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A New Paradigm for Public Service
The unwritten rules of public service in the United States are changing dramatically. The old public servant paradigm holds that government employees trade off lower wages for better benefits and job security, but this business model is crumbling. Many argue that compensation packages (including benefits) in the public sector have risen to make them comparable with those in the private sector.1 And public-sector jobs are no longer as secure as they used to be; public employees are facing layoffs, furloughs, wage freezes, pay cuts, and benefit reductions. These changes necessitate new leadership styles, motivational techniques, and a new approach to public employment. As the psychological contract between employees and governments or municipalities is altered, a new paradigm will be required to motivate employees and deliver governmental services.
Governments create public value by providing services to constituents, which has typically been a labor-intensive process. Salaries, benefits, and other employee-related expenses comprise the largest component of most municipal budgets. Reduced tax collections and a struggling economy have engendered taxpayer anger and put tremendous pressure on governmental finances. As budgets shrink, voters are demanding that governments become leaner. Public-sector managers and elected officials can no longer use salary and benefit increases to motivate employees. Public employees will have to adapt to the new realities of tighter budgets and increased scrutiny.
Public employers need to find innovative ways to motivate their workforce in this environment. In his book, Drive: The Surprising Truth About What Motivates Us, Daniel H. Pink posits that as new business models emerge, motivational systems must recognize "our innate need to direct our own lives, to learn and create new things, and to do better by ourselves and our world."2 Pink describes people as "purpose maximizers." These ideas are some of the building blocks of a new leadership philosophy that stimulates intrinsic motivation within the workforce, an approach that is highly compatible with government service.
Governmental entities exist to fulfill a mission. They operate without a profit motive to keep order in our communities, educate our children, provide services for the public good, and serve as faithful stewards of public assets. Public employers provide staff with the opportunity to improve the lives of their constituents and make their...