Intrinsic Motivation
Written by Dr. Jon Ward, EdD
Head into the new year with a renewed sense of purpose, one that comes from within.
What motivates you? Perhaps money motivates your dutiful daily commute, or personal wellness motivates you to consistently hit the gym, or maybe the satisfaction of receiving an appreciative word gets you excited to volunteer for a food drive on the weekend. Motivation is multifaceted and unique to each individual. When the subject of motivation comes up, we often think of extrinsic motivation - the external stimuli used to obtain a desired outcome. Familiar examples are things like good grades and recognition for academic achievement; promotions and raises for exemplary job performance; and praise and adulation for personal accomplishments. There are also the less-than-pleasant examples, like getting grounded for disobeying a parental decree, or doing extra running for falling short in an athletic competition. All are examples of the means by which we are motivated to achieve a desired outcome. However, studies show that although extrinsic motivation strategies are common, they are often not the most effective.
Intrinsic motivation is increasingly being looked to as a viable option that can be applied in the workplace. First, let’s define it. Intrinsic motivation is the inner drive that propels a person to pursue an activity. The activity is not done for extrinsic stimuli such as the rewards and pressures listed above, but because the activity is personally fulfilling.
We are intrinsically motivated by our innate needs for autonomy, competency, and purposefulness.
Autonomy means we engage more fully with activities we choose.
Competency means we are more driven to master things that we are proficient in doing.
Purposefulness means we are motivated when our actions are in service of something larger than us.
Psychologist Edward Deci conducted studies that demonstrated the importance of intrinsic motivation: the studies compared one group of subjects who performed activities for external stimuli (e.g. money, praise, etc.) to another group who performed the same activities, which they selected based on their level of proficiency and sense of purpose. The latter group engaged in the activities longer and with more interest. Upon analyzing the results, Deci concluded that the latter group became intrinsically motivated to complete the activity because of a sense of autonomy, competency, and purpose.
Studies have shown conclusively that humans have a need to be autonomous and to engage in desired activities. The desire to exercise our free will is innate and produces a highly motivated effort in activities we select. While the workplace does not always allow for employees to pick and choose what they want to do, providing employees with a sense of autonomy will increase and intensify their level of motivation. Richard Ryan, a colleague of Deci, stated employers can provide autonomy support through meaningful feedback, choice over how things are done, and encouragement.
We enjoy activities in which we are proficient or have the capacity to master. Competency creates a state of perpetual motivation in which desire to perform these activities continually increases our mastery of the activities. We know our strengths and weaknesses; we are at our best when we engage in those activities that highlight our strengths. Employers can foster motivation by balancing what employees must do with what employees can do, and by providing opportunities for personal and professional growth to enhance mastery.
The ability to internalize purpose in an activity creates a sense of motivation to do our best. Helping employees connect to the organizational purpose cultivates a more productive and connected workforce. We give our best effort in performing activities that have a clear purpose; even more so for activities that are for the greater good.
A sense of purpose motivates us to take on activities that are challenging and difficult.
Employers can harness purpose by building connections in small groups, fostering open lines of communication, and allowing employees to share in the development and execution of the organization’s mission.
The post-pandemic workforce has changed tremendously. A recent study showed over 63% of employees feel they need to reevaluate the role of work in their lives with regard to fatigue, stress, and work-life balance. Employee turnover is high and exacerbated by an increased level of distrust between employees and employers. Employers can help combat these worrisome trends by creating workplaces that foster intrinsic motivation, through increasing and supporting employee autonomy, competency, and purposefulness, which will result in a workforce that is not only productive, but highly motivated.