Work Motivation in the Public Service: A Scale Development Based on the Self-Determination Theory

Work motivation in the public service (WMPS) was proposed to address street-level bureaucrats’ work motivation based on the self-determination theory (SDT). Using mixed methods, the present study developed the WMPS scale within a Chinese context. A series of analyses supported the construct validity, reliability, content validity, convergent and discriminant validity, and criterion validity of the WMPS scale. The scale includes 20 scale items in six dimensions: intrinsic motivation, identified regulation, instrumental regulation, introjected regulation, external regulation, and amotivation. Correlation analysis demonstrated that a supportive work climate such as perceived autonomy and relatedness would positively associate with autonomous motivation and negatively associate with controlled motivation and amotivation. Besides, autonomous motivation was positively associated with positive outcomes such as higher job satisfaction and lower turnover intention, while external regulation and amotivation were more likely to relate to negative outcomes (e.g., lower job satisfaction and higher turnover intention). This study contributes to the literature by providing a theory-based measurement instrument for future studies on public employees’ motivation and work-related behavioral outcomes.