Motivation 3.0 for 21st century workforce

Employee satisfaction is at a 20-year low, based upon a large body of statistics. The Economist magazine said in October “…the proportion of employees who professed loyalty to their employers slumped from 95 percent to 39 percent; the number voicing trust in them fell from 79 percent to 22 percent.”

The same article quoted a survey by DDI, an American consultancy, who found that more than half of respondents described their jobs as “stagnant,” meaning that they had nothing interesting to do and little hope of promotion: “People are both clinging to their current jobs, however much they dislike them, and dreaming of moving when the economy improves.”

Not taking these statistics seriously will be costly. High turnover is a costly proposition no matter when or where it happens. The loss of knowledge grown through experience is impossible to calculate. The cost to attract, select and educate new workers is also very high. A better strategy would be to focus on employee satisfaction now with the hope of retaining valuable personnel when the economy improves.

A new way to think about motivation is outlined in “Drive: The Surprising Truth About What Motivates Us” by Daniel Pink. The book has been on the New York Times best seller list for the last eight weeks.

The author calls for a new motivational operating system, Motivation 3.0. He spends the first portion of the book discussing the rise and fall of Motivation 2.0. The previous operating system can best be described as “carrot and stick,” based upon viewing workers as machines or components of a work-producing factory. “If they did the right work in the right way at the right time, the machine would function smoothly,” Pink writes. Motivation 2.0 is focused on external motivators, measurements and rewards.

We realize that Motivation 2.0 is incompatible with the world of work we experience today. Economists realize that we are full-fledged human beings, not single-minded economic robots. Finally, work has become much more diverse, creative, collaborative and self-directed than the more mechanical and routine work of the past. Adhering solely to Motivation 2.0 can actually diminish performance, crush creativity, encourage shortcuts and foster short-term thinking.

Three elements of Motivation 3.0

Pink describes three primary elements in Motivation 3.0: autonomy, mastery, and purpose.

• Autonomy is an emphasis on self-direction versus control. One description of the autonomous workplace is a results-only work environment or ROWE. This environment focuses solely on getting the job done, not how many hours are worked, what time work started and stopped, or how the work is performed. Accountability is for the result only. This culture requires fair compensation which allows everyone to focus on the work. An executive at one company that tried this approach told Pink, “Employees are far less likely to jump to another job for a $10,000 or even $20,000 increase in salary when they are given greater autonomy.”
• Mastery focuses on the desire of each individual to get better and better at something that matters. McKinsey and Co., a U.S. consulting firm, reports that 2 percent to 3 percent of today’s workforce is highly engaged in their work. We all know when we are truly engaged in an activity; we say we are “in the flow” or “in the zone.” Mastery, putting value on getting better and better at what you do, allows everyone to spend more time “in the flow.”
• Purpose implies that we are listening to our own voice to work at something that matters, doing it well, and doing it in the service of a cause larger than ourselves. In 2010 we hear people using the words “sustainable,” “social responsibility,” “environmental concerns,” and about a desire to “give back.” These are words that focus on having a purpose for our work. This goes beyond profit to include purpose and contribution.

The elements of Motivation 3.0 have been implemented in a variety of workplaces and Pink reflects on the new models throughout his book. All examples indicate positive results for both leaders and employees. What could be better than a workplace where everyone is committed to getting better at what they do as reflected in improved results and the outcome of the work benefits the wider community? Can you afford to maintain the status quo?

I encourage everyone to take a look at this book and reflect on your own personal experience.

Shirley Esterly is a master facilitator and systems thinker who works with clients to build sustainable business practices. She can be reached at

[email protected].