Abstract: This study aims at identifying the organisational antecedents of
public service motivation (PSM). It focuses on human resources management
(HRM) practices as one category of organisational factors that impact on PSM.
Concretely, this research questions how intrinsic and extrinsic HRM practices
are related to PSM and whether these relationships are direct or mediated by
person-organisation (P-O) fit. The empirical findings are based on a survey of
6,885 civil servants working in Switzerland. Regression analyses highlight that
intrinsic HRM practices are positively related to PSM, whereas extrinsic ones
are negatively related to PSM. Furthermore, mediation tests shows that only the
intrinsic HRM practices are mediated by PO fit. Thus, civil servants who value
intrinsic work incentives maintain a high PSM level when they perceive
congruence between their individual expectations and the values of their
organisation.