The effect of psychological and social work environment on employee work motivation in office work

Abstract

This research-based thesis was conducted as a part of a Bachelor´s degree in International Business, with a primary specialization in Human Resources and People Management.

The study examines the connection between psychological and social aspects of the work environment and employee work motivation. First, the topics of work motivation and work environment were studied separately, and then the connection between them was thoroughly examined. The topic is researched qualitatively, using semi-structured interviews with six employees as a research method.

The results align with the theoretical framework and provide insight into how to enhance workplace motivation and which factors motivate employees. The results provide a broad setting of internal and external factors that influence work motivation. The findings show that, although these are opposite factors, they cannot be separated from one another, as both significantly affect each other.

The study highlights the importance of treating employees individually, understanding personality differences, and recognizing that change does not happen overnight. Instead, it takes determination and engagement to continuously improve the work environment towards one that motivates the employees.

After presenting the results, development ideas for HR professionals and managers to improve the work environment were offered, and further research recommendations were made. The development ideas include practical steps for fostering a more motivating work environment and the justifications for taking them. The recommendations for future research are to expand the scope of the topic and to take into account factors such as the physical environment and management perspective, which were, for demarcation purposes, left out of this research.