Comprendre le processus de perception de reconnaissance/non-reconnaissance dans l’administration publique. Cas des directeurs régionaux tunisiens

Recognition is a "polysemous" concept that lies at the crossroads of several disciplines. In the workplace, it is part of new human resources management practices aimed at facilitating organizational change and ensuring employee loyalty. The need for genuine recognition is all the greater as employees become more invested in their work and devote considerable effort to carrying out increasingly complex tasks. The impact of recognition on individuals' social performance and mental health is now well established. However, this concept remains relatively understudied in the public sector. This study focuses on the variables that can influence the process through which recognition/non-recognition is perceived. The qualitative study, based on semi-structured interviews with directors working in the Tunisian public administration, shows that the perception of recognition is a reflexive process that depends on several factors, including sensitivity to recognition (genuine or hypocritical recognition), the nature of what is put forward for recognition (values and contributions), and temporality. In light of these results, we discuss directors' relationship with their work through the lens of recognition, using a gift and counter-gift approach. This study sheds valuable light on the recognition process and therefore helps practitioners, particularly in the public sector, to adjust their recognition practices and take the different factors identified into account in order to optimize employees' perception of recognition. Exploring perceptions of recognition/non-recognition among other bodies of public administration and in other regions offers further avenues for deepening the understanding of this concept.