Analyzing the Motivational level among the employees of Urban and Rural Local Bodies in West Bengal

Abstract

Several research studies are being conducted world over for the past three decades on the concept of Public Service Motivation (PSM) among employees involved in the public sector. This concept of PSM was put forward by American scholars Perry and Wise in the early 90’s and has since been a major topic of research by several scholars. Unfortunately, however this topic did not catch the attention of Indian scholars who for a long time attached more attention to the implementation part of administration and chose to remain virtually blind towards the human resource factors of the public sector employees. Based on a survey conducted among employees engaged in several Blocks and Municipalities across the length and breadth of West Bengal and then measuring the feedback received based on an indigenous 28-point questionnaire, developed on the line of Perry’s 24-item Public Service Motivation scale, which is measured by Likert’s Scale of grading 1 to 5, several conclusions were reached. The study suggested that most of the employees are responsible citizens and strive hard to improve the living standards of their community through various schematic interventions and work extremely hard, often beyond their normal working hours, in order to meet the administrative and schematic targets. Some constructive measures such as periodical training programs on specific skill development, reforming the existing mechanism of pay and allowances and developing a sense of pride among them for serving the society could go a long way in improving their performance which in turn will prove beneficial for the society in the long run.