Employee Engagement from an SDT Perspective

One of the top questions on the minds of employers, managers, and human resources personnel is “how do I keep my employees motivated?” and while there are many possible answers to this question, focusing on a specific theory of motivation can give structure and clarity to the actions we take to increase employee motivation.

The Self-Determination Theory of Motivation

In psychology, one of the most prominent theories of motivation is the Self-Determination Theory (SDT). It focuses on human psychological needs, and proposes that if those needs are met, people will be motivated to engage in their activities (such as work activities) and continue their personal growth. In other words, if people’s psychological needs are satisfied, their motivation will be self-determined, as opposed to determined by external factors like money or consequences.

What are the basic psychological needs according to the SDT?

In the mid 1980s, Drs. Edward Deci and Richard Ryan formally introduced the SDT and suggested that there are three basic psychological needs that need to be satisfied in order for individuals to be motivated. These are:

Autonomy: the first basic psychological need is autonomy. Autonomy is the freedom to make informed, voluntary decisions.

Competence: the second basic psychological need is the need for competence, which is the experience that one is developing mastery over the skills necessary for the job, and that they are effective at their job. In other words, people have a basic need to be good at what they do.

Relatedness: the final basic psychological need, according to the SDT, is relatedness. Relatedness is the need to feel connected to others, and feel belongingness to the organization one is a part of.

Employees’ work environment (management, coworkers, general values of the organization, etc.) can either support or get in the way of their desire to grow by the extent to which they support these basic psychological needs.

How can I increase my employees’ motivation, according to the SDT?

Once one understands the basic tenets of the SDT, it becomes easier to be intentional about supporting the basic psychological needs of employees. Below are some practical examples of how each need can be supported in an organizational environment.

Autonomy is supported when employees’ wishes, perspectives, preferences, and overall point of view is acknowledged or understood to some extent. While it’s impossible for every member of an organization to have decision-making power, what is possible is to ask people for their perspective in the decision-making process, and acknowledge their contribution.

Additionally, the need for autonomy can be supported through providing people with choices. Giving people options and allowing them to make a choice, even if it is about inconsequential issues, can increase their sense of autonomy. For example, “would you like to meet tomorrow at 10:30 or 11:30?” provides a greater sense of autonomy than “let’s meet tomorrow at 10:30”.

Finally, being transparent and taking the time to explain why certain behaviours are required can help individuals feel more in control. When you require certain behaviours in your organization, provide a rationale as to why these specific behaviours are required, how they contribute, and how other behaviours can be harmful. Once people understand why they are required to follow certain rules, and buy into the logic behind these rules, they are more likely to feel like it is a personal choice to abide by these rules.

Competence is supported by providing individuals with challenges and opportunities that are appropriate for their skill level. That is, provide your employees with tasks and projects that are challenging, but that they can successfully accomplish. Whenever an individual demonstrates the desire or willingness to get involves in projects that are outside of their skill range, providing the necessary support (e.g., additional training, a mentor, access to further qualifications, etc.) for the employee to succeed can significantly increase their sense of competence.

Finally, feedback in an important part of supporting individuals’ need for competence. When providing feedback, acknowledging strengths, improvements, and contributions is important. Let people know, honestly and openly, what they are good at. In terms of weaknesses, simply stating that someone is lacking in a certain area is demotivating and demoralising. Whenever possible, the discussion should focus on ways to improve the necessary skills, and an actionable plan can help both the employee and the management be on the same page in terms of expectations. For instance, an employee that needs to improve their sales skills can negotiate a 3-month plan with their management that includes further training, self-analysis of strength and weaknesses, and shadowing top performers. Such a plan provides prospects for skill development, and maintains the employee’s motivation even while their competence is not yet adequate.

Finally, relatedness can be supported by strengthening the collective identity of the organization, ensuring alignment in values, practices, and purpose, and curating a positive organizational culture. In practical terms, increasing relatedness can be done by: discussing the organization’s vision and values with employees of all levels, hosting social functions to which everyone is invited and encourage to come, articulating to every member of the organization the value that their work is adding, and treating people with care and empathy in times of struggle or need.