What motivates public employees to work hard?

This Element systematically reviews answers from public administration research. The authors locate this research in a novel two-dimensional typology, which shows that public employees can be motivated for other- and self-interested reasons and extrinsic (motivated by outcomes) and intrinsic (motivated by work itself) reasons.

Public administration research sheds significant light on extrinsic motivators: working hard to help society (public service motivation), one''s organization (organizational commitment) and oneself (financial incentives).

Future research should focus on hitherto understudied motivators: symbolic rewards and intrinsic motivators, such as enjoyable work tasks, warm glow, and relatedness with colleagues.

Supplementary material for this Element is available online.