Understanding Workplace Motivation
Paper
Understanding Workplace Motivation
February 22, 2026
Introduction
Motivation in the workforce plays a big role in how employees show up and perform at
work. If an employee is highly motivated, they’re more likely to stay engaged and feel a sense of
belonging at their job. Motivation is not just based on a single factor, but is a combination of
beliefs, experiences, and feelings. There are several theories that help explain why employees
choose to put effort into their work and what motivates them to continue doing so. The four main
theories are expectancy theory, goal setting theory, equity theory, and psychological
empowerment. Each theory offers a different perspective and explanation on what drives
employees to stay engaged and perform well.
Expectancy Theory
The expectancy theory suggests that individuals are motivated when they believe that
putting in effort will result in a strong outcome of performance. This explains why employees
might go above and beyond to finish their assignments, help other coworkers, and attend an
optional event instead of doing other things that are less productive. The theory provides an
explanation as to why people make these choices. Expectancy is shaped by self-efficiency
through a cognitive process made up of past experiences. Expectancy theory suggests that human
behavior is guided by the pursuit of desirable outcomes and avoidance of undesirable ones. This
causes employees to direct their time and energy to choosing the best option that will most likely
lead them towards the best outcome that contains the most meaning and reward.
These choices and decisions are driven by instrumentality, valence, and motivational
force. Instrumentality reflects the belief that a successful performance will lead to a specific
outcome. This can include receiving recognition, bonuses or other high valued rewards. Valence
explains how certain outcomes can be more meaningful to each individual. Each employee will
have a preference to which reward matters most to them, and which ones they are not interested
in. These beliefs combine with expectancy to determine an employee’s motivational force.
Motivation becomes stronger when employees believe they can perform well, are guaranteed to
be rewarded for their work, and highly value the rewards tied to their performance (Jones and
George, 2021).
As a manager, I would apply expectancy theory by firstly ensuring that all my employees
are right for the job and properly trained. This includes thoroughly checking their work
experience and level of education. Once hired, I would make sure the new employees are trained
with the right resources and give detailed feedback until they feel confident that their efforts will
lead to a successful performance. Additionally, I would make it known to my employees that
there is a connection between good performance and recognition by fairly evaluating every
person’s work at the end of the month. Lastly, employees with high performance would be able
to look forward to additional benefits such as bonuses, pay raise, and additional paid time off.
All of this would create an environment where employees can clearly see that high work has a
high payoff, making everyone more motivated to perform well.
Goal Setting Theory
Goal setting theory builds on the idea from expectancy theory, that employees are
motivated by the outcomes they expect to receive. Goal setting theory explains what determines
how hard employees work and how long they are willing to stay focused. This theory suggests
that workers need specific and challenging goals in order to give employees something to help
guide their work effort. Some goals can include meeting a deadline, taking a heavier work load,
or reaching a higher standard. When expectations are clearly laid out, employees have a sense of
what a successful performance looks like and how they can break down their work ethic to meet
their goals.
Additionally, goals that challenge employees influence how they approach their tasks.
When people are given a clear standard to reach, they are more likely to set their own internal
goals. Workers will be able to expand on their planning, organizing, and problem solving goals
all while meeting their goals. But, the effectiveness of this theory also revolves on how badly
employees actually want to meet their goals. Goals that are too hard and impossible to reach will
not motivate an employee to be at the fullest level of commitment. Specific and challenging
goals need to be designed to encourage employees to work harder and smarter in order for them
to improve performance in a beneficial way (Jones and George, 2021) .
As a manager, I would apply goal setting theory by giving my employees specific goals
tailored to each person’s position. I would make the goals challenging but not impossible, and
help my workers understand exactly what is expected of them. I would set appropriate deadlines
and encourage workers to reach out for support if needed. The goals I would set might be
demanding, but still achievable. Additionally, I would make sure workers receive detailed
feedback so progress can be tracked and improved. Rewards would tie back to employee
accomplishments in order to help everybody stay focused and motivated.
