Worker Satisfaction and Performance Pay: The Case of Child Care Workers in India

24 Pages Posted: 30 Sep 2013

See all articles by Prakarsh Singh

Prakarsh Singh

Amherst College - Department of Economics

Daniel P. Barbezat

Amherst College - Department of Economics

Date Written: July 25, 2013

Abstract

Using data generated from a field experiment involving 145 day care centers with over 4,000 children aged 3 to 6 years old, we analyze the conditions creating the greatest positive change in work satisfaction under different service regimes. There were three treatment arms: a performance-based bonus on top of a fixed wage to a government child care worker in charge of running a day care center, an informational intervention on the demand-side, and a combination of the first two treatments – incentives to supply-side and information to demand-side. Results indicate that performance pay leads to higher work satisfaction only when information is also supplied to the demand-side, leading to more effective worker effort. We believe that these results will help in allocating public resources most effectively, making workers more satisfied and improving the quality of public services.

Keywords: Public Sector, Worker Satisfaction, Malnutrition, Performance Pay

JEL Classification: M54, J33, O12

Suggested Citation

Singh, Prakarsh and Barbezat, Daniel P., Worker Satisfaction and Performance Pay: The Case of Child Care Workers in India (July 25, 2013). Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=2332982 or http://dx.doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.2332982

Prakarsh Singh (Contact Author)

Amherst College - Department of Economics ( email )

P.O. Box 5000
Amherst, MA 01002-5000
United States
413-542-2271 (Phone)

Daniel P. Barbezat

Amherst College - Department of Economics ( email )

P.O. Box 5000
Amherst, MA 01002-5000
United States

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