Public Sector Workers Research Articles

Calibrating autonomy: How bureaucratic autonomy influences government quality in Brazil

AbstractThe interactions between bureaucratic agencies and political actors shape governance outcomes, yet scholars disagree about how bureaucratic autonomy relates to government quality. Some claim that enhancing autonomy improves quality, whereas others maintain the opposite. An influential article by Fukuyama (2013) in Governance suggests a curvilinear relationship, moderated by capacity. This article evaluates the theory empirically, focusing on within‐country variation and two dimensions of autonomy: independence and discretion. Drawing on an original survey of over 3200 public sector workers in Brazil and administrative data on 325,000 public servants, we find evidence suggesting that the relationship between perceived autonomy and quality depends on the type of perceived autonomy and level of capacity. Public servants' perceptions of independence from political actors are associated with increased perceptions about governance quality in a linear fashion. For perceived discretion, we find initial evidence of a Goldilocks relationship: too little reduces perceptions of government quality but so does too much, especially in low‐capacity areas. Our findings offer initial evidence that may qualify claims that limiting bureaucratic discretion while increasing political oversight improves governance; instead, context may be crucial.

Consumption smoothing or consumption binging? The effects of government-led consumer credit expansion in Brazil

Brazil initiated a major credit expansion program through government banks in 2011. The program primarily targeted public sector workers with offers of payroll-backed loans. Using individual-level administrative data we find that the program led to a 15 percentage point rise in debt to initial income for public sector workers. We develop a new method for estimating workers' expected income growth, and show that “consumption smoothing” cannot explain the rise in consumer borrowing. Instead, the evidence supports “consumption binging”: less financially sophisticated workers borrowed more at high real interest rates, and experienced both higher consumption volatility and lower average consumption.

Human factors in remote work: examining cyber hygiene practices

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to investigate the cyber hygiene practices of remote workers. Design/methodology/approach This paper used two instruments: first, the Cyber Hygiene Inventory scale, which measures users’ information and computer security behaviors; second, the Recsem Inventory, developed within this paper’s context, to evaluate the cybersecurity measures adopted by organizations for remote workers. It was conducted on remote workers to examine their information security practices. The instrument was administered to a sample of 442 employees reached via the LinkedIn platform. Analyses were performed with SPSS v26, Python programming language and Seaborn library. Findings The findings indicate a significant correlation between the security measures implemented by companies and their employees’ cyber hygiene practices. A sector comparison revealed a significant difference in cyber hygiene levels between public and private sector workers. Research limitations/implications This paper aims to provide policymakers with suggestions for enhancing the cyber hygiene of remote workers to facilitate compliance with corporate security protocols. Originality/value This paper’s conclusions highlight the importance of companies increasing their cybersecurity investments as remote work becomes more prevalent. This should consider not only corporate-level factors but also employees' information and computer security behaviors.

Exploring the Pathways of COVID-19 Fear Leading to Depression and Anxiety in Public Sector Workers: The Mediating Effect of Emotional Labor

Exploring the Pathways of COVID-19 Fear Leading to Depression and Anxiety in Public Sector Workers: The Mediating Effect of Emotional Labor

Public–private wage differentials in Tunisia: Consistency and decomposition

AbstractIn this paper, we estimate and decompose the public–private wage differentials for urban areas, using the 2012 Tunisia urban youth survey. Oaxaca decomposition results suggest that, on average, public sector workers earn more than their private counterparts. Additionally, the results indicate that a substantial part of the conditional gap in urban areas can be attributed to observed characteristics. Human capital, particularly education, are the main reason behind the observed log‐wage advantages. Using unconditional quantile decomposition, our findings reveal that, for urban areas, the discrimination effect becomes more pronounced at the upper quantiles of the wage distribution. Separate analyses by gender and educational levels show that male workers across both sectors receive higher compensation than their female counterparts, with a more pronounced gender gap in private sector. Less educated workers are compensated much more in the public sector than in the private sector, while the wage differential for skilled workers decreases rapidly through the distribution.

Differing industrial relations: The public and the private sector in Germany

AbstractThis article argues that industrial relations (IR) in the German public sector are not just a replica of private sector IR. It suggests that neither the structures, nor the outcomes can be sufficiently explained by derivation from private sector IR processes. Primarily, the specifics and developments of the public sector explain public sector IR. It is of fundamental importance whether trade unions operate in a profit‐driven market environment or a publicly financed environment that is under public control. Differences between the public and the private sector result not least in the distinct relevance and meanings of trade union power resources. This influences the ways in which industrial action in the private and the public sector works and is relevant for trade union strategies.

