Perceived Overqualification and Job Attitudes of Public Servants

Purpose – This study investigated the relationship between perceived overqualification and job attitudes (affective and continuance organizational commitment and turnover intention) in the public sector. Theoretical framework – The theoretical framework was based on theories about perceived overqualification, human capital, equity, relative deprivation, organizational commitment, and turnover intention, as well as Brazilian civil service legislation. Design/methodology/approach – Brazilian public servants (n = 243) answered scales of perceived overqualification, affective and continuance commitment, and turnover intention, and these data were analyzed by means of structural equation modeling. Findings – The results showed that affective commitment was negatively related to turnover intention and mediated the relationship between perceived overqualification and turnover intention. Practical & social implications of research – The findings suggest that overqualification is an inevitable phenomenon that needs to be managed, as rejecting overqualified workers (as is done in the private sector) may be a discriminatory practice and crime. Originality/value – Overqualification has been present in the Brazilian civil service for a long time, but it has not been fully investigated. The present study is one of the few empirical studies on the overqualification phenomenon in the Brazilian civil service. Keywords – resource management, civil service, professional qualification, job attitudes.