An Investigation into the Association between Employee Performance and Protection Motivation in the Context of Hiring, Training, Evaluating, Promoting, and Employee Behavior: The Case of Punjab, Pakistan's Public Sector

Abstract

The study aims to explore the intricate relationship between Protection Motivation Theory (PMT) and employee performance within the dynamic context of the public sector in Pakistan. The primary concern is to present an insight that can help public sector policymakers design an effective reward system, including an incentive mechanism, which will thereby positively motivate public sector employees for better outcomes. A quantitative research design consisting of 412 employees from various departments of the Punjab government across diverse functions was selected through stratified random sampling. A structured questionnaire was distributed to all available employees on the Lickert scale. After continuous follow-up, 265 respondents responded to share their opinion. The collected data was analyzed through Statistical Package for Social Sciences version 21 (SPSS) to find the co-relation among the variables of the study. The findings of the study showed a pivotal role of human resource management elements, including training, evaluation, promotion, and employee behavior (EB), in shaping their performance in the context of the protection motivation approach. The results indicated a significant impact between Protection Motivation Theory (PMT) and employee performance in the presence of hiring, training, evaluation, and promotion. By elucidating the tangled interplay between PMT and key human resource practices, this study contributes valuable insights in the field of public policy.