Motivation is the driving force behind everything you do at work.
Pride drives you to finish high-quality deliverables, external validation encourages innovative ideas, and a potential bonus brings you to work harder.
But that effect goes both ways. Feeling a lack of motivation means less creativity and reduced output, which can lead to disengagement and projects that miss the mark — issues that can have long-term effects on your morale and work-life balance.
Learning about motivational theories gives you the tools you need to understand what motivates you and how to harness it. And if you’re a team lead, these theories can do the same for the people around you.
When you understand how motivation works and what makes everyone in your workplace tick, you’re in a much better position to avoid the disengagement trap. You can help yourself and others regain a sense of purpose and excitement for what they do.
What is a motivation theory?
A motivation theory concerns what might inspire a person to pursue and achieve a desired result. While theories of motivation have their roots in humanities disciplines like psychology and sociology, according to Verywell Mind, their applications span across all parts of life, and they’re especially useful in the workplace. As a leader, you can use different types of work motivation to engage team members and lead them toward collective goals.
Most theories hinge on one of two factors: extrinsic or intrinsic. People who thrive on extrinsic motivation look to something outside themselves (such as a bonus) to keep working hard. Those who need intrinsic motivation are after self-motivation and internal satisfaction, like pride and self-esteem. Each one has its pros and cons, and some theories combine both.
The importance of motivation at work
According to research from Gallup, employee engagement is steadily declining. Only 36% of employees were engaged in 2020, then 34% in 2021, and 32% in 2022. The report also states that the factors contributing to the decline include feeling appreciated at work, connection to company mission, and opportunities to learn and grow.
Disengagement can lead to more serious issues in the workplace, like quiet quitting and burnout. The 2023 “State of the Global Workplace” report from Gallup says that low levels of engagement actually cost the economy $8.8 trillion dollars per year — a number that amounts to 9% of global GDP.
But these aren’t symptoms of being lazy or working the wrong job. They represent the effects of higher-level problems like a lack of employee appreciation, inequitable workloads, and unclear expectations. And in most cases, you have the power to improve the work environment and foster a more supportive space for yourself and others.
8 motivational theories
Motivation theories are tools, not solutions. And if you’re looking to give yourself or your team a boost, it might take some adjusting to find what works.
People struggle with motivation and inspiration for myriad reasons. Some may have a difficult time being productive in specific working conditions. Others might need more external help, such as performance incentives. And still, another may need more affirmation or encouragement from leadership to really shine.
Using science-backed motivation theory in management will help you meet everyone’s needs and keep working together toward the team’s greater strategic mission.
1. Self-determination theory
In 1985, psychologists Richard Ryan and Edward Deci co-authored a book called Intrinsic Motivation and Self-Determination in Human Behavior. In it, they detailed their argument for controlled motivation, which states that people choose their behavior based on the external results they get from it.
Self-determination is simply a stepping stone to intrinsic motivation, which is when people find inspiration from within when actions help fulfill their personal goals. But this doesn’t happen without the presence of three factors:
- Autonomy: Having agency over behavior
- Competence: Feeling capable at work
- Relatedness: Having a connection to others
If you want your team members to be self-starters with self-determination theory, you need to give them as much flexibility as possible, such as choosing where they work for the day. It’s also ideal to offer professional development opportunities and provide time for team bonding. Once these factors are in place, they’re more likely to find the motivation to reach their goals.
2. Maslow’s theory
Maslow’s theory, developed in 1943 by psychologist Abraham Maslow, is based on his famous hierarchy of needs. It asserts that humans essentially have five tiers of needs:
- Physiological needs: Food, water, and shelter
- Safety needs: Security, health, and resources
- Love and belonging needs: Family and friendship
- Self-esteem needs: Recognition and respect
- Self-actualization needs: Reaching personal goals and happiness
Maslow’s needs theory follows the idea that most people seek to meet their basic needs — physiological and safety — before moving on to other needs like goal-setting. While movement up the hierarchy isn’t always sequential, each need relates to the other.
In the workplace, Maslow’s hierarchy of needs helps leaders understand the importance of meeting lower-level team needs, such as social and safety, before trying to help them reach the higher-level need of self-actualization.
To apply these ideas in your own workplace, ask some questions. Do your team members feel safe at work? Are they worried about job security or the size of their paycheck? Are they building solid relationships and receiving adequate recognition from both you and their peers?
If you’re struggling to motivate your team, determine whether you’re meeting their basic needs before moving on to other tactics. A feedback survey or 1:1 meetings can help you collect that information.
3. Herzberg’s theory
Also called the dual-factor theory, Frederick Herzberg’s theory of motivation focuses on two main factors: hygiene and motivation. Hygiene factors refer to the “basics” of work, such as working conditions, compensation, and management. Motivators refer to “extra” factors like incentives and career advancement opportunities.
Herzberg’s motivation-hygiene theory suggests that the absence of hygiene factors in the work environment causes issues with job satisfaction, while the presence of motivators can improve it. And motivators only work when hygiene factors are up to par.
