Financial Blog

After months of working from home while living under the stress of a pandemic, you may have noticed your work motivation starting to wane. To regain momentum and increase productivity for the long-term, it helps to understand what motivates you and your team to do a good job.

Based on Forbes’s research with thousands of employees and leaders, they discovered five different types of motivation in the workplace: Achievement, Power, Affiliation, Security, and Adventure. Knowing which one drives you and your team is the first step to figuring out how you can push through the stress-related fatigue and get things done.

Learn more about the different motivations below:

Achievement

People who are motivated by achievements want to excel in everything they do. They find satisfaction in beating their own record and improving their personal best. They can’t resist a good challenge, especially if it allows them to grow in new ways. Hard-earned success is sweet for the achievement-motivated person, so you’ll often find them seeking out new and difficult goals.

Power

Individuals who are driven by power strive to grow their influence. They are trailblazers who make an impact in any work environment. Their desire to be revered and followed comes hand in hand with their desire to train others. It’s also an honor for them to be the deputy of a higher authority. Power-motivated people won’t hesitate to choose a high-ranking title over money.

Affiliation

Great work culture and environment are the main drivers of affiliation-motivated people. Having harmonious relationships with the ones they work with keeps them motivated to perform well. Often people-oriented, they thrive in networking and collaborating with others. They’re also usually the ones who bring laughter to the group. This is why affiliation-driven people tend to excel in customer service and client interactions.

Security

People with a need for security look for continuity, sustainability, and consistency in their work. They are loyal and can stay in the same position or company for years. Because they are driven by guarantees, sudden changes and disruptive processes in the workplace can make them feel uncomfortable.

Adventure

Adventure seekers are driven by risk, change, and uncertainty. They love taking on new challenges and don’t mind failure. Their approach is usually to test fast and learn fast. Adventurous people will gladly deliver more than is expected of them, provide they are given the space to make independent decisions. They also get bored with routine work and prefer environments where they can continue to achieve their full potential.

Being aware of your motivations helps you reassess priorities and seek out the right opportunities. One surefire way to stay motivated at work is to spend more time on tasks and projects that give you and your team a sense of purpose and fulfillment.