What do people want from their work?
Or better yet, what do people need from their work?
Motivation does look different for different people. Some are motivated by job security and good pay, while others look for greater fulfillment, while some care more about an office ping-pong table above all else.
Understanding what drives us is critical for self-development as individuals, and also for understanding how to create the most effective company culture as managers. While a good salary does the trick for some, others - especially those concerned with ping-pong - need a little more to get them excited about their working week.
American psychologist, Frederick Herzberg, developed his popular two-factor model which prompts us to think about the cumulative effects of varying factors within our workplace, and how they affect - directly or indirectly - our motivation (hint: it’s not all beanbags and coffee machines).