City Managers’ Job Satisfaction and Frustration

As an organizational objective and social value, job satisfaction is important in itself. Various studies have investigated job satisfaction of government employees at the federal, state, and local government levels. This study focuses on job satisfaction of city managers. In particular, it develops Herzberg’s motivator-hygiene theory in the context of local government to identify distinct sets of motivators and hygiene factors for city managers. Using survey data collected from city managers in Georgia, this study suggests that performance of city government and managers’ community influence are important motivators for city managers. Salary and city population are hygiene factors, whereas managers’ policy-making influence, relationship with the council, and effectiveness of council exert significant impact on both satisfaction and frustration. Implications and suggestions are provided.