The term "motivation" refers to the desire to do something. Unmotivated people are those who have no impulse or motivation to act, whereas motivated people are those who are stimulated or activated toward a goal (Ryan and Deci, 2000). Motivation is considered as the driving force that propels a person to participate in any activity. In addition to seeking fulfilment in one's profession, today's employees expect and seek balance in their life (Singh, 2016).
Employees are driven by factors other than the benefits of their job. Motivation comes in various forms, degrees, and amounts (Ryan and Deci, 2000). When asked what inspires employees in organizations to work effectively, their responses range from recognition, the satisfaction of a job well done, fear of failure, money, and responsibility (Ratliff and Hicks, 1998).
Motivation, which can be classified as intrinsic or extrinsic, is guides the direction, intensity, and persistence of performance behaviours (Cerasoli et al, 2014). Even though extrinsic and intrinsic motivators can be detected at times and that these two categories can be combined to create a successful working environment (Gribanova, 2021).
Motivating factors can be intrinsic, meaning they come from inside, or extrinsic, meaning they come from outside (Ratliff and Hicks, 1998). Intrinsic motivation examples area achievement, recognition for achievement, the task itself, responsibility, and progress or advancement. Extrinsic motivation examples are Policy and administration of the organization, supervision, interpersonal interactions, working conditions, salary, status, and security (Herzberg, 1987).
Figure 1.0 Intrinsic vs Extrinsic Factors
(Source: Knilt, 2018)
Employees are more satisfied when intrinsic motivation factors are present. Employees will be unsatisfied if extrinsic motivational factors are not present. Both intrinsic and extrinsic motivation are significant and can have a motivating influence on the job (Ratliff and Hicks, 1998). The most core difference is between intrinsic motivation, which refers to doing something because it is naturally interesting or enjoyable, and extrinsic motivation, which refers to doing something because it leads to a distinct outcome (Ryan and Deci, 2000).
Intrinsically satisfying or delightful conduct is referred to as intrinsic motivation. It is non-instrumental, which means that naturally, motivated action is not dependent on any outcome apart from the behaviour itself (Legault, 2016). Intrinsic motivation is a complex neurophysiological activity in which an individual goes through an intense psychological process that derives from innate feelings (Lee et al, 2012).
Employers cannot assume that their employees are always intrinsically driven because very few people find their occupations attractive enough to work without being paid or obtaining other rewards in exchange (Deci et al, 2017). Over the last three decades, the favourable impact of intrinsic motivation on creativity and invention has been highlighted, but extrinsic motivation has been viewed as controversial and has received less attention in this context (Anderson et at, 2014).
Extrinsic motivation is defined as behavior that is based on the achievement of a goal that is distinct from the activity itself. It is carried out to achieve another goal (Legault, 2016). Many organizations give extrinsic incentives to inspire employees, such as rewards for perfect attendance, bonuses for enhanced productivity, compensation pay based on performance and ability, and certificates for suggestions that are implemented by management, as a way to increase productivity (Ratliff and Hicks, 1998).
Money, on the other hand, isn't the only extrinsic drive. Extrinsic motivators include things like the nature of the organization, the type of work, job stability, and prospects for promotion (London, A. 2009, cited in Singh, 2016). Employees who were given extrinsic benefits in exchange for completing a task were less likely to be intrinsically motivated. Employees who are extremely intrinsically driven by a task, on the other hand, are less prone to lose intrinsic motivation when given extrinsic benefits (Mawhinney, 1990, cited in Ratliff, 1998).
The motivational effects of a reward-based approach are only temporary and do not result in long-term commitment (Kohn, 1993, cited in Ratliff, 1998). Extrinsic factors play a less role in motivating employees. These features were present primarily to avoid any dissatisfaction from arising in their workplaces (Tan, 2013). Extrinsic incentives can have the negative consequence of decreasing risk-taking and inventiveness when employees seek the shortest path to the reward (Ratliff and Hicks, 1998).
Today's workplace and workers are vastly different. Employee expectations and their relationship to work are two of the most significant changes. Every company has its approach to motivating its employees. According to Singh (2016), Carrot and stick motivation approach has less impact on today's workforce. At the same time, it's important to remember that the ideas of intrinsic and extrinsic motivation remain valid, and finding a balance between the two could be the key to managerial success.
My company's management allows entertaining activities once a month to make employees happy and unite them with their colleagues. Additionally, every six months, hold individual meetings with employees to collect feedback on their performance, assist them in understanding their job function, and, if necessary, provide enough assistance and training to enable them to execute their job well in the future. This management strategy is related to the Intrinsic motivation factor. Additionally, the management provides annual bonuses, wage increases, and promotions to employees to keep them satisfied. This approach is associated with the Extrinsic motivation factor.
References
Anderson, N., Potonik, K. and Zhou, J. (2014) Innovation and Creativity in Organizations: A State-of-the-Science Review and Prospective Commentary. Journal of Management, 40(5), [online]. Available at https://www.pure.ed.ac.uk/ws/portalfiles/portal/14923750/Potocnik_Innovation_and_creativity_in_Organisations.pdf [Accessed on 04th December 2021].
