An evaluation of employee motivation in the extended public sector in Greece

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to advance the understanding of the relationship between work motivation and organisational performance in the extended public sector, by testing empirically common elements of existing theoretical frameworks. Design/methodology/approach – A unique questionnaire‐based survey was carried out in three organisations/corporations where the state is the major stakeholder. Of the 1,000 questionnaires distributed, 454 were returned and included in the analysis. By using descriptive statistics the provision of extrinsic rewards and intrinsic motives in the extended public sector of Greece was identified. Findings – Findings show that the public sector in Greece is more likely to provide extrinsic than intrinsic rewards, however the latter seems to be related to better organisational outcomes. Both individuals' ability and demographic characteristics are core determinants of employees' motivational preferences. Research limitations/implications – The core of this paper tests empirically the relationship between intrinsic and extrinsic motivation with performance in a country of EU “periphery”. Caution should be exercised in generalizing the results for more advanced economies. Practical implications – Organisational leaders and public management in Greece need to conceive work motivation as a complex system and recognize the importance of intrinsic incentives. Originality/value – There is currently limited evidence on the impact of motivation in the performance of the extended public sector. This research is one of the very few that has been made from the perspective of employees. To the extent of the author's knowledge, this is the first time that a detailed public sector level analysis on work motivation has been presented for Greece.