How Does Street-Level Bureaucrats’ Experience with Career Plateaus Impact Their Public Service Motivation? Explanations from a Conservation of Resources Perspective

A career plateau is an uncomfortable and frustrating experience that is prevalent among public servants. It may lead to a significant decline in both the willingness to perform public service and the level of performance. Drawing on the conservation of resources theory, this research examines how career plateaus influence public service motivation (PSM) through a two-study design. Study 1 demonstrates that career plateaus negatively impact PSM by depleting public servants’ psychological resources. Study 2 reveals a buffering mechanism against the adverse effects of career plateaus and shows that voluntary secondment can help plateaued bureaucrats reinvigorate their PSM. The theoretical model is tested with two samples of street-level bureaucrats in China. The findings provide theoretical insights that may contribute to mitigating the negative effects of career plateaus and increasing public service motivation. This study also offers practical guidance to improve career management and secondment policies among frontline bureaucrats.