Patrick H Ntupi
Generally, motivation is often hailed as the key to success, the magic ingredient that propels individuals to achieve their goals. The American Psychology Association (APA) define motivation as a person’s willingness to exert physical or mental effort in pursuit of a goal or outcome.
The two common well-known types of motivation are extrinsic and intrinsic motivation. Based on the APA definition, I can safely define extrinsic motivation as a person’s willingness to use his/her mental and or physical energy in pursuit of a goal or outcome, which is highly driven by outside rewards.
Such external rewards can range from, inter alia, money, promotion and grades. The contrary of extrinsic definition consequently applies to intrinsic motivation in this context.
However, many organisations have leaned more towards the extrinsic side of it, relegating intrinsic motivation to the sidewalk. While extrinsic motivation can certainly provide a temporary boost, it often falls short when it comes to sustaining long-term progress.
Why extrinsic motivation doesn’t work
Many organisations focus on extrinsic motivation. This type of motivation is external. Consequently, while the type of rewards found here may help people initiate new behaviour, they fail miserably in helping people maintain their progress or sustain results in the long run. In most cases it leads to hedonic adaption, (Diener et al, 2006) and Dr Scott (2022). This is so because this type of motivation is often fleeting and unreliable due to its temporary nature. It creates a dependency on external incentives that can prove unsustainable in the long run. It lacks the discipline necessary to overcome challenges and persist in the face of setbacks.
What works
If extrinsic motivational methods do not work, then what work? Flower (2014) identified three key psychological needs that organisations can employ to ensure sustained and lasting motivation. These psychological needs which can be traced back to Self Determination Theory developed by Ryan and Deci, published in 1985 are autonomy, relatedness and competency (ARC).
Autonomy is indeed a psychological need in humans. Our human need to perceive that we have choices is consistently present. Managers therefore need to create a sense of autonomy for employees to feel that they have some influence in what they do. Employing this tactic will go a long way toward sustained motivation.
Relatedness: Employees need to feel a sense of caring by the organisation and that they are contributing to something greater than oneself. Managers should be mindful and pay attention to how employees feel. This in turn will mean gaining the requisite skills in dealing with emotions.
Competency: Employee often feel that they are competent to execute the task when they have the kills, experience and qualification to perform the job at hand. Research has shown that organisation that implement effective learning and developmental opportunities increases employee engagement and subsequently amplify productivity.
Employee engagement: In addition to the three needs mentioned earlier, employee engagement comes into play as one of the key drivers for sustained motivation. In fact, employee engagement is the umbrella of the above aspects. Fully engagement occurs at three levels; social, cognitive and emotional. Those levels play a critical role in determining long-term commitment to organizational performance.
Organisations that embrace employee engagement reap tremendous benefits including but not limited to increased productivity, higher profitability and low absenteeism. In her opinion piece titled ‘The transformative power of employee engagement’ Hilma Vilho stated that “employee engagement is more than just a buzzword; it is a game changer with the power to transform organisation from within” and I fully agree with this assertion.
Therefore, it becomes imperative for organisations to ensure that their employees are fully engaged which ultimately translates into the ARC and consequently leads to sustained long-term motivation.
In order to realise this, organisations need to measure the level of employee engagement before they can implement meaningful actions to improve engagement. This can be achieved through engagement level surveys/assessments, done monthly, quarterly and or annually. Whichever is suitable for a specific organisation.
Finally, while extrinsic motivation can provide an initial spark toward performance, it often fades away in the face of real-world challenges and the demands of consistent effort. Instead, prioritising intrinsic motivation and engagement can offer a more reliable path to long-term success. By understanding the limitations of the overly practised extrinsic motivational approach and embracing the sustainable ones, organisations can cultivate long term sustained motivation needed to achieve their aspirations.
*Patrick Hamunyera Ntupi is a deputy director in the ministry of home affairs. He holds a B-Tech in Human Resource Management and is currently in his final year pursuing an MBA at NUST. The views expressed herein are entirely his and do not represent those of the employer.