Why do people work? What motivates them? What is the
main reason we wake up in the morning and go to work? There is no universal answer, we
are complicated beings, but I will try to give you essential information,
analyze psychological and economic motives and attempt an answer.
What instantly pops into one’s head is probably money.
We obviously need it to buy food and clothes but also for more than bare
survival. As customers are the essential part of the economy, extensive
research has been done on the decision making process, but the early classical
economists’ answer failed to account for complex psychological factors. There’s
more to it than money.
Before we jump to the psychology of work, let’s look
up “work” in a
dictionary.
Work is an ‘activity
in which one exerts strength or faculties to […] overcome obstacles and achieve
an objective or result’. The keyword is to
‘achieve’. People strive to be meaningful in their lives: doing sports,
breaking records, helping other, saving lives, developing inventions. We want
to be seen and appreciated.
There are three factors which lead to better performance and personal
satisfaction: autonomy, mastery and purpose.We get satisfaction from
seeing the fruit of our work, helping others, or generally doing something
meaningful and the harder the task, the greater our satisfaction upon its
completion. Modern companies build their HR policies trying to boost those
motives and are attempting to offer progress, development, fame and achievement,
among others. Those drive people’s lives.
When it comes to economics, it’s a little more
straightforward. We need money to survive, but also to ensure the best living conditions
for us and our families. The evolutionists would even, argue that we work to have the
resources required to be more attractive as a partner and to be able to take
good care of our offspring. And that gives us more chance of successfully passing
our genes. The economic motives could also determine whether we work for a big
or small company, are self-employed, or start an independent business, but
those might also have quite a different rationale and stem from the
psychological factors.
I think we all feel those reasons to work exist and
play part in our lives, but at the same time a majority of people around us keep
doing jobs they don’t like. Some people work because they love what they do and
money is just a consequence of that, but there are also people who are indifferent
or even hate their jobs , but feel the need for
a secure income.
- What motivates you to work?
- What other reasons to work do
you see?
- What do you feel are the
strongest motives among people you know?
1. What motivates you to work?
ReplyDeleteI think that that my fundamental motivation is money after all. I need money to pay my rent, buy food etc. However, when my financial position is stabilised then money becomes less important. I think that well known Maslow's pyramid of needs is quite accurate in my case.
2. What other reasons to work do you see?
I think that people prefer work that meets their personal traits. The greatest motivation is when you take satisfaction from your jobs. Although it is easier than before to find such a job, I am not sure if it is achievable by everyone.
BTW I am really interested in the recent experiment in Finland where a group of people will be getting basic income for next two years. I wonder how it could affect those people.
see: press release
3. What do you feel are the strongest motives among people you know?
In my workplace people are mostly motivated by challenging project they are involved in. When a job starts getting them bored, they just quit it - that's my observation.
1. What motivates you to work?
ReplyDeleteMy work motivator is any challanges. I hate routine at work. I am the most productive when I have big challenge task. I thkink that any work must learn me additional skills (technical or communication skills).
2. What other reasons to work do you see?
I think it is: work-live balance, money, good atmosphere etc.
3. What do you feel are the strongest motives among people you know?
I think, that the most strong motivator is passion. People, who changed hobby on work are happy and have more productivity. This type of worker is the best.
1/2. To work motivates me a lot of things, not only material benefits but also a willingness to learn new technologies, tools, undertaking ciakawych tasks that result in my personal development and not allow themselves to be bored at what I do. Other reasons for which willing to work is the time spent with the people in the office and friendly atmosphere in the company.
ReplyDelete3. In modern times and in the pursuit of money, I believe that the material benefits are the best motivator for people to work. Also good feeling among the team that makes a man willing to come to work and perform their duties.
The biggest motivation to work for me is first of all earn money (compensations, invoices, benefits offer by employer) and then for personal fulfillment. I also like changes, challenges, and diverse problems to solve.
ReplyDeleteDaily work is opportunity to my free time for hobbies, lifestyle and responsibilities and keep me into balance. I have two completely others work and both of them get me satisfaction without overdose.
In this time of rat race and danger substitute human by technology people find motivation mainly in passion, interesting, creativity or help themselves and improve kind of work stay being irreplaceable.
It is really interesting topic, thank you.
ReplyDelete1. What motivates you to work?
My boyfriend. He is very involved in everyday work but not only, because he learns something new everyday. Sometimes when I feel lazy he motivates me to achieve more.
2. What other reasons to work do you see?
I think that work makes people happy. Try to imagine that you wake up everyday and you have nothing to do. Two or three days and it makes you crazy. What is more I think that in some professions you can learn new things everyday during the work.
3. What do you feel are the strongest motives among people you know?
Definitely passion and determination to achieve planned goals.
Ad 1
ReplyDeleteI work to get money and that is main motivation for me.
Ad 2
In some way work is like a good habit helping to build your daily routine. But i don't think it should be 5x8hours per week.
Ad 3
I think that in the end, most of us work for money. And that can be tricky when you turn your hobby into source of profit.. you can lose all the joy it gives you.
1. What motivates you to work?
ReplyDelete&
2. What other reasons to work do you see?
Obviously money. Without cash I cannot see any possibilities for living :)
But besides - people with which I work are really important. I think that most of us prefers working in good athmosphere. Also important are just projects. I love doing interesting stuff with great challanges.
3. What do you feel are the strongest motives among people you know?
Firstly money and benefits.
Secondly some lucky people can connect it with their passion - in such situation everything are becoming much easier and better.
