Public Service Enhancement: The Relationship Between Job Satisfaction, Performance, and Employee Engagement

In an era where building public trust remain paramount, local governments should increasingly emphasize job satisfaction and employee engagement.

Recent studies highlight employee engagement and job satisfaction as critical indicators of organizational success and the effectiveness. How these components interact provides a blueprint for enhancing both employee well-being and public service outcomes.

Employee engagement and job satisfaction impacts the bottom line financially. They also impact overall organizational performance. What can negatively impact organizational performance and the bottom line that is NOT a priority?

In a recent dissertation for Walden University, Alexis L. Shellow notes we “need to understand the relationship between employee engagement, job satisfaction, and employee performance, as decreased employee performance can result in decreased productivity, increased turnover, and have negative financial implications.”

For local government organizations, measuring employee success transcends productivity metrics. It involves understanding the commitment and enthusiasm employees exhibit towards serving their communities. According to a study by the National Institutes of Health, a combination of observational and psychological assessments provides a comprehensive view of employee engagement. This method not only evaluates an employee’s performance but also their emotional investment in their work and its impact on the community. The study emphasizes, “Appropriate work engagement is very important to job performance.” Basically, engaged employees who grasp their roles without being over-utilized, can effectively navigate the intricacies of public service. This results in increased job satisfaction and performance.

We like to measure employee engagement using third party assessments when building local government organizational culture. More information can also be found in The Power of Organizational Culture.

Research consistently shows a strong link between employee engagement and job performance. Engaged public servants are often more aligned with their responsibilities than others that are not engaged. This leads to enhanced service delivery and operational efficiency. Perhaps more importantly, alignment of personal values with organizational missions significantly enhances job performance.

The research article titled The relationship between job satisfaction, job performance and employee engagement: An explorative study, indicates that “Engaged employees have a level of commitment and emotional attachment to the organization.” This study also highlights “How satisfied an employee is with his or her job depends on their values and motives.”

A predictor of job satisfaction and employee engagement is the harmony between an individual’s values and the organization’s mission. Job satisfaction is not only a goal but also a gauge for assessing the health of the organizational culture.

The interconnectedness of job satisfaction, employee engagement, and job performance creates a synergistic effect. This synergy enhances the quality of public service and the well-being of the community. Engaged and satisfied employees are more likely to be productive. More importantly, they are motivated by a sense of accomplishment and alignment with their community goals.

Improving employee engagement and job satisfaction takes more than just effort – it takes genuine leadership. The Workshops & Retreats offered by Imagine That Performance are designed to addresses the need for a proactive transformation of organizational culture within local governments. 

The Culture By Design program emphasizes aligning the personal values of employees with the overarching goals of the organization, fostering an environment where public servants are motivated and their goals are in sync with the values of the organization and community. This strategic alignment is crucial for enhancing job satisfaction, which in turn boosts both job performance and employee engagement. The program equips leaders with the tools and frameworks necessary to cultivate a supportive and dynamic work culture, turning cultural change into a strategic asset for facing modern public service challenges.

The VisionSync Summit program offers a structured approach to aligning leadership with community goals. Designed for elected officials and executive teams, it provides tools and strategies to bridge the gap between leadership and community needs, promoting inclusivity and effective governance, while crafting a shared vision of the future.

Enhancing job satisfaction, job performance, and employee engagement in local government is more than just a managerial strategy; it is a commitment to excellence in public service. By adopting initiatives like Culture By Design, local government leaders can foster an environment of continuous improvement that not only meets organizational goals but also serves the community more effectively. This holistic approach ensures that public service entities remain robust, responsive, and deeply connected with the community values they aim to uphold.