Understanding the Theories and Interventions of Motivation in
Organization Development
Abstract
This article reviews theories of motivation in the workplace, what these
theories look like in the modern workplace, and interventions designed
to increase individual and system-wide organizational motivation. We
explored a wide range of theories, including the expectancy theory,
Maslow’s hierarchy, the motivation-hygiene theory, the equity theory,
reward structures, cognitive evaluation theory, and feedback, to
formulate conclusions about common organization development (OD)
interventions that are meant to address the theories. Reviewed
interventions include; organization structure design, achievement
orientation, goal setting, job design, quality feedback, and empowerment
programs. We followed a multidisciplinary integrated literature review
approach to move beyond merely summarizing the literature but
substantially contributing new and valuable knowledge to the fields of
leadership and organization development. The research cements the need
for understanding individuals’ needs and goals, the value of quality
feedback, rewarding positive behavior, leading with fairness, and
allowing space for autonomy.