The impact of accountability systems on public employee well-being and the moderating effects of role clarity and job autonomy

Little research has explored the dark side of accountability systems in terms of their negative effects on public employee well-being. This study uses Job Demand-Resource theory to provide an integrated understanding of how accountability systems reflecting the paradigms of traditional bureaucracy, new public management, and public governance impact public employees’ well-being, with role clarity and job autonomy as moderating factors. Using responses from 584 public employees, we find that performance- and transparency-based accountability aggravate job stress and health, whereas ethics-based accountability does not, and that role clarity and job autonomy buffer these negative effects. Implications of these findings are discussed.