Factors determining job satisfaction among public employees: Testing Herzberg’s two-factor theory in a Japanese prefectural government

Promoting job satisfaction is vital for improving employee performance in the public sector, particularly because extrinsic motivators are often limited owing to budget constraints. Although Herzberg’s two-factor theory has been demonstrated in the private sector, where employees tend to focus more on intrinsic motivational factors, few studies have investigated the applicability of Herzberg’s theory to public sector employees. Furthermore, those who have tested this theory in the public sector have focused on Western countries. Therefore, we used data from Japanese prefectural public employees to test Herzberg’s theory empirically. We found that recognition is the most significant factor for job satisfaction across all job titles. Contrary to Herzberg’s study, both motivation and hygiene factors affect job satisfaction.