The Psychology of Motivation in the Workplace

Why do we do what we do? This question has boggled psychologists for decades. Up until now, there is no clear-cut answer to this million-dollar question. Theories are the best bet we have at the moment, from B.F. Skinner’s operant conditioning to Abraham Maslow’s hierarchy of needs.

The Nature of Motivation

But although this field is still up for debate and research, one thing is clear: motivation is the reason we do what we do. Its literal meaning, after all, is the desire to do something. Be it waking up early in the morning to jog or working overtime on a weekly basis, it is what keeps us going. Without motivation, we will have neither the desire nor the energy to do something we deem productive.

At its core, motivation has three key components. The first element is activation, in which the person decides to initiate the action. After activation comes persistence, which signifies the effort the person exerts to overcome obstacles and fulfill the goal. The last component is intensity – the amount of vigor spent to achieve the goal.

Where the motivation comes from is a different discussion. Psychologists say that motivation can either be intrinsic or extrinsic. The former comes from within, meaning you actually want to do the action. Personal gratification is the keyword here. The latter is all about the external factors that drive us to complete an action, from tangible rewards (e.g. money, awards) to social recognition.

Psychology, Productivity, and Your Workforce

So how does the psychology of motivation relate to business? It’s fairly simple. Without motivation, any company would stagnate and eventually go bust. A business depends on the people under its employ, which means that the performance of the staff members dictates how well the company competes with the rest of the market. Without its staff fulfilling basic and crucial tasks, there would be no running enterprise to begin with.

Now, think of a situation where the workers have no motivation whatsoever to finish their job. The company won’t meet its goals, and there would be no way for the business grow. Should this trend continue, the business will crash.

For this reason, it is important to ensure that your workforce has the proper motivation to do well in their respective jobs. This is where Brad Montgomery and his team steps in. As one of the top motivational speakers in the country, Brad has the skill to bring out the best in your employees and make sure that they continue to perform excellently in their roles.