Does Setting Goals and Incentivizing Results Matter for the Psychosocial Work Environment?. Issue 4 (2nd October 2018)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Opstrup, Niels; Pihl-Thingvad, Signe
• Is Part Of: Public performance & management review. Volume 41:Issue 4(2018)
• Page Start: 815
• Page End: 834
• Publication Date: 2018-10-02
• Subjects: Financial incentives -- goal setting; performance management -- psychosocial work environment -- sanctions; Civil service -- Labor productivity -- Periodicals; Civil service -- Labor productivity -- United States -- Periodicals; Government productivity -- Periodicals; Government productivity -- United States -- Periodicals; Public administration -- Periodicals; Public administration -- United States -- Periodicals; Civil service -- Labor productivity; Government productivity; Public administration; United States; Periodicals; 351.05
• DOI: 10.1080/15309576.2018.1481117
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1530-9576

Abstract

Abstract: This study investigates how central features of performance management, setting goals and incentivizing results, relate to the employees' satisfaction with the psychosocial work environment. Using data from 64 Danish university departments, including 2, 115 nested researchers, we find that having clear organizational goals is associated with higher levels of satisfaction with the psychosocial work environment. We also find that there is a positive relationship between the use of financial rewards and satisfaction with the psychosocial work environment, if there is a fit with the employees' extrinsic motivation structure. On the other hand, the use of sanctions is negatively correlated with the psychosocial work environment.