What Drives: Forces of Motivation at Work

The only way to do great works is to love what you do

Steve Jobs

When we think about labor, we usually think about motivation and payment as the same thing, but the reality is that we should probably add at least such kinds of things to it: meaning, creation, challenges, ownership, identity, pride, etc. Except of money, we are also driven by meaningful work, by others' ackowledgement, by the amount of effort we've put in: the harder the task is, the prouder we are. What really drives depends on our hierarchy of needs.

The significance of payment motivation depends on whether it gives means to live or to survive. In the latter case money is more than an important - it is crucial motivation. Each person has different standart of 'enough' which involves in his line of needs.

I'd like to cite a passage of post "What motivates you at work" from linkedin:

"Is money why you go to work? If your boss doubled your salary, would you work twice as hard? I didn't think so".

But I was much more interested in one of the comments to this post: 

"If your boss cut off 20% from your work, would you have the same paycheck? I didn't think so :)".

It is hard to escape the conclusion that money definitely exerts a considerable impact to our motivation at work. Thus there is the rub: this motivator is short-lived. There should be another sense that stays with you much longer.

When my husband was just beginning his career of C# Developer - it was more than 5 years ago - he got about $200 a month. Student's hierarchy of needs differed from the necessities of a family man's life :). Alexandr always says he is able to make money our family needs. One he is passionate about is personal and professional growth. He is motivated with his job because the opportunity of being he truly is, and the best he can be. Work, along with family, is his source of being, his path. My husband loves programming not only as his job, but also as his hobby. As the way of thinking. Frankly speaking, I'd be pleased to land him a job if I was an employer.

My profession, putting it middly, is not such financially rewarded one as my husband's. My best work experience is connected with English teacher's job at the lyceum. I was passionate about preparing an interesting material for my students and to see feedback interest in their eyes while working crossword puzzles, guessing riddles and playing linguistic games. 

My further jobs were associated with disrespect of my rights and mistreatment in terms of working hours and loads of work. For one, being a proofreader at the editorial office, I used to discharge responsibilities of layout designer, sales manager, messenger, organizer, bookkeeper and even a cleaner. Working hours were flexible only in terms of ordinary overtimes. Level of work done didn't have an impact on my salary. It was $250 a month, 3 years ago.

Honestly, appreciation and recognition for my efforts - that's just the thing that motivates me. The best bet is to make both dollars and sense :).