The psychological feature that arouses an organism to action; the reason for the action; SYN. motive, need.
In work, reason for performing a task. Businesses need to know what motivates workers if they are to get the best out of them. Some researchers, like F W Taylor of the scientific management school, have argued that pay and working conditions are the most important motivators of staff. They argued that schemes which linked pay to performance, like piece rates and bonus payments, could be important elements in a company’s strategy for motivating its workers. Other researchers, like G E Mayo of the human relations school of management, saw self-esteem, social needs, achievement, and involvement as more important motivators.