By Stavy Papasotiriou, Organisational Psychologist, Employee Happiness Consultant, and Founder of Work Unlocked
Did you know that job design can profoundly impact employees' perception of intrinsic rewards for good performance? It's true! In fact, extensive psychological research suggests that poorly designed jobs are as bad for employee health as no job at all. Because of this, job design factors can determine how motivating or exhausting a job will be.
This article aims to make it simpler for you to design jobs that elicit the key psychological states in which “performance becomes its own reward” – a virtuous self-perpetuating cycle of positive work motivation powered by self-generated rewards.
So, let's dive in and unlock the secrets of transformative job design.
UNLEASHING INTRINSIC MOTIVATION: THE KEY ELEMENTS OF ENGAGING JOBS
Hackman and Oldham's Job Characteristics Theory shows how meaningfulness, feedback, and responsibility intertwine to ignite motivation from within. It suggests that an employee will experience internal motivation in their job when it generates three critical psychological states:
CONCLUSION
By understanding and optimising these various aspects, organisations can cultivate vibrant and stimulating work environments that foster intrinsic motivation and overall job satisfaction. So, embark now on this journey of empowering employees and unlocking their full potential!
About the author
Stavy Papasotiriou is an organisational psychologist and the visionary behind Work Unlocked — a leading HR consultancy on a mission to revolutionise employee engagement, performance, and retention in businesses worldwide. With a profound understanding of HR practices, Stavy leverages psychological principles to unleash the untapped potential of workforces. At Work Unlocked, Stavy crafts bespoke strategies that are grounded in research and tailored to each organisation's unique needs. These strategies are designed to yield remarkable results while requiring minimal resources.