While the psychological literature regularly emphasises the reward obtained from intrinsically motivated tasks, there are tensions between designing work to be intrinsically motivational while ensuring all the work gets done, and obtaining a suitable and sustainable balance between intrinsic and extrinsic reward without slipping into either purely transactional relationships or exploitative ones based on ‘vocation’. Guide

Question

What will be an ideal response?

Answer 1

? The value of intrinsic reward should not be underestimated, however in a
business setting, there is a contractual exchange which incorporates extrinsic
reward. Making all work contingent on extrinsic exchange may result in an
overemphasis on doing what is needed to maximise personal reward from a
rational economic perspective, however relying solely on intrinsic reward is
unlikely to be sustainable or manageable in the long term. Finding an appropriate
balance is key to effective and motivational operation.
? Recognition of different individual needs and aspirations and providing the
opportunity for self-development in line with these may generate a more positive
and engaged workforce. However the organisational need for controlled operation
may be perceived to conflict with autonomous working. This reduces to an issue
of trust between employer and employee.
? It is easy to assume that certain groups of workers (typically highly educated,
professional workers) ‘require’ greater autonomy, however if self-determination
theory is correct, there is no reason to assume that such needs are restricted to
certain portions of the population.
? Employee engagement can be construed either as exploitation or as core to a
happy workforce. The underlying motivation behind such a discourse and the
nature of the employment relationship in individual organisations will affect these
constructions.