Cerasoli, C. P., Nicklin J. M. and Ford M. T. (2014) Intrinsic motivation and extrinsic incentives jointly predict performance: a 40-year meta-analysis. Psychol. Bull, 140(4), [online]. Available at https://doi.apa.org/doiLanding?doi=10.1037%2Fa0035661 [Accessed on 04th December 2021].
Deci, E. L., Olafsen, A. H., and Ryan, R. M. (2017) Self-determination theory in work organizations: the state of a science. Annual Review of Organizational Psychology and Organizational Behavior, 4(1), [online]. Available at https://www.researchgate.net/publication/312960448_Self-Determination_Theory_in_Work_Organizations_The_State_of_a_Science [Accessed on 04th December 2021].
Gribanova, S. (2021) The Impact of Intrinsic and Extrinsic Motivators on IT professionals, Case of Latvia. Globalization and its Socio-Economic Consequences 2020, 92 [online]. Available at https://www.shs-conferences.org/articles/shsconf/pdf/2021/03/shsconf_glob20_04008.pdf [Accessed on 04th December 2021].
Herzberg, F. (1987) One
more time: How do you motivate employees? Harvard
Business Review, 65(109), [online]. Available at https://hbr.org/2003/01/one-more-time-how-do-you-motivate-employees [Accessed on 04th
December 2021].
Knilt, (2018) Two Main Types of Motivation. [online]. Knilt. Available at https://knilt.arcc.albany.edu/Unit_1:_Two_Main_Types_of_Motivation [Accessed on 04th December 2021].
Legault, L. (2016) Intrinsic and Extrinsic Motivation. Encyclopaedia of Personality and Individual Differences, [online]. Available at https://www.researchgate.net/publication/311692691_Intrinsic_and_Extrinsic_Motivation [Accessed on 04th December 2021].
Ratliff, K. M. and Hicks, S. J. (1998) Intrinsic and extrinsic motivational factors and Type A behaviour pattern. Modern Psychological Studies, 6(2), [online]. Available at https://scholar.utc.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1064&context=mps [Accessed on 04th December 2021].
Ryan, M. R. and Deci, E. L. (2000) Intrinsic and Extrinsic Motivations: Classic Definitions and New Directions. Contemporary Educational Psychology, 25, [online]. Available at https://selfdeterminationtheory.org/SDT/documents/2000_RyanDeci_IntExtDefs.pdf [Accessed on 04th December 2021].
Singh, R. (2016) The Impact of Intrinsic and Extrinsic Motivators on Employee Engagement in Information Organizations. Journal of education for library and information science, 57(2), [online]. Available at https://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/EJ1096700.pdf [Accessed on 04th December 2021].
Tan, S. K. (2013) Herzberg's Two-Factor Theory on Work Motivation: Does it Works for Today’s Environment?. Global Journal of Commerce and Management Perspective, 2, [online]. Available at https://www.researchgate.net/publication/262639924_Herzberg's_Two-Factor_Theory_on_Work_Motivation_Does_it_Works_for_Todays_Environment/citation/download [Accessed on 04th December 2021].
Lee, W., Reeve, J., Xue, Y., and Xiong, J. (2012) Neural differences between intrinsic reasons for doing versus extrinsic reasons for doing: An fMRI study. Neuroscience Research, 73(1), [online]. Available at https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3614004/ [Accessed on 04th December 2021].
Hi Janakan, adding to your post according to the Armstrong & Taylor (2020) Intrinsic motivation is self-generated factors that influence people to behave in a particular way or to move in a particular direction. Such as scope to use and develop skills and abilities, interesting and challenging work and opportunities for advancement and Extrinsic motivation is what is done to or for people to motivate them such as rewards, such as increased pay, praise, or promotion, and punishments, such as disciplinary action, withholding pay, or criticism (Armstrong & Taylor ,2020)
ReplyDeleteI do agree with you, Intrinsic motivation is the act of executing a work function for the enjoyment it brings (Story et al., 2008). Further, London (2009) defines extrinsic motivation as fulfilling a job role because it leads to a separate outcome, such as outside encouragement or benefits obtained from doing a job role rather than real enjoyment of the task.
DeleteWell-written article Sanmuganathan. However, the two types of motivation, intrinsic and extrinsic motivation are an area that requires in-depth understanding as the motivational factors differ from one person to the other (Lei, 2010). Thus, effectively motivating employees requires an understanding of the different types of motivation. Accordingly, such an understanding will enable employers to better categorize team members and apply the appropriate factors to motivate different employees (Deci, E. L et al., 2008).
ReplyDeleteYes, Extrinsic motivators divert the attention away from the job at hand and onto what is required to achieve a prize. Promotions and other honors can contribute to a rise in intrinsic drive, but the motivators themselves are extrinsic (Cooper and Jayatilaka, 2006).
