How does Talent Management influence job satisfaction in the public sector? Integrating the construct of Basic Needs Satisfaction

This working paper studies the effect of talent management on job satisfaction in public sector organizations. As we argue that talent management is most likely to take an hybrid or inclusive approach in the public sector, the construct of basic needs satisfaction is proposed as mediator. While exclusive talent management is mainly occupied with organizational goals, an inclusive as well as an hybrid approach to talent management creates room to incorporate a multi‐dimensional performance concept. As a consequence, well‐being and societal goals can be incorporated as part of the aspirations of an organization. In this regard, the three identified needs of autonomy, competence and relatedness within the construct of basic needs satisfaction are expected to be positively influenced through the implementation of talent management in public sector organizations. As basic needs satisfaction in literature is described as an important predictor of job satisfaction, we expect to find a direct and indirect effect of talent management on job satisfaction. This working paper presents our conceptual model and the hypotheses that are developed. The analysis, however, shows no direct nor indirect effect of talent management on job satisfaction. Several suggestions, of which some based on qualitative research in the organizations under study, are proposed to explain this result.status: publishe