Determinants of job satisfaction and turnover intentions of public employees: evidence from US federal agencies

The purpose of this study is to probe the main determinants of job satisfaction (JS) and turnover intention (TI) in the public sector, as identified in the relevant literature: goal congruence, intrinsic and extrinsic work motivation, and interpersonal trust. Drawing on Simon’s two-factor theory, as well as employing a systematic conceptual and empirical model, this research analyzes two dimensions of TI among public employees (conflictual TI and developmental TI) to identify important antecedents and mediating conditions (pull factors and push factors) of TI. Large data sets from the Merit Principles Survey (MPS) are used to develop an ‘antecedent-mediator-outcome’ model that empirically analyzes and tests the direct and indirect effects of a set of attitudinal and behavioral influences on JS and two types of TI within US federal agencies. The research finds that certain predictors and mediators play major roles in meaningfully diminishing the levels of conflictual TI and developmental TI while significantly boosting JS. Based on a discussion of the main findings, research and practical implications for public management theory and practice are provided.