An industry in which I would like to be a Human Resource Manager is the sportswear industry. Three companies that I would enjoy working for are Nike, Under Armour, and Rawlings. This paper will discuss the intrinsic benefits that these companies offer and why they are important considerations in employee motivation. Intrinsic benefits are benefits that are not materialistic and have no monetary value. They are felt but not seen. “Intrinsic rewards have become more important and more prevalent in the workplace today.” (Thomas, 2009). The following table depicts the intrinsic benefits of the businesses listed.
The above mentioned benefits would attract the best talent for the organization because they allow the employees to be self-motivated in their work essentially. They are not necessarily rewarded by anyone else for doing a job well done, but have a force pushing them to do their best regardless. It is important to have a purpose in your work, or you will quickly get burnt out, bored, or frustrated in what you do. Intrinsic benefits are often more powerful than extrinsic benefits in that they never get old. They keep individuals pushing for themselves. They give employees a reason to strive for the best and to keep going.
“Psychologists, experts in human resource management and sociologists have long emphasized the central role played by intrinsic motivation in many social and economic interactions.” (Benabou & Tirole, 2003). The benefits I listed are true for myself, but may not attract everyone. I am highly motivated by competition and the sense of pride I have in knowing I’ve done my best and produced the best end product in return for my efforts. I personally need to feel empowered rather than micro-managed in the work I do. If I have a choice in how I complete my work, I do not feel as pressured or stressed out. When a sense of trust and competence is given to employees, even when they don’t know something, they will research and find the best answer. According to William Glasser’s (1998) choice theory, we have four psychological needs: Belonging, Competence, Freedom, and Fun. The self-determination theory lists the basic psychological needs as autonomy, competence, and relatedness. (Vansteenkiste, Lens, Deci, 2010). Intrinsic benefits allow us to satisfy these needs, as well as those listed under the motivation theory.
- Thomas, K. (2009). The Four Intrinsic Rewards that Drive Employee Engagement. Ivey Business Journal. Retrieved April 21, 2016 from http://iveybusinessjournal.com/publication/the-four-intrinsic-rewards-that-drive-employee-engagement/
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- Vansteenkiste, M., Lens, W., & Deci, E. L. (2006). Intrinsic versus extrinsic goal contents in self-determination theory: Another look at the quality of academic motivation. Educational psychologist, 41(1), 19-31.
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