As performance review season rolls around, Karen Kirton takes a deep dive into the psychology of motivation to uncover what truly drives employee performance. Drawing on research in organisational behaviour and human psychology, she shares eight key motivators and offers practical tips for how managers can tap into each one to inspire their teams.

In today’s episode, you will learn:

• 1. Autonomy
  Employees perform better when they have the freedom to control how they complete their work. Karen suggests ways managers can provide autonomy—like letting employees draft their own goals or determine how to achieve a set outcome.
• 2. Mastery
  Developing skills in areas employees care about increases engagement. Support mastery through professional development, strengths-based coaching, and career conversations that align with growth.
• 3. Purpose
  People are more motivated when they understand how their work connects to a bigger purpose. Karen advises businesses to create a clear, one-line purpose statement and regularly link roles and values to that purpose.
• 4. Recognition
  Frequent, genuine acknowledgement of effort and achievement boosts motivation. Build recognition into your one-on-ones and consider informal or formal reward programs.
• 5. Rewards
  Both intrinsic (personal growth) and extrinsic (bonuses) rewards matter. Ensure your remuneration and benefits structure is well-communicated and valued as part of your employee experience.
• 6. Relationships
  Strong social connections at work enhance performance. Karen encourages creating space for collaboration and team bonding through social activities and inclusive meeting practices.
• 7. Progress
  Seeing progress toward a goal is a strong motivator. Help your team set clear milestones, use scorecards or dashboards, and celebrate small wins along the way.
• 8. Security
  Stability and job security reduce anxiety and enable better performance. Managers should communicate direction, avoid performance-related redundancies, and foster a culture of trust.

Karen wraps up with a reminder that each individual is motivated differently. When managers actively tune in to what drives each team member, they’re far more likely to create a workplace that is engaged, productive, and high performing.

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