Primary data was collected on the job satisfaction of the employees of the regional services of EOPYY. Overcoming such limitations paves the way for new research that will contribute to improving the productivity of the Greek public sector.
Introduction
The issue of Human Resource Management in the public sector
In the critical analysis of the literature review it was observed that there are certain The assessment of the staff in the Greek public sector is done by the supervisors of the employees with the annual evaluation reports.
The role of motivation
Dissertation purpose and structure
Literature review
Concepts of motivation and job satisfaction
Job satisfaction is the link between the theoretical side of motivation and its application in the workplace. Motivation is defined as the internal force that drives an individual to satisfy his/her needs, while job satisfaction is the emotional response of the individual to various aspects of his/her work (Chordiya et al, 2017; Robbins & Judge, 2018).
Early theoretical approaches
Employee parameters that influence job satisfaction are the employees' perceptions of the workplace, relationships with co-workers, values, expectations and personalities. Organizational parameters that influence job satisfaction are the organizational goals, HRM policies and the characteristics of the job (Belias & Koustelios, 2014).
Content theories of motivation
- Hierarchy of needs theory
- Two-factor theory
- ERG theory
- Acquired needs theory
It is observed that motivators are intrinsic to work, provide direct gratification and relate to the highest human needs (e.g. work itself offering direct gratification). On the contrary, hygiene factors are external, act indirectly and satisfy lower human needs (e.g. biological needs through income).
Process theories of motivation
- Reinforcement theory
- Expectancy theory
- Equity theory
- Goal setting theory
The factors that influence the motivation process are described below. a) Expectancy, this is the person's expectation that his/her behavioral effort will lead to the desired performance. This theory emphasizes that the individual's level of job satisfaction is influenced by the sense of justice or injustice arising from the above equations.
Modern theories of motivation
- Public Service Motivation
- The New Public Management movement
- The effect of external rewards on internal motivation
In the 1980s, scientists and politicians were concerned with the implementation of the New Public Management (NPM). Empowering staff and clarifying goals were practices that could contribute to organizational commitment and motivation for public sector work.
Job satisfaction literature review
- International literature on job satisfaction in the service sector
- Job satisfaction literature in the Greek public sector
In 2001, an extensive survey by the Dutch Ministry of the Interior showed that HRM is one of the elements that influence job satisfaction in the Dutch public sector (Steijn, 2004). Just prior to the outbreak of the Greek economic crisis, three large-scale studies examining job satisfaction in the Greek public sector were published.
Critical analysis of the literature
In the Chania Regional Unit (Crete region), the job satisfaction survey among mental health workers in public structures showed that higher satisfaction came from work characteristics and human relations, while satisfaction with working conditions, development and decision-making fluctuated at a neutral level ( Charalambous et al, 2018). The current study investigates the job satisfaction of civil servants who, during the time of the Greek economic crisis, provide services in a social security fund. The findings of Manolopoulos and the findings of Demoussis and Giannakopoulos showed relatively higher job satisfaction due to external incentives than due to internal incentives in the Greek public sector.
All presented studies on the job satisfaction of civil servants in Greece in the last years of the economic crisis showed similar results.
Research hypotheses
This is one of the main goals of this study, which attempts to examine the motivation of employees in the regional services of EOPYY.
Presentation of examined organization (EOPYY)
Purpose, establishment and evolution of EOPYY
The organization followed the strategic choice to perform only the role of purchaser of health services, as part of the social security system. In short, the purpose of EOPYY is to enter into contracts with providers of health goods and services, control the costs of health expenditures incurred by patients, and compensate contracting providers or insureds. Its auxiliary role is the distribution of certain medicines to the insured but also to citizens who have lost their insurance capacity.
An important part of EOPYY's income is the internal income (virtual income) from deduction and return, which allows the organization to keep its annual budgets accurately.
Structure, organization and function of EOPYY
According to the organization's official site, there are currently 34 EOPYY pharmacies operating statewide (www.eopyy.gov.gr/PharmacyList). EOPYY consisted of employees of the social security funds who had joined the organization (Article 26 of Law 3918/2011). The main area of activity of the EOPYY Regional Directorates is the audit and compensation of the contracted suppliers of health goods and services or of the insured persons who carry out the health insurance.
