Discussion: Motivation in the Workplace What motivates you? How does your level of motivation affect your attitude, how much you can accomplish, and your commitment to quality? Why do some employees continuously strive for excellence at work while others seem to simply show up? For decades, people have been studying the origins and power of motivation in general and specifically, in the workplace. It’s a fact: When employees are highly motivated, they are more likely to be effective and productive in organizational settings. Conversely, when employees are not inspired or motivated, performance suffers. Because motivation plays such a key role in employee satisfaction and organizational effectiveness, understanding motivation theory is foundational to successful human resource management and overall organizational capacity.