Motivation Theories and Their Application in Employees of the Public Sector

Abstract

This Thesis presents the findings of the research on the practical application of five motivation theories in the Greek public sector, Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs, Herzberg’s Two-Factor Theory, McClelland’s Theory of Needs, Vroom’s Expectancy Theory and Adams’ Equity Theory, after first analyzing and applying them theoretically. While the application of a reward system in the private sector is taken for granted, it is not the same for the public sector. The Thesis’s aim is to investigate under what conditions and criteria Greek civil servants can increase their performance, while maintaining the characteristics of the public sector, such as job security. To draw conclusions, quantitative research was used, where primary data were collected from a sample of 239 Greek civil servants who answered a questionnaire created through Google Forms. The research shows the dissatisfaction of civil servants mainly with their salary, but also that they are absolutely positive about the application of a reward system, since they are totally interested in their professional development. The civil servants are also positive about other motivations, beyond financial ones, while they keep a high sense of Public Service Motivation (PSM). At the same time, three critical research questions were answered. The third question concerns the proposal of a motivation theory for immediate application in the Greek public sector. The Adams’ Theory is proposed, where the reasons for its selection are analyzed, as well as the reasons for rejecting the others for immediate application. Finally, the research data show that the form of the Greek public sector, as it is today, must be modernized and adopt a new form based on current needs, as it tends to lose its main character of serving the citizens and the application of motivation theories can prevent this.