According to the new audit process, which is applicable from 1/1/2016, evidence of medical expenses submitted by contracted medical providers is collected in the EOPYY central repository.
Methodology
Research tool
In 2020, online submission of applications with digitized supporting documents by the insured began to be implemented through the digital portal of the Ministry of Digital Government (section 14 of law 4704/2020 as amended by section 50 of law 4771/2021). Few modifications were needed to adapt the questions to the needs of the current study. Motivation and hygiene factor values were derived from the numerical means of the questions that make up each factor.
The second part of the questionnaire consists of 9 questions related to the socio-demographic characteristics of the employees (age, marital status, education, income, etc.).
Set of data
First, the proposals resulting from the counting of their opinions would have no useful value, because they would not be able to use them due to the expiration of their mandate. Second, their participation in the research would cause a methodological problem, since the current temporary employees only had 3 months of experience in the organization at the time of filling out the questionnaires (they were hired in the last quarter of 2020) and did not have a complete picture of motivation problems in EOPYY. According to the simple random sampling sample size calculation tables, a sample size of 214 questionnaires is required for a population of 1000 people to obtain statistical results with a 5% confidence interval and a 90% confidence level (Cohen et al, 2007). ).
Given the sample size of relevant studies presented in a previous chapter, the sample size (n=188) of the current study can be considered appropriate to generalize the results to the entire population studied.
Analysis and results
Reliability and validity
The content validity of the research instrument was ensured by the theoretical analysis and the bibliographic review made by the scientific team that developed it. The construct validity of the instrument is the extent to which each subcategory of questions measures each theoretical motivation or hygiene factor and includes convergent validity and discriminant validity. In the present study, all questions are more strongly correlated with the factor to which they belong than with the other factors.
It should be noted that in the current work, the categorization of the questions into factors was mainly based on the categorization by the questionnaire development team.
Correlation analysis and one way ANOVA
There have been few cases of correlations between these socio-demographic characteristics and motivation and hygiene factors. Correlations of socio-demographic characteristics (numerical variables) with motivation-hygiene factors, using the Pearson coefficient r. The existence of differences in motivation-hygiene factors between groups with different socio-demographic characteristics that were nominal-categorical variables (Q.27-gender, Q.29-employment relationship, Q.34-marital status) was examined using the one-way: ANOVA F-test (Table 6).
Testing for changes in motivation-hydro factors between different socio-demographic groups (categorical variables), using the one-way ANOVA F test.
Presentation of job satisfaction by factor
The result is consistent with the corresponding result of the research carried out by the questionnaire development team. The result is consistent with the corresponding result of the research conducted by the questionnaire development team. The result is consistent with the corresponding result of the research conducted by the questionnaire development team.
This factor is the only one where the result contradicts the corresponding result of the questionnaire development study.
Conclusions
Theoretical implications
EOPYY employees' dissatisfaction with the health care system is due to the inadequate coverage provided by the social security system and the national health system. The psychometric properties of the research tool used in this study were satisfactory but fell short of those shown in the research in which it was developed (Labiris et al, 2008). The convergent validity was satisfactory because the correlations between all questions and the factors to which they belong received values above 0.50.
Discriminant validity was also satisfactory because the correlations of the questions with the other factors were smaller than the internal correlations for all questions.
Practical implications
The business plans prepared by the Greek public hospitals, with specifications from the Ministry of Health, could provide a first model for EOPYY's business plan. Progress: In this area, the inadequacy of the promotion process applied in EOPYY was found as a cause of problematic motivation. In this way, the credibility of the system can be improved and employees' sense of justice and equality can be increased.
In order to make social events more accessible to the organization's employees, it is proposed that the costs of transportation and participation in them be subsidized once a year throughout the country and once locally from the EOPYY revenues from fines (Article 90 of Law 4368/2016).
Suggestion for further research
Interpersonal relations: In this area, the only example of problematic motivation concerns the limited number of social events, mainly due to the long distances separating the regional directorates of the organization. As for the health coverage of employees, the subsidy of collective private health insurance is proposed, in which EOPYY employees already voluntarily participate. Annals of Public and Cooperative Economics Vol.89 (No. 2), pp. 2010), Public Service Reform and Motivation: Evidence from a.
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