Authors : Lovie Grace Mer G. Gabion; Queensly A. Alava

Volume/Issue : Volume 11 - 2026, Issue 5 - May

Google Scholar : https://tinyurl.com/3sj2nwbk

Scribd : https://tinyurl.com/27f6ccyk

DOI : https://doi.org/10.38124/ijisrt/26May136

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Abstract : This study investigates the "Service Paradox" within the Office of the Human Resource Management Officer (OHRMO) of the Iloilo Provincial Government during its transition toward PRIME-HRM Maturity Level 3. The Service Paradox describes a phenomenon where HR practitioners, as architects of organizational wellness for others, often neglect their own internal stressors. Grounded in the Job Demands-Resources (JD-R) Model, the research assesses how high-stakes compliance and administrative pressures impact personnel morale. Utilizing a descriptive quantitative design and a total enumeration (census) of the 32 OHRMO personnel, the study identified primary workplace stressors and calculated mean morale levels using a 5-point Likert scale. Results reveal that "Tight Deadlines" and "Technical Challenges" are the primary stressors, exacerbated by "Technical Debt", the psychological stress of using legacy manual systems to meet modern digital mandates, and "Structural Fatigue" caused by rigorous Civil Service Commission (CSC) audit windows. Findings indicate a complex morale landscape: while personnel report high levels of pride and feel their contributions are valued, there is significant evidence of burnout and exhaustion due to current workload volumes. The study concludes that while institutional commitment remains strong, the transition has introduced significant structural strain. These results provide a diagnostic data set for office re-structuring, workload redistribution, and targeted wellness interventions to foster a culture of psychological safety.

References :

1. Bakker, A. B., & Demerouti, E. (2014). Job Demands–Resources Theory. In Work and Wellbeing: A Complete Reference Guide. John Wiley & Sons, Inc..
2. Civil Service Commission. (2012). Memorandum Circular No. 3, s. 2012: Program to Institutionalize Meritocracy and Excellence in Human Resource Management (PRIME-HRM)..
3. Fountain, J. E. (2001). Paradoxes of Public Sector Customer Service. Governance: An International Journal of Policy and Administration, 14(1), 55-73.
4. Pietz, K. B. (2019). Change Effort Organizational Communication Effectiveness and Work Locus of Control Influence on Change Fatigue in the Workplace. (Dissertation). University of Southern Mississippi.