Which statement best describes the relationship between job design and motivation?

Which statement best describes the relationship between job design and motivation?

• A. Job design has no impact on motivation.
• B. Motivation is unaffected by autonomy or variety.
• C. Proper job design aligns tasks with skills and increases autonomy, variety, and meaningfulness, boosting motivation.
• D. Job design only affects compliance, not motivation.

Answer: (C)

When considering how job design affects motivation, the essential idea is that jobs designed to fit a worker’s skills and to provide autonomy, variety, and meaningfulness tend to boost intrinsic motivation. According to Hackman and Oldham’s Job Characteristics Model, these elements shape feelings of meaningfulness, responsibility, and knowledge of results, which in turn drive higher motivation and better performance. So the best statement is that proper job design aligns tasks with skills and increases autonomy, variety, and meaningfulness, boosting motivation. The other options imply no impact or only compliance, which contradicts how well-designed work engages people and fuels their motivation.

When considering how job design affects motivation, the essential idea is that jobs designed to fit a worker’s skills and to provide autonomy, variety, and meaningfulness tend to boost intrinsic motivation. According to Hackman and Oldham’s Job Characteristics Model, these elements shape feelings of meaningfulness, responsibility, and knowledge of results, which in turn drive higher motivation and better performance. So the best statement is that proper job design aligns tasks with skills and increases autonomy, variety, and meaningfulness, boosting motivation. The other options imply no impact or only compliance, which contradicts how well-designed work engages people and fuels their motivation.