The relationship between employee performance management and civil servants’ turnover intentions: a test of the mediating roles of system satisfaction and affective commitment

ABSTRACT

In search of maximizing efficiency, public organizations found solace in the adoption of employee performance management (EPM) systems. While research supports that managing employees’ performance has favourable outcomes, it is still unclear why and under which conditions. Moreover, EPM systems might even create additional pressures and therefore increase turnover intentions and undermine public organization’s quest to maximize efficiency. We argue that when EPM systems are carried out consistently (i.e. internal consistency) and when they link civil servants’ individual goals to the organization’s strategic goals (i.e. vertical alignment), civil servants will be less likely to leave the organization. Hierarchical linear regression analysis shows that internal consistency relates to increased satisfaction with the EPM system and affective commitment to the organization. Vertical alignment relates to lower levels of turnover intentions. This relationship was mediated by EPM system satisfaction and affective commitment. These findings that contribute to our understanding of EPM systems can lead to favourable outcomes.

KEYWORDS:

• Employee performance management systems
• turnover intentions
• satisfaction
• affective commitment
• vertical alignment
• internal consistency

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Thomas Van Waeyenberg

Thomas van Waeyenberg is a doctoral researcher and lecturer at the Faculty of Economics and Business Administration, Ghent University (Belgium). His research interests include employee performance management, organizational behaviour and employee well-being.

Adelien Decramer

Adelien Decramer, Ph.D. is an assistant professor at the Faculty of Economics and Business Administration, Ghent University (Belgium). Her research focuses on organizational behaviour, general management and individual and organizational performance management in the public, non-profit and social profit sector.

Sebastian Desmidt

Sebastian Desmidt, Ph.D. is an assistant professor at the Faculty of Economics and Business Administration, Ghent University (Belgium). His research focuses on the effectiveness of strategic management instruments, the characteristics of strategic planning processes and the motivational power of mission valence in public and non-profit organizations.

Mieke Audenaert

Mieke Audenaert, Ph.D. is a postdoctoral researcher at the Faculty of Economics and Business Administration, Ghent University (Belgium). Her research focuses on employment relationships, and individual performance management in the public, non-profit and social profit sector.