Ophthalmology Census 2021: A Demographic Characterisation of Ophthalmologists in Portugal.

Human resources in ophthalmology have recently received particular attention, and it has been questioned whether there is a sufficient number of workers. The aim of this study was to analyze and characterize Portugal's ophthalmologist population. In this descriptive, cross-sectional study, an online questionnaire was sent to all ophthalmologists registered with the Portuguese College of Ophthalmology in December 2021. Information on the following variables was collected and analyzed: demographic factors, professional qualifications, professional activity, weekly professional activity and medium-term plans. Among the 910 registered ophthalmologists, a response rate of 64.7% was achieved. There were 0.9 ophthalmologists for every 10 000 inhabitants, 0.45:10 000 working in the public sector (0.35:10 000 full-time equivalent). Among the respondents, 57.6% were over 50 years old (59.6% male), 97.3% were Portuguese, 46.7% completed their residency in the Lisbon region, 27.3% complemented their programme with additional training, 9.5% had a PhD and approximately 58% lived and worked in large urban centres. Regarding professional activity, 58.5% of the respondents worked in the public sector (4.2% exclusively), while 67.9% worked in different economic sectors. The median number of weekly working hours reported was 45 hours, with those in the public sector reporting 35 hours. Private/social sector work and public sector work accounted for 12 926 hours/week and 10 808 hours/week, respectively. It was found that 31.4% of the respondents provided emergency medical services and that 52.8% performed surgical procedures more than once a week. Looking ahead, 38.7% of the ophthalmologists intended to reduce their workload within the next five years due to family reasons, fatigue and demotivation. The projected rate of retirement or cessation of activity in the next five years was estimated to be 1.7%, while an average of 20 new ophthalmologists are expected to enter the profession annually, resulting in a generational balance of 0.8%. While the number of ophthalmologists in Portugal meets the international recommendations, there is a shortage in the public sector and most ophthalmologists work in large urban centres. The number of ophthalmologists in Portugal is expected to be stable for the next five years.

Personal Factors Affecting Whistleblowing Among Public Sector Employee

Whistleblowing is a difficult choice among the witnesses of wrongdoing. This study investigates what influences the decision to report such incidents within the Indonesian Public Administration, focusing on individual factors. Using quantitative research methods, data were collected from 406 Indonesian public sector workers via a convenience survey and snowball sampling. The results reveal that the likelihood of whistleblowing is significantly influenced by confidence in the reporting channel's management, social anxiety, individualism and collectivism, the propensity to blow the whistle, and the individual's locus of control. Moreover, the PBW acts as a moderator on the effect of individual's locus of control. To increase the tendency towards whistleblowing, the study suggests that authorities should bolster legal safeguards for informants, including anti-reprisal actions, legal protection and organizational backing for support networks.

Ghana’s education and labour unions join civil society organisations to take on the IMF

ABSTRACT This article will explain how a series of educator strikes in 2022 in Ghana led to increased awareness of and calls for tax justice and debt relief from a growing movement of public sector workers and civil society organisations. We chart how the issues and demands of teacher organisations and other public sector workers shifted and increased over time, bringing in a new public imaginary to critique IMF driven austerity policies, build and link to global campaigns around debt relief, and signal new possibilities for generating more stable domestic public sector tax revenues. We examine the evolving strategies of growing educator strikes and show how unions are joining together with other civil society and advocacy groups to challenge fiscal austerity and government policies that affect not only their schools and classrooms but their lives and livelihoods. This case describing what Ghanaian teacher unions are doing to organise members to learn about and challenge austerity policies highlights the importance of public sector workers’ knowledge, understanding and engaging governmental macro-economic policies and offering alternative solutions.

Longitudinal Associations between 24-h Movement Behaviors and Cardiometabolic Biomarkers: A Natural Experiment over Retirement.

