ROLE OF WORKPLACE SPIRITUALITY AND PUBLIC SERVICE MOTIVATION ON PUBLIC SERVICE EMPLOYEE’S ETHICAL BEHAVIOR: A MULTILEVEL INVESTIGATION

Abstract

Unethical behavior among public service employees is engraved in the experience of every Nepali citizen and to wipe it out has been their unmet desire. Drawing upon the social cognitive theory and public service motivation, this study investigated the interplay between workplace spirituality, public service motivation and moral disengagement in shaping employee ethical behavior among public service employees. The study investigated the indirect relationship of workplace spirituality with employee ethical behavior through public service motivation. The study also examined the moderating role of moral disengagement in the mediated relationship of workplace spirituality and employee ethical behavior through public service motivation. In addition, the study also explored cross level effect of collective workplace spirituality on individual public service motivation and individual employee ethical behavior. Data was collected from 635 public service employees working in 107 public service units spread across different federal ministries and different provincial government ministries of Nepal. Structured equation modeling using AMOS was used to ensure goodness of data (reliability and validity). Mediated moderation analysis using the PROCESS macro in SPSS was used to test proposed relationships. The data analysis demonstrated that workplace spirituality positively influences employee ethical behavior of public service employees. The study found a partial mediating effect of public service motivation in the relationship between workplace spirituality and employee ethical behavior. Moderating effect of moral disengagement in the indirect relationship between workplace spirituality and employee ethical behavior through public service motivation was also found significant. Mixed model analysis in SPSS was used to investigate the cross level effect of collective workplace spirituality on individual public service motivation and individual viii employee ethical behavior. Among the data collected from 107 organizations, only 61 public service organizations had more than five respondents. Cross level investigation was done in the datasets of these 61 public service organizations. A weak significant effect of organizational level variable on the individual public service motivation and individual employee ethical behavior was found. However, the influence of collective workplace spirituality on individual public service motivation and individual employee ethical behavior was not found significant in the nested data structure. The finding of the study confirmed application of the workplace spirituality in generating employee ethical behavior in the public service sector. The study further reinforced social cognitive theory in Nepali context. The main contribution of this study lies in demonstrating the meditating role of public service motivation in the indirect relationship between workplace spirituality and employee ethical behavior among public service employees. Implications of the study findings stresses on the importance of behavioral intervention above formulation of laws and bylaws for ensuring employee ethical behavior in the public service sector. The study finding reinforced the need of reforming the human resource process in the public service system in order to enable employees experience workplace spirituality and build public service motivation among public service employees. As workplace spirituality has a direct relationship with employee ethical behavior, the study emphasized on creating an environment where employees can experience spirituality, understand meaning of work, realize connection with self, organization and higher self. The study also found an indirect relationship of workplace spirituality with employee ethical behavior through public service motivation. Thus the study findings imply the need of adopting measures to enhance both workplace spirituality and public service motivation. The report compiles some practical measures that public service organization and leaders in public service organizations can follow in order to ensure ethical behavior from public service ix employees. Limitations of the study highlighted included the need of more inclusive organizational level sampling for capturing real picture of public service system, qualitative study of ethics for in-depth understanding, and more comprehensive framework with additional variables for developing better understanding of the phenomenon.