7 - Providing Opportunities for Newcomers to Learn Public Service Values

Summary

The chapter complements the discussion of attracting high public service motivation staff in chapter 3 by discussing how to provide opportunities for new employees to learn public service motivation and organizational public service values. The chapter begins with the benefits of employee socialization, which include increased integration of staff and organizational public service values, increased member-organizational fit, increased autonomy of member behavior, and increased mission valence and work effort. The chapter discusses the rationales for socializing employees, the impact of socialization and organizational outcomes, and the prevalence of socialization in public service motivation research. The chapter argues that employee needs and values require continuous attention and recommends strategies for tending to employee needs. The chapter concludes by examining strategies for socializing staff to public service values. Onboarding processes should be designed to align organizational and employee public service values from before an employee's first day beyond their first year. Creating effective mentoring partnerships and programs helps to reinforce public service values.