Physical activity, sedentary behavior, and sleep, that is, 24-h movement behaviors, often change in the transition from work to retirement, which may affect cardiometabolic health. This study investigates the longitudinal associations between changes in 24-h movement behaviors and cardiometabolic biomarkers during the retirement transition. Retiring public sector workers ( n = 212; mean (SD) age, 63.5 (1.1) yr) from the Finnish Retirement and Aging study used a thigh-worn Axivity accelerometer and filled out a diary to obtain data on daily time spent in sedentary behavior (SED), light physical activity (LPA), and moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA), and sleep before and after retirement (1 yr in-between). Cardiometabolic biomarkers, including LDL-cholesterol, HDL-cholesterol, total/HDL-cholesterol ratio, triglycerides, C-reactive protein, fasting glucose, and insulin, were measured. Associations between changes in 24-h movement behaviors and cardiometabolic biomarkers were analyzed using compositional robust regression and isotemporal substitution analysis. Increasing LPA in relation to remaining behaviors was associated with an increase in HDL-cholesterol and decrease in total/HDL-cholesterol ratio ( P < 0.05 for both). For instance, reallocation of 30 min from sleep/SED to LPA was associated with an increase in HDL-cholesterol by 0.02 mmol·L -1 . Moreover, increasing MVPA in relation to remaining behaviors was associated with a decrease in triglycerides ( P = 0.02). Reallocation of 30 min from SED/sleep to MVPA was associated with 0.07-0.08 mmol·L -1 decrease in triglycerides. Findings related to LDL-cholesterol, C-reactive protein, fasting glucose, and insulin were less conclusive. During the transition from work to retirement, increasing physical activity at the expense of passive behaviors was associated with a better lipid profile. Our findings suggest that life transitions like retirement could be utilized more as an optimal time window for promoting physical activity and health.

Resilience and burnout of healthcare workers during the early COVID-19 pandemic.

The COVID-19 pandemic has led to significantly more healthcare workers (HCWs) experiencing burnout than previously. This burnout is strongly associated with low resilience. Addressing organisational stresses and the introduction of resilience training will help to reduce the proportion of HCWs experiencing this phenomenon. The aim of this study was to assess the impact of the biopsychosocial changes and challenges associated with the COVID-19 pandemic on the healthcare workforce, exploring, specifically, the impact on and relationship between HCWs' resilience and burnout. An electronic opt-in survey was distributed to HCWs through hospital and professional association communications emails and websites, as well as social media. The survey consisted of demographic questions, the Oldenburg Burnout Inventory to assess burnout, Brief Resilience Scale to assess general resilience, and 10-item Connor-Davidson Resilience Scale to assess resilience during the pandemic. Univariate and multivariate analysis was undertaken to examine the relationship between these factors. A total of 1370 HCWs completed the questionnaire, with 802 (58.5%) having burnout, 348 (25.4%) having low general resilience and 390 (28.5%) having low COVID resilience. Burnout was significantly associated with being public sector workers, low general resilience and low COVID resilience. Resilience training was found to be protective for burnout. The introduction of resilience training in the workplace is a fundamental tool that will significantly benefit HCWs when working under challenging conditions.

Greek Public Sector’s Efficient Resource Allocation: Key Findings and Policy Management

The public sector has limited resources, and how these resources are allocated in expenditures and investments is crucial. Our article focuses on controlling this allocation for the Greek economy from 2000 to 2021, which includes the country’s debt crisis. To do so, we utilized data from national accounts, categorized inputs and outputs, and examined their volatility and stability over time using statistical and mathematical methods. Our analysis revealed that the crisis impacted the size and allocation of public inputs and outputs. While some sectors of the Greek economy displayed stability in financing over time, others were more volatile. Using a mathematical accounting approach contributes to the academic discourse on rational resource allocation in the public sector. Our results validate the tax hypothesis for primary revenues and expenditures and advocate that it is necessary to make targeted recruitments in the sector that is needed each time while keeping the total number constant, which leads to the need to redistribute public sector workers. In the same way, public projects should not only focus on infrastructure projects but should also be spread to new areas related to climate change and the agricultural sector.

Real-world data of a digitally enabled, time-restricted eating weight management program in public sector workers living with overweight and obesity in the United Kingdom: A service evaluation of the Roczen program.

