Merit Pay and Motivation in the Public Workforce: Beyond Technical Concerns To More Basic Considerations

This article examines the influence of workplace participation and job enrichment in promoting employee motivation. Using data gathered from a panel survey of public employees in Washington state, the authors found workplace participation and job enrichment to be more salient determinants of public employee motivation than merit pay. They also suggest that the adoption of a participative performance appraisal system may even improve employee attitudes toward compensation.