Motivation Between Public and Private Sectors

Motivation between Public and Private Sectors

The article describes the process and research that was conducted to explain what motivates individuals in both the public and private sector workforce. Many factors contribute to the diverse personalities of these individuals. Basic assumptions for these differences include choice of work, job content, life balance, bureaucracy, and/or monetary differences. Multiple variables of extrinsic and intrinsic behaviors affect work motivation.

The basic assumption behind pay-for-performance is making a direct association between performance and financial reward for the individual. Is their main motivation to work solely based on pay? This indicates that governmental efforts with pay-for-performance might not pay off as well as expected unless the disconnected bridge between extrinsic motivation factors and organizational commitment is linked. (Jae Moon; 2000).

To prove this theory, a study was conducted to show how the motivation levels between employees of public and private sectors using variables such as extrinsic and intrinsic factors. Extrinsic factors include salary and benefit, insurance and medical facilities and how these are provided by the organization in public vs. private sectors, bonus and overtime (monetary vs. non-monetary benefits), and status and designation, meaning what motivates an individual to continue in their status within the organization.

Summary

Based on the results obtained from the survey and that of the research article, the study suggests there is a marked difference between what motivates employees in both the public and private sector workforce. Public sector organizations place less emphasis on advancement opportunities and intrinsic work values than do private sector employees. However, the study also showed that private sector employees are more