The Impact of Public Service Motivation on Employee Performance: A Survey in Hai Phong City

Abstract

This study investigates the impact of Public Service Motivation (PSM) on employee performance, with particular attention to the mediating role of organizational commitment, within the context of public service institutions in Hai Phong City. Specifically, the research explores both the direct influence of PSM on employee performance and its indirect effect through organizational commitment. Utilizing the Structural Equation Modeling–Partial Least Squares (SEM-PLS) approach, data were collected from a sample of 34 public officials to assess these relationships. The empirical findings reveal that PSM exerts a positive and statistically significant influence on employee performance, affirming its role as a critical driver of effectiveness in public sector work. Furthermore, PSM significantly enhances organizational commitment, fostering emotional attachment, a sense of duty, and a deeper awareness of long-term contribution among employees. In turn, organizational commitment is shown to have a robust positive effect on employee performance, as committed individuals tend to maintain higher work standards and consistently strive to achieve institutional goals. Crucially, organizational commitment also acts as a significant mediator in the relationship between PSM and performance, amplifying the positive effects of motivation through strengthened institutional loyalty.