How can public organizations promote change recipients’ affective commitment to public sector change? Based on socially desirable responding theory, this study explores the theoretical mechanism and boundary effect of the relationship between public service motivation and affective commitment to change. By conducting a survey of 465 front-line public employees in an eastern Chinese city undergoing public sector change, this study found that voice behavior partially mediates the relationship between public service motivation and affective commitment to change. Superficial harmony also negatively moderates the relationship between public service motivation and affective commitment to change through the mediation of voice behavior. This study mainly contributes to our understanding of the theoretical mechanism and the conditional effect of change recipients’ affective commitment during public sector change.

I applied person–organization fit theory to examine the conditional effect of public service motivation on turnover intention and responsible behavior, as two types of change-related proactive behavioral responses. Respondents were 462 public sector employees. The results show there was an association between public service motivation, and turnover intention and responsible behavior, but affective commitment to change did not moderate these relationships. However, employment relationship and affective commitment to change had a joint negative moderating effect in the public service motivation–turnover intention relationship, such that temporary (vs. permanent) public sector employees with low affective commitment to change and low public service motivation were more likely to have high turnover intention during public sector reform. My results provide a theoretical and practical reference for the selection of public sector employees with characteristics that will ensure public sector change success.