a fact that ruling political parties are in the habit of grabbing entire structure and key positions in public service into their hands immediately after the presidential and parliamentary elections by appointing their faithful supporters to the top level positions in the public sector, in place of the existing incumbents of those positions. 

Although JVP / NPP Government came to power by pledging to the voters, that it would make a system change, it has already proved, it was a hollow pledge like most of the other pledges given by JVP/NPP at the last presidential and parliamentary elections by continuation of same old rotten system to the hilt from its beginning  right up to  the present.

In fact there is no appropriate recruitment scheme or recruitment methodology required to be followed in respect of those top level positions. They are made at the presidential discretion, being President is the head of Executive as provided in the Constitution. 

The consequences of the politicization of public service could be highlighted in a nutshell as follows: The ruling political party is in tendency to manipulate public servants to  achieve political objectives of the party; Public servants are badly demoralised due to the fact that they are not free to exercise their performance without fear and favour based on talents and experience. In fact they have been converted to henchmen of politicians for their sheer survival.

They have been inclined to feel that their job security and survival depends on to the extent of satisfying of political agenda of the ruling political party.  There could be a tendency to secure under hand benefits disregarding the rules and regulations required to be followed.

Ruling political party would be in the practice of pumping more and more man-power (people) mostly unskilled raw-manpower to the public sector haphazardly irrespective of the determination of exact man-power required based on the proper work load analysis and Job-evaluation. The ruling political parties are in the practice of using public sector to provide employments for the unemployed youths in order to satisfy the hollow pledges given at the election campaigns. JVP/NPP Government is not an exception to this rotten practice.

Consequent to the pumping of man-power haphazardly to the public service there is a surplus or redundant man-power in public service and in statutory bodies as well. 

The writer  is holder of BA Spl Degree, 

University of Ceylon 1967