The Effect Of Leadership, Management Skills, And Work Motivation On Employee Performance: Evidence From The Indonesian Public Sector

Abstract

Employee performance is a critical determinant of public sector effectiveness, yet the interplay between leadership, management skills, and work motivation in government ministries remains insufficiently explored. This study examines the direct and indirect effects of leadership, management skills, and work motivation on employee performance in the Indonesian public sector, focusing on the Ministry of Marine Affairs and Fisheries (MMAF). A quantitative survey design was employed, and data were collected from 60 civil servants selected through purposive sampling. Instrument validity and reliability were confirmed through item analysis, while path analysis was used to assess the relationships among variables. The results indicate that all hypothesized relationships were statistically significant. Leadership exerted the strongest direct effect on employee performance (β = 0.439, p < 0.01), followed by management skills (β = 0.360, p < 0.01) and work motivation (β = 0.213, p < 0.05). Leadership and management skills also significantly influenced work motivation (β = 0.411 and β = 0.442, respectively; p < 0.01), confirming its role as a partial mediator. The findings demonstrate that leadership, management skills, and work motivation are important predictors of employee performance and highlight the need for integrated human resource development strategies to strengthen organizational effectiveness in the Indonesian public sector.