Almost everybody that I know of is working to earn money. This is the first motivation for a person to leave the comfort of their home and in to a corporate office. But is that the only reason why people work or continue to work?
After conducting a series of interviews from people working in different walks of life, these are some of the responses I got:
“it gives me a sense of achievement” – a teacher
“learning new things at work is exciting” – director of an IT company
“I want to be known for my work in the market” – a marketing professional
“I get to meet and socialize a variety of people” – recruitment consultant
“I get to travel a lot and see different places” – steward
Different people have different psychological needs that need to be satisfied from the work they perform. Employers need to identify the different reasons why people come to work and what would motivate them to work even better, in order to devise motivational strategies and increase productivity.
Sense of achievement
Performing the work well and achieving the set goals instills a sense of pride that is very satisfying.
Sense of belonging
Working in a particular industry, in a particular office, in a particular department, gives a sense of belonging and one feels a lucrative part of the big picture.
Recognition for work
A lot of people work because they want to recognized and appreciated for their skills and efforts.
Career growth
Often people work to develop a long term career in the particular field. They want to get better training and experience in something they specialize in.
Socializing
For a lot of people, work is just about having fun, meeting new people, building relationships and socializing.