The health of the United Kingdom workforce is key; approximately 186 million days are lost to sickness each year. Obesity and type 2 diabetes (T2D) remain major global health challenges. The aim of this retrospective service evaluation was to assess the impact of a digitally enabled, time-restricted eating (TRE) intervention (Roczen Program, Reset Health Ltd) on weight and other health-related outcomes. This service evaluation was conducted in people living with overweight/obesity, with 89% referred from public sector employers. Participants were placed on a TRE, low-carbohydrate, moderate protein plan delivered by clinicians and mentors with regular follow up, dietary guidance, goal setting, feedback, and social support. A total of 660 members enrolled and retention was 41% at 12months. The majority were female (73.2%), 58.9% were of White ethnicity, with a mean (SD) age of 47.5years (10.1), and a body mass index of 35.0kg/m2 (5.7). Data were available for 82 members at 12-month. At 12-month, members mean actual and percentage weight loss was -9.0kg (7.0; p<0.001) and -9.2% (6.7, p<0.001) respectively and waist circumference reduced by -10.3cm (10.7 p<0.001), with 45.1% of members achieving ≥10% weight loss. Glycated hemoglobin was significantly improved at 6months in people living with T2D (-11mmol/mol [5.7] p=0.012). Binge eating score significantly reduced (-4.4 [7.0] p=0.006), despite cognitive restraint increasing (0.37 [0.6] p=0.006). Our service evaluation showed that the Roczen program led to clinically meaningful improvements in body weight, health-related outcomes and eating behaviors that were sustained at 12-month.

Predictors of work-related cyberaggression in a random sample of the Swedish working population

PurposeWith greater numbers of employees using computer-mediated communication, cyberaggression is becoming a more pressing problem for employees and their organizations. However, while a growing body of research illustrates its harmful effects, little is known about the factors that drive its occurrence. The authors therefore sought to identify factors that increase the risk of cyberaggression among employees.Design/methodology/approachA random sample of the Swedish working population (N = 11,556) was surveyed via Statistics Sweden (SCB), which produced a final sample of N = 2,847 (response rate = 24.6%).FindingsLogistic regression analysis showed that emotionally demanding work, availability expectations, low perceived work quality, public sector work and being in a managerial position were related to higher levels of experienced cyberaggression. In addition, exploratory analyses indicated that some of these factors were more strongly related to cyberaggression enacted by organizational insiders compared to organizational outsiders.Originality/valueTogether, the authors' findings suggest that situational factors are stronger antecedents of cyberaggression victimization than personal factors. This has implications for organizations, as practical steps can be taken to reduce cyberaggression among employees.

Creating an Oral History Archive of Government Work: The Women in Public Service in Pakistan Project

ABSTRACT The Women in Public Service in Pakistan (WPSP) oral history project records the professional life histories of women employed in public sector institutions. Our aim in this article is twofold. First, we discuss the nature of public sector employment (sarkari nokri) and review the data and literature on women’s participation in public sector work in Pakistan. These sources reveal that the trajectory of women’s employment in the public sector has been shaped by “gender mainstreaming,” which, in turn, is driven by global treaties and goals. Then, after describing the project design, we explore our narrators’ assertions of status, ability, and achievements as they navigate patriarchy. We argue that women public sector employees have collectively forged a social identity and modified the terms of patriarchy as it applies to them. This article presents women’s public sector employment as a coherent subject of study across a range of sectors of work from education to the civil service. This article also demonstrates that oral history methods enable a substantial intervention in the study of government employment in Pakistan. As such, this rich archive of women’s experiences serves public, scholarly, and institutional interests; is comparable to oral history projects on government in other parts of the world; and intervenes in ongoing debates about digital oral history. At the same time, the WPSP oral history project is unique in its use of an oral history method to study government employment in Pakistan. Our methods, approaches, and conclusions are instructive both for scholars of near-contemporary history in Pakistan and for oral historians seeking to establish their own projects on women in public life.

Peran Mediasi Burnout dalam Pengaruh Emotional Exhaustion dan Work Overload Terhadap Job Performance PNS Pemerintah Daerah Provinsi Bengkulu

This study examines the role of Burnout in mediating the impact of Emotional Exhaustion and Work Overload on the Job Performance of Civil Servants in the Bengkulu Provincial Government. Using a survey of 120 civil servants and PLS-SEM analysis, it found a significant relationship between these factors. Burnout was identified as a mediator, linking stress and workload with reduced performance. The findings underscore the need for Burnout management strategies to enhance civil servants’ well-being and performance. The study validates the PLS-SEM method for understanding complex relationships in public sector work dynamics and offers insights for policy and intervention program development to improve welfare and performance.The research underscores the importance of understanding and managing Burnout among civil servants. It highlights how Emotional Exhaustion and Work Overload can significantly impact Job Performance, with Burnout serving as a critical link. The study’s findings are instrumental in shaping policies and intervention programs aimed at improving the welfare and performance of civil servants in the Bengkulu Provincial Government. By addressing Burnout, the government can enhance job satisfaction, reduce stress, and ultimately improve the quality of public services. The study also emphasizes the effectiveness of the PLS-SEM method in analyzing complex relationships within the dynamics of public sector work. This research contributes to the body of knowledge on public sector performance and provides a foundation for future studies in this area