Equity Theory
Even with strong goals, motivation can shift depending on how employees perceive
fairness. Equity theory explains how employees judge fairness in the workplace by making a
correlation between what they put into their job and what they get out of it. This theory suggests
that instead of employees only focusing on their situation at work, they compare themselves to
other coworkers of the same rank. Workers will compare their skill level, effort, experience, and
how much effort they put into their job. Employees will also notice who gets the most
recognition and will mentally note if the people who receive the most rewards truly deserve
them. When employees feel that their ratio of inputs to outcomes matches someone else’s, they
believe that there is fairness present all around. But when they notice that someone else is
receiving more for the same or less effort, it can create resentment and tension.
When employees believe they are being underrewarded or undervalued, they will try to
restore balance in several ways. Talking to a manager or boss is a common way to express
emotions and to grow outcomes. But, employees may also opt to decrease the amount of effort
they put into their work instead of contacting their boss. On a different point of view, the person
who is being rewarded more than their coworkers may feel guilty. They might try to justify the
imbalance by putting in more work so that the rewards they receive correlate to the amount of
effort. Equity theory suggests that motivation is shaped by rewards and how employees interpret
fairness in relation to that recognition (Jones and George, 2021).
As a manager, I would apply equity theory by making sure employees feel that their
efforts at work match the recognition they receive. I would be very clear as to why a reward is
given out or why it isn’t. I also would encourage employees to reach out to me if they believe
there is an unfairness, as I am happy to explain why I choose to reward certain people. When
applicable, I would like to pull employees aside and engage in conversations about expectations
and workload to gather their input. By creating an environment where fairness is openly
discussed, employees are more likely to stay motivated while understanding the process.
Psychological Empowerment
Beyond issues of fairness, motivation is also influenced by the sense of purpose that
every employee wants to feel. Psychological empowerment focuses on employees with internal
energy and how their work contributes to a bigger objective. Instead of relying on external
rewards, this form of motivation comes from a feeling within. This theory suggests that
meaningfulness, self-determination, competence, and impact make up this internal
empowerment. Meaningfulness stands for how closely a task aligns with a person’s inner
passions. When employees get to work on something that interests them, they will be more
enthusiastic and put more effort into the job.
Self-determination means having the freedom to choose how to approach a task. This
strengthens motivation because employees are in control of their work and are in charge of
deciding how to go about things. Competence refers to believing in one’s ability to perform a
task well. This encourages workers to try and master their assignments, and gives an employee a
feeling of pride and satisfaction. Lastly, impact is the feeling that employees get when their work
truly contributes to the progress and change of their organization. These four elements help give
an explanation as to why some tasks may feel more stimulating while others feel more draining
(Jones and George, 2021).
As a manager, I would apply psychological empowerment by trying my best to
incorporate things that my employees value most into the work they do. Firstly, I would do this
by communicating the purpose behind the assignments and how they contribute to the goals of
the organization. I would also provide feedback and training when appropriate so that employees
can take on responsibilities that mirror their skills. Lastly, I would make sure to celebrate
accomplishments and progress so that employees can see the impact that they have created.
“When employees feel capable, supported, and valued, they don’t just participate—they own
their impact” (Krahe, 2025).
Conclusion
Motivation in the workplace is shaped by many factors that make a workplace where
employees feel supported, understood, and valued. Expectancy theory explains that employees
are motivated when they believe their effort will lead to recognition and rewards. Goal setting
theory shows the importance of achievable challenges as they make an employee better and helps
develop their job. Equity theory offers an explanation as to why motivation in the workforce can
increase or decrease based on what employees deem is fair. Psychological empowerment is
about creating a workplace where people are motivated from within. These theories highlight
that motivation is a blend of expectations, goals, and connection in the workplace. Understanding
these perspectives will allow future managers to make their future employees feel comfortable
and inspired to keep showing up to their work.
References
Jones, G., George, J. (2021). Essentials of Contemporary Management. (10th ed). New York,
NY: Mcgraw-Hill.
Krahe, A. (2025, March 2). Psychological empowerment: the key to true employee
engagement & productivity — Positive Leadership Coach. Positive Leadership Coach.
https://www.positive-leadership-coach.com/blog/psychological-empowerment-the-secretto-real-employee-empowerment-f52cd.
Sketches