Psychological Factors Affecting Employee Motivation and Productivity: A Review of Selected Literature

Abstract

This study conducts a systematic review of the literature on psychological factors affecting employee motivation and productivity. Articles were searched on the PsycINFO database and Google scholar. Articles were searched using the following terms in conjunction with Boolean operators (OR/AND): “employees,” “workers,” “staff,” “psychological factors,” ‘emotional intelligence,” “job satisfaction,” “employee well-being,” “motivated employees,” “motivation level,” “productivity,” “job performance,” “work efficiency,” “task performance,” “job satisfaction." A total of 11 articles published in English between 2014 and 2024 were included in this review after screening. Reward was observed to significantly impact work motivation but was not significantly related to job satisfaction. It was also discovered that employees with high emotional intelligence can manage their emotions and colleagues; this results in better job performance and increased organizational effectiveness and quality of service. Employee and manager burnout impacts motivation and productivity. Leadership styles, autonomy, and social relatedness were also important factors in employee motivation and productivity. COVID-19 most negatively affected female employee psychology, motivation, and productivity. To ensure a motivated workforce and profitability, organizations should adopt a holistic approach by combining financial rewards with intrinsic motivators while giving priority to the well-being, emotional intelligence, and leadership development of employees.

Keywords: Employee productivity, motivation, psychology, health, emotional commitment, leadership, literature review

DOI: 10.7176/JBAH/15-1-04

Publication date: January 30th 2025