Similar to Maslow’s theory above, Herzberg’s two-factor theory should remind you to apply the need hierarchy to the workplace and ensure that work hygiene is satisfactory for all team members. Then you can attempt to introduce other motivating factors like incentives or promotion opportunities.
4. McClelland’s theory
McClelland’s theory asserts that people have three main motivators:
- Achievement: The need to demonstrate competence
- Affiliation: The need for belonging and social acceptance
- Power: The need for autonomy and influence over others
Which of these drivers is most dominant depends heavily on a person’s life experiences and current situation. For managers, getting to know your team members personally and understanding basic information about their backgrounds is important for this theory to work, which you can do with icebreakers or deeper questions. You’ll sense which driver is most dominant and help you learn how to best motivate everyone.
Suppose that you notice one of your team members is highly motivated by leadership development. In that case, you could try helping them develop their skills with leadership training and ask them to help mentor new hires. They can achieve their personal goal of influencing others while also easing the onboarding process.
5. Vroom’s theory
Victor Vroom’s expectancy theory purports that people’s decision-making processes connect to their expectations about what will happen. People routinely make choices that will help them gain pleasure and avoid pain. A team member might avoid a frustrating task and complete easier ones instead, even though each one has the same level of importance.
Vroom’s work acknowledges that people have different values and levels of valence — motivation toward certain outcomes. To account for that, he explained three key factors:
- Instrumentality: Believing that the reward for completing an action will be commensurate with their level of performance or effort
- Expectancy: Believing that the reward will be greater if the effort or performance is greater
This theory suggests that people find greater motivation when they can predict and influence the outcome of their actions, and when they care deeply about that outcome.
As a manager, you need to know what your team members value and create opportunities for them to receive those rewards. Set clear performance expectations and help them avoid pain by outlining the consequences of poor performance.
6. McGregor’s theory
McGregor’s theory focuses heavily on managerial behavior and how it affects team members. It suggests that managers fall into two management style categories: authoritarian and participative. A manager’s preferred style comes from their belief in one of two motivational theories — X and Y:
- Theory X: Managers who believe that team members dislike their work and avoid accountability are likely to have an authoritarian management style. They might watch their every move and micromanage their work.
- Theory Y: Managers who think that team members take pride in their work and are willing to go above and beyond without the need for supervision are more likely to become participative leaders. This means they trust and give more autonomy to their teams.
Self-reflect and figure out which one you connect with the most. As you apply the theory of X and Y, ask yourself whether your response hinders or encourages motivation in the workplace, and adjust your own behavior accordingly. If you find that your previous authoritarian approach stifles your team, offer more freedom and see if performance improves.
7. Alderfer’s theory
- P. Alderfer’s ERG theory builds on the foundation of Maslow’s needs hierarchy. The three categories that Alderfer identified connect closely to Maslow’s physiological needs, social needs, and self-actualization needs:
- Existence: Physiological and safety needs such as secure employment, health, and shelter
- Relatedness: Love and belonging needs like family, friends, and the respect of others
- Growth: Esteem and self-actualization needs like self-confidence, problem-solving, and creativity
But unlike the Maslow theory of motivation, a person can move between categories, even when they aren’t meeting lower-level needs. Instead, these categories operate in a frustration-regression model. This means someone might double down on meeting a lower-level need when they aren’t meeting higher-level ones.
A team member may lean more toward relatedness needs when they don’t feel like they’re meeting their growth needs. As a result of this behavior, their priorities will change based on their perceived sense of progress in an area.
If you frustrate their growth needs by failing to provide advancement opportunities, they may simply start socializing more instead of doing better at work to compensate. Frustration in any area will lead to regression — not motivation.
This theory reminds managers and leaders to look at someone’s entire sense of self when searching for ideas to motivate their staff. If you help your team members live a balanced life where they meet every need, they’re more likely to maintain inspiration in all settings, including work.
8. Skinner’s theory
Based on the concept of operant conditioning, B. F. Skinner’s theory of motivation follows the idea that the behavior of all human beings is based on consequences.
If a behavior leads to a positive outcome (positive reinforcement) or helps avoid a negative one (negative reinforcement), you’re more likely to repeat it. Instead of focusing on internal or external motivators, it purports that motivation stems from a cause-and-effect relationship.
Managers and leaders who wish to use this theory at work are in luck because it’s one of the easiest to work toward. Find out what types of rewards empower your team, such as recognition, bonuses, or even paid time off. Then, motivate team members to do well by providing those rewards when they work hard and engage with their projects.
Personalizing motivation to maximize performance
Every workplace is unique, and so is every person within it. Motivating a team is never cut-and-dry. It’s a process that takes trial and error, and even though it can be extensive, it’s worth it if you want to build a thriving workplace.
Apply each of these motivational theories differently depending on team members’ backgrounds, current situations, and personal drivers. Collect feedback about their basic needs and what moves them to be enthusiastic and productive. If you’re unsure, all you have to do is ask — people want to feel like you support them.
Using theories of motivation in your management style isn’t the answer to every disengagement problem. But they will help you get to know your team and foster an environment that encourages them to continuously improve. And remember: you need to motivate yourself first.
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