Mediating Effect of Public Service Motivation and Resilience on the Association Between Work-Related Stress and Work Engagement of Public Workers in the COVID-19 Pandemic

Mediating Effect of Firefighters' Resilience and Public Service Motivation Regarding the Influence of Depression on Their Work Engagement During COVID-19

In this study, we aimed to investigate the influence of resilience or public service motivation (PSM) on firefighters' work engagement during the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic. We conducted an online survey with 304 firefighters assigned to Gyeonggi-do between October 27 and 28, 2022, and collected their demographic information; work-related data; mood, anxiety and insomnia symptoms; and work-related attitudes. The leading causes of firefighters' stress were physical and mental health decline due to heavy workloads (46.4%), verbal abuse and assault from civilians (33.9%), conflict with coworkers (18.4%), and death of colleagues (13.2%). The results of the logistic regression analysis revealed that high levels of resilience (OR = 1.28, p < 0.001), service motivation (OR = 1.17, p < 0.001), and non-exposure to death (OR = 0.33, p = 0.005) led to high work engagement. Mediation analysis showed that resilience and PSM mediated the influence of depression on work engagement. The work engagement of firefighters is influenced by resilience, PSM, and exposure to death.

The Antecedents and Outcomes of Public Service Motivation: A Meta-Analysis Using the Job Demands-Resources Model

Understanding what drives public service motivation and its impacts is crucial for improving public sector performance. This meta-analysis synthesized the antecedents and outcomes of public service motivation based on the job demands-resources (JD-R) model. Incorporating 177 studies and 179 independent samples, with a total of 319 effect sizes, the results indicated the following: (1) Job resources and personal resources were positively related to public service motivation, while hindrance demands were negatively related to it. (2) Public service motivation had a positive relationship with overall job attitudes, job satisfaction, organizational commitment, and work engagement. It also had a positive relationship with overall job performance, in-role performance, and extra-role performance. (3) In terms of the antecedents, individualism/collectivism moderated the relationship between job resources and public service motivation, as well as the relationship between hindrance demands and public service motivation. As for the outcomes, individualism/collectivism moderated the relationship between public service motivation and both job attitudes and job performance. This study contributes to a comprehensive understanding of the antecedents and outcomes of public service motivation, offering valuable insights for future research and serving as a reference for theory development and practical application.

Can public service motivation increase work engagement?-A meta-analysis across cultures

Civil servants' work engagement is an essential topic in human resource management research of public sector. To explore the effects of public service motivation on civil service engagement as well as its mechanisms of action, and boundary conditions, this paper utilizes a meta-analytic approach to analyze 31 independent samples from 10 countries through literature search, screening, and coding. The result shows a significant positive relationship between public service motivation and work engagement with no possibility of publication bias. The regulatory effect test through Hofstede's model reveals that the dimensions of Power Distance Index, Individualism/Collectivism, Long-Term Orientation/Short-Term Orientation, and Indulgence/Restraint can significantly moderate the relationship between public service motivation and work engagement. This study provides a clear explanation for understanding the relationship between public service motivation and work engagement from a cross-cultural perspective, meanwhile it offers some theoretical implications for improving public servants' work engagement in the future.

Applicability and Psychometric Comparison of the General-Population Viral Anxiety Rating Scales among Healthcare Workers in the COVID-19 Pandemic

We aimed to explore the reliability and validity of viral anxiety rating scales (developed for the general population) among healthcare workers. In addition, we compared the psychometric properties of rating scales in accordance with the Generalized Anxiety Scale-7 items (GAD-7) during this COVID-19 pandemic. The viral anxiety of 330 healthcare workers was measured with Stress and Anxiety to Viral Epidemics-9 items (SAVE-9), SAVE-6, Coronavirus Anxiety Scale (CAS), Fear of COVID-19 Scale (FCV-19S), and COVID-19 Anxiety Scale (CAS-7). Factor analyses, item response theory, and Rasch model analyses were conducted to confirm the construct validities of the scales and compare the psychometric properties of rating scales. The receiver operating curve (ROC) analysis examined the cutoff scores of rating scales in accordance with a mild degree of generalized anxiety. The SAVE-9, SAVE-6, CAS, FCV-19S, and CAS-7 scales showed good reliability of internal consistency among healthcare workers. Their construct validity and convergent validity of each scale were similarly good. Furthermore, in comparing the psychometric properties of rating scales, we observed that the CAS scale was the most discriminating and difficult among the scales. The CAS and FCV-19S provided more information and were more efficient than the SAVE-9, SAVE-6, and CAS-7 scales when they were used to measure healthcare workers' viral anxiety. Viral anxiety rating scales can be applied to healthcare workers with good reliability and validity.