Motivation and the meaning of work

This chapter describes the differences between extrinsic, intrinsic, and social factors of motivation. Henry Ford and Frederick Taylor thought rewards and punishments were the key ways to motivate people. This approach sees all motivation as external, extrinsic to the individual. Yet Abraham Maslow, Frederick Herzberg, and many others, argue that we can redesign jobs to be more meaningful and interesting and to give room for autonomy and self-expression. At the heart of this debate are fundamental questions about human nature: what makes us tick, and how can we get the best out of people? These content theory approaches redesign work to motivate staff and look at what goes on around the individual. In contrast, process theories see motivation as more individual and changeable, focusing on how motivation changes over time. Meanwhile, sociological perspectives examine the meanings people attach to work and how this feeds into their identity in society.