1. There are plenty of reasons that motivates me to work, but money is the biggest and obvious motivator for me. Money allow me to live independently, which i s very important to me, it's also a huge part of building private life - due to earned money we're able to execute our biggest plans, dreams. After all I couldn't imagine to work only for money.
ReplyDelete2. Work is also a daily challenge which is why we're able to develop our careers. It's a great teacher of earnestess and courage, how to handle difficult situations and stress. Work is also an opportunity to meet amazing, inspiring people who lead us to good changes and make us even better people and specialists in particular industries.
3. I think that reasons that I mentioned above are the strongest motives among people I know. Sometimes it's also a prestige of working in international, respectable firm, another time it's rat-race or obligation to maintain their families.
What motivates you to work?
ReplyDeleteDepends, for now its money, but its money that I want to use to open up my own buisness, then it will be working for both money and with pleasure.
What other reasons to work do you see?
Some people work for money, some for their beliefs like priests, some because they want to help others like volunteers.
What do you feel are the strongest motives among people you know?
Its money or satisfaction from building something yourself and grooming it and getting profit from it as a side effect ;P
1 What motivates you to work?
ReplyDeleteFor me there are two things that motivates me to work. Money, I need to pay a rent, buy something to eat, or to make some gifts to make life happier. Knowledge and passion is the second thing which motivates me the most. I like to get up every day and go to work because I know that I will get knowledge, overcome new challenges. I have a passion of doing my work, and I get money for this, so this is the best deal.
2 What other reasons to work do you see?
I think that reason why people work is meeting new people, or working with people in the team. This is a great pleasure when you have a great atmosphere in the work and you like to work with people. The problems are always solving faster in teams.
3 What do you feel are the strongest motives among people you know?
I think that money. Many people are not satisfied with their work, and they only do it for money.
The best motivation for me to work is an appropriate pay as well as good atmosphere which can be achived by various ways, from werbal praise, bonuses to promotions.
ReplyDeleteI am a graphic designer and for me, work is not just a way to make money, but also a possibility to develop myself.
The strongest motives among people I know is that they do what they like and do it well.
My motivation to work is self-improvement and achieve a certain goal. I am lucky that I work in a profession that I choose and that interests me. Do not stand in the place, I develop professionally, and I believe that for soon I will have a serious company. Another reason is of course money-who would have worked, if he could afford to literally everything? No one. People could realize their dreams, spend time with the family, develop their hobby, but I doubt that they would still be walking to work. Unfortunately, money is the main reason why people work.
ReplyDeleteMy motivation to work is self-improvement and achieve a certain goal. I am lucky that I work in a profession that I choose and that interests me. Do not stand in the place, I develop professionally, and I believe that for soon I will have a serious company. Another reason is of course money-who would have worked, if he could afford to literally everything? No one. People could realize their dreams, spend time with the family, develop their hobby, but I doubt that they would still be walking to work. Unfortunately, money is the main reason why people work.
ReplyDelete• What motivates you to work?
ReplyDeleteFor me the most important thing is money, because everybody needs them for living. Money allows meet the basic needs like buying food, clothes etc. new people and talk with them, exchange of experience. I am hardworking and acquisition of knowledge is very important to me
2. What other reasons to work do you see?
Meeting new people, possibility to talk with them, exchange of ideas and experience.
3. What do you feel are the strongest motives among people you know?
Mostly it is money, but also we can find such motives like getting experience, knowledge.
1. I truly believe that there are several parts of ‘what motivates me to work’ cake. First one is obviously money - we all need it to live. Moreover as someone clever said ‘We buy things we don't need with money we don't have to impress people we don't know’. We are consumers :) However the essence of the salary is that it should reflect your contribution in the business, your knowledge, skills, experience and expertise. So earning more money should motivate you to work harder.
ReplyDeleteThe other part is – recognition. We enjoy being recognized. It’s delightful for us. We aim for results, we achieve it, we aim higher, we break records. Job simply helps with making your life meaningful.
2. I LOVE people I work with! We’re friends not only at work, but also outside it. And we have a lot in common - much more than just a job. We know about ourselves a lot. We can talk about everything and I really enjoy it. When I go for work, even if there’s a pile of *** I need to clean up, I know my friends are also there, so it’s not going to be a disaster :) That’s pretty good motivation.
3. Money. A lot of my friends and colleagues are willing to change a job even to earn 500 or 1000PLN/month more. So for sure economical aspect is important for them. I’m not saying that all of them are materialist, but truth be told – it’s very important factor.
What motivates you to work?
ReplyDeleteMy motivation of course is my salary, thanks to it I can afford pleasure. Of course, it comes also with a personal development, reaching goals and becoming a master of my profession.
What other reasons to work do you see?
I am very social person, so I like my work, because I work with very creative and clever people with extensive knowledge of their profession. Everyone of them is totally different.
What do you feel are the strongest motives among people you know?
I think the strongest motives are passion, develop their hobby.
I think the article was very insightful and I sincerely salute you for that 😊 as to my motives, now when I think about it, they are a bit of everything you covered (well,maybe I didn't really take into consideration evolutionary motive -at least counsciously. I guess as for other reasons we like as humans a certain sense of ownership. To be satified from the fruits of your labour you need to actually see the fruit as it's effect. Lack of this ownership very often drives production line workers into feelings of dissatisfaction as it is hard to see your countribution when the only thing you do whole day id putting a slice of ham on the sandwich as for my friends I believe that they are mostly motivated by psychological drives you mentioned.
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