DeleteHi janakan, Extrinsic awards are still frequently used in many organisations for a variety of initiatives and performance, according to Kutza (2000), despite their effects on employee involvement in areas such as personal well-being can be short-lived for most people.
ReplyDeleteThank you for the comment. Kanfer (1990) defines motivation as psychological forces that determine the direction of a person's level of effort and tenacity in the face of challenges. This motivational influence is related to the workplace consequences that an employee encounters in terms of performance and motivation, whether intrinsic or extrinsic.
DeleteHi janakan, Kendra Cherry,(2021) said that Extrinsic motivation is involved in operant conditioning, which is when someone or something is conditioned to behave a certain way due to a reward or consequence.
ReplyDeleteAgreed. Autonomy, emotions of accomplishment, work security, benefits, and vacation time are aspects of intrinsic and extrinsic motivations that create a stimulus (Casey et al., 2012).
DeleteHi Janakan. Perfect article. It is important to address the unmet common needs of the employees because, the reward structure should encourage skilled employees to stay within the organization as well as increase the motivation and commitment to the organization and therefore increase the productivity. (Brickley et al, 2002).
ReplyDeleteAgreed Gihan, Higher-level roles take a more balanced approach to using internal and extrinsic motivators (Bard, 2006). The distinction between intrinsic and extrinsic motivation can thus be used to further deconstruct motivation. The difference between intrinsic and extrinsic motivation is that intrinsic motivation is driven by internal forces, whereas extrinsic motivation is driven by external forces (Giancola, 2014).
DeleteA study carried out by Olafsen et al. (2015) suggested that intrinsic work motivation in terms of salary expectations does not affect employee performance, but the fairness of salary payment does affect employee performance. This contradicts the study results by Kuvaas et al. (2017), which showed that employees work better when intrinsically motivated. However, when employees are primarily motivated by reward and compulsion, they are more likely to find another job (Martin, 2018), which leads to a higher turnover rate. Therefore, companies should employ the right motivational strategies as global competition for talent acquisition is fierce.
ReplyDeleteKuvaas, B., Buch, R., Weibel, A., Dysvik, A. and Nerstad, C.G., 2017. Do intrinsic and extrinsic motivation relate differently to employee outcomes?. Journal of Economic Psychology
Martin, L. (2018). How to retain motivated employees in their jobs?. Economic and Industrial Democracy, 4(41), 910-953.
Olafsen, A.H., Halvari, H., Forest, J. and Deci, E.L., 2015. Show them the money? The role of pay, managerial need support, and justice in a self‐determination theory model of intrinsic work motivation. Scandinavian journal of psychology, 56(4), pp.447-457.
Agree with you Ravi. Extrinsic motivation derives from an externally or socially formed purpose to perform an action, whereas intrinsic motivation refers to performing an action out of pleasure or delight. People's motivation is rooted in the environment rather than in themselves when they engage in activities for external rewards (Legault, 2016).
DeleteGreat explanation, Both intrinsic and extrinsic motivation are important, and the main difference of this motivation is that intrinsic motivation comes from within, and extrinsic motivation comes from outside (SENNETT,2021)
ReplyDeleteThank you for your comment. Extrinsic and intrinsic drives may appear to be diametrically opposed, but they can be combined to create a productive workplace. Understanding which motivators perform best in a given context is critical for inspiring employees at all levels: individual, team, and organization (Singh, 2016).
DeleteWonderful article adding to that The present study utilizes the MSQ satisfaction themes as intrinsic and extrinsic motivators: employees' perceived feelings before the actual work process starts (intrinsic) and work outcomes occur (extrinsic). It examines employee contentment through these perceived feelings and organizational context, providing important research and practice implications. Mardanov, I. (2021)
ReplyDeleteThank you for your comment Ijaz. Employees are satisfied when intrinsic motivation components are present. Employees, on the other hand, will be unsatisfied if extrinsic motivational reasons are absent. Both intrinsic and extrinsic motivation are crucial in the workplace and can motivate employees (Ratliff and Hicks, 1998).
DeleteLack of proper motivation may result in losses which may eventually lead to low staff turnover, poor attitude towards work, low output level, and low profitability (Ryan, 2012). The performance of organization and employee motivation has been the focus of intensive research efforts in recent times (Ryan, 2012).It's a Important point where the organization should consider the intrinsic and extrinsic factors. Agreed with you Janakan.
ReplyDeleteAdding more to your comment, Intrinsic and extrinsic drives exist in a continuum. Some people are motivated by tangible, extrinsic benefits, such as income and the trappings of status, on the one hand. Others may be influenced by things on the other side of the spectrum. These individuals prefer self-satisfaction to the physical advantages of monetary benefits. To get the most out of the fundamentals of intrinsic extrinsic drive, people can readily shift along any continuum. Instead of seeing these two motivating forces as opposed, keep in mind that most people are motivated by a combination of the two (Reena and Bonjour, 2010).
Delete