Contributory Pension Scheme and Workers Investment in Nigeria

The study investigated the relationship between contributory pension scheme and workers’ investment in Nigeria from 2007 to 2021. Specifically the study assessed the relationship between private sector contribution and workers’ investment in Nigeria; examined the relationship between public sector contribution and workers’ investment in Nigeria; and examined the relationship between total contribution and workers’ investment in Nigeria and also employed workers investment (WI) as independent variable while Private Sector Contribution (PRSC), Public Sector Contribution (PUSC), and Total Contribution (TC) as dependent variable. The study also employed Engle Granger Causality Test as estimated technique, the result revealed that a causal relationship between contributory pension scheme and workers investment in Nigeria. Evidence from the result revealed that there is a unidirectional relationship from private sector contribution (LNPRSC) to workers investment (LNWI) (6.41808, 0.0217***), also, there is a unidirectional relationship from public sector contribution (LNPUSC) to workers investment (LNWI) (13.5808, 0.0027***). Furthermore, there is a unidirectional relationship from total contribution (LNTC) to workers investment (7.92275, 0.0127***) and concluded that the direction of the flow comes from pension contribution scheme to worker investment. Therefore, recommended that pension regulatory authorities in Nigeria should compel strict compliance with the relevant provisions of the Act in order for the workers investment to experience the expected quantum growth; and the stakeholders should review the contributions to increase the volume of pension benefits to enable retirees take care of their basic needs at retirement.

Burnout, mental resilience and quality of life in Greek professionals of public and private sector: Which is the impact of demographic, occupational and psychological variables?

The research investigated the relationship between burnout syndrome and the variables of mental resilience, quality, and enjoyment of life in Greek private and public sector workers (N = 112), with demographic differences. Data were collected through a structured questionnaire that was distributed in the form of an electronic Microsoft form. The questionnaire contained demographic questions, the psychometric tool Burnout Assessment Tool version 2.0, the psychometric tool Brief Resilience Scale (BRS), and the psychometric tool Quality of Life Enjoyment and Satisfaction Questionnaire (Q-LES-Q), which were used to measure the three variables examined by the research. For statistical analysis, linear regression analysis was used to find independent factors. The main research hypothesis was verified, finding a negative correlation between burnout and the variables of mental resilience and quality of life, while it was identified that employees experienced greater exhaustion and spiritual withdrawal compared to freelancers. Hypotheses regarding age, educational level, and public-private job data were not verified as there were no statistically significant differences in demographic results.

Projectification and its impact on the work and identity of public sector employees: Project natives, emigrants and immigrants

As a result of the increasing number of projects used to deliver public services and the professionalization of project management activities in government, the phenomenon of projectification has emerged as a key feature of contemporary public management. The article examines the impact of projectification on public sector employees based on in-depth qualitative research conducted in Polish public organizations in 2018–2019. As the findings shows, the phenomenon of projectification shapes the working environment of the public sector by shifting work from repetitive activities to the demands of unique projects, by requiring constant communication with stakeholders, by working outside of the traditional schedules and workplaces, and by operating in matrix structures. Mass implementation of projects has also left its mark on the identity of public sector workers. Respondents increasingly perceive their professional identity through the prism of project work: they frequently tend to identify with their projects rather than the organization itself or its departments. Moreover, despite the difficulties and inconveniences of project work, public sector employees involved in projects show an extraordinarily high level of motivation, which results from the possibility of implementing interesting, innovative and diverse projects.

Culture as a Hiring Criterion: Systemic Discrimination in a Procedurally Fair Hiring Process

Criteria used in hiring workers often do not reflect the skills required on the job. By comparing trainee performance for newly hired workers conditional on competitive civil service examination scores for hiring French public sector workers, we test whether women and men with the same civil service examination score exhibit similar performance in a job-related trainee programme. Both the civil service examination and trainee scores contain anonymous and non-anonymous components that we observe separately. We find that by the end of the trainee programme (first year of employment), women are outperforming men on both anonymous written and non-anonymous oral evaluations, a finding that holds both conditionally and unconditionally for the civil service examination results. According to further analysis, however, it is the anonymously graded “essay on common culture” civil service examination that, unlike the other CSE components, disadvantages women in this particular context.