When employees are intrinsically motivated, they attach meaning to their work and find creative ways to make themselves more productive, which leads to higher performance. These are the employees who are always ready to tackle any challenge that makes their way.
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What is motivation?
Motivation is the drive behind performing any action. It acts as the force propelling team members to pursue their aspirations and goals. Just as a car needs fuel to power through, motivation pushes team members for personal growth. When developers are motivated, they have a reason to push through complex obstacles and achieve their deliverables.
Generally, there are two types of motivation:
Intrinsic motivation
Extrinsic motivation
What is intrinsic motivation?
Intrinsic motivation refers to actions that stem from an individual’s inner desires. Rather than being driven by external factors, it’s the inner self urging individuals to participate in activities.
What is extrinsic motivation?
Extrinsic motivation refers to behaviors influenced by external factors such as rewards, punishments, or pressures. Such team members, instead of pushing themselves, are driven by outside forces to achieve reward-based or fear-based incentives.
Intrinsic motivation vs extrinsic motivation
The table below shows the key differences between intrinsic and extrinsic motivation:
Intrinsic Motivation | Extrinsic Motivation |
Motivation from within | Motivation from outside |
Driven by personal interests | Driven by external rewards |
Often long-lasting because it’s tied to personal values | Often short term because it ends when the reward is achieved |
Example: Running for physical fitness | Example: Working overtime for a monetary reward |
Benefits of intrinsic motivation
Intrinsic motivation plays a crucial role in enhancing team performance. Some of its numerous benefits are:
Enhanced performance and productivity
Higher levels of creativity
Increased job satisfaction
Enhanced performance and productivity
When team members are internally driven by their interests and passions for their work, the quality of the work significantly improves. Intrinsic motivation fosters a sense of ownership over the work. Team members perceive the work as something they do for themselves, so they don’t do it as an obligation to the organization but because they genuinely enjoy it.
Higher levels of creativity
Personal interests fuel creative thinking. Team members tend to let their creative juices flow, which results in innovative ideas when their own interests guide them. They enter a state of deep focus where it’s only them and the activity at hand, so they’re more likely to come up with fresh and inventive ideas. The situation takes an opposite turn when it comes to tasks that don’t pique their interest.
Increased job satisfaction
Team members driven by their inner passions find their work more satisfying. When such individuals work in roles that align with their passions, there’s a greater sense of purpose and happiness. This leads to higher job satisfaction. Moreover, these individuals who are guided by motivation are less susceptible to stress and exhaustion, resulting in a reduced incidence of burnout.
Intrinsic motivators
Five major components collectively contribute to intrinsic motivation. These include:
Autonomy: This is a sense of freedom to make choices to satiate one’s inner self.
Mastery: This is the desire to improve and achieve excellence.
Purpose: This is the alignment of the individual with their values and goals.
Enjoyment: This is the satisfaction derived from the completion of an activity.
Curiosity: This is the natural inclination to satiate the thirst for new knowledge.
Ways to improve intrinsic motivation
Some of the ways to improve intrinsic motivation are as follows:
Encourage autonomy
Recognize and appreciate efforts
Align tasks with individual interests
Provide opportunities for self-improvement
Encourage autonomy
Gaining control over their work enables team members to nurture intrinsic motivation. When the work aligns with their interests, team members become connected to actively engage in it. They approach their responsibilities with enthusiasm and dedication as they derive deep satisfaction from them. Autonomy over their work cultivates a sense of ownership that translates into great quality outcomes.
Recognize and appreciate efforts
When team members are recognized and appreciated for their efforts, they’re more likely to be intrinsically motivated further to improve their contributions to the organization's growth. This reinforces their commitment to the team, fostering a positive work relationship built on trust and mutual respect.
Align tasks with individual interests
Managers should assign responsibilities to their team members that align with their passions and strengths as it leads to improved productivity and output quality. It involves understanding each team member’s strengths and passions and then structuring their responsibilities accordingly. When tasks match what team members enjoy, it can greatly boost their motivation and performance contributing to organizational success.
Provide opportunities for self-improvement
Allocating growth prospects allows developers to enhance their skills, both soft skills and technical skills, and knowledge in areas they’re passionate about. When team members have access to these self-improvement opportunities, it can significantly boost their intrinsic motivation. Such team members tend to be motivated and satisfied with their roles. They become more proficient at their responsibilities, leading to job satisfaction and employee retention.
Final word
Intrinsic motivation plays a significant role in team productivity. It promotes a productive and harmonious work environment where each member of the team is genuinely motivated and committed to striving toward achieving common goals.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why is intrinsic motivation better?
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