Public Managers and Job Satisfaction: Exploring an Effective Way to Improve Their Job Satisfaction

Extensive research indicates that enhancing employee satisfaction and motivation leads to improved organizational performance. Given the crucial role public managers play in delivering quality public services, ensuring their satisfaction becomes paramount. This study, based on survey data from approximately half a million U.S. federal government employees, explores the factors influencing public managers’ job satisfaction and investigates whether managerial positions moderate these effects. The findings reveal that overall job satisfaction is positively impacted by satisfaction with both intrinsic and extrinsic job aspects, irrespective of managerial status. However, the influence of intrinsic and extrinsic factors on overall job satisfaction undergoes significant changes when a public employee assumes a managerial position.