How does job design impact employee motivation?

How does job design impact employee motivation?

• A. By limiting task variety to reduce cognitive load.
• B. By matching tasks to skills and increasing autonomy, variety, and meaningfulness, which enhances motivation and satisfaction.
• C. By focusing solely on monetary rewards.
• D. By removing task autonomy to stabilize performance.

Answer: (B)

Job design shapes employee motivation by shaping the quality of the work experience. When tasks fit an employee’s skills and the job provides autonomy, variety, and a sense that the work is meaningful, people feel more engaged and motivated. This happens because these elements foster intrinsic motivation: autonomy gives ownership, variety keeps work interesting, and meaningfulness connects daily tasks to larger goals. As a result, employees experience greater satisfaction and are more likely to perform well. Limiting variety, removing autonomy, or focusing only on monetary rewards misses these motivational drivers and tends to weaken intrinsic motivation.

Job design shapes employee motivation by shaping the quality of the work experience. When tasks fit an employee’s skills and the job provides autonomy, variety, and a sense that the work is meaningful, people feel more engaged and motivated. This happens because these elements foster intrinsic motivation: autonomy gives ownership, variety keeps work interesting, and meaningfulness connects daily tasks to larger goals. As a result, employees experience greater satisfaction and are more likely to perform well. Limiting variety, removing autonomy, or focusing only on monetary rewards misses these motivational drivers and tends to weaken intrinsic motivation.