Motivation, job satisfaction and evasion in the public service: the case of the experts in Public Policies and Government Management

Abstract: Which motivational factors affect public servers' retention and job satisfaction? This question is relevant in the context of contemporaneous Brazilian public administration, once problems related to evasion and job dissatisfaction have been observed in diverse public careers in the country. Analyzing the career of the experts in Public Policies and Government Management (EPPGG), the article contributes to the literature about motivation in the public service, which emphasizes the importance of inherent motivational factors. The paper shows that: i) evasion is related to extrinsic factors linked to salaries and payments, while ii) satisfaction is related not only to extrinsic, but also - and mainly - intrinsic and symbolic factors related to the nature of work. The contribution to future studies reinforces the importance of considering institutional logics and cultural aspects of public careers in strategies to investigate motivational dynamics that affect the professional decisions of public servers.