BS6 - Motivated to Engage: Intrinsic Motivation in Early Career Professionals
SCURS Disciplines
Business
Document Type
General Presentation (Oral)
Invited Presentation Choice
Not Applicable
Abstract
MOTIVATED TO ENGAGE: INTRINSIC MOTIVATION IN EARLY CAREER PROFESSIONALS
Leggieri, Mary K.
Employee engagement has become an increasingly important focus for organizations as Millennials and Generation Z comprise a growing percentage of the workforce. Early career professionals are entering the workplace with expectations that differ from previous generations, placing greater emphasis on autonomy, purpose, and meaningful work. Organizations that fail to recognize these motivational differences may experience lower engagement levels, increased turnover, and challenges in retention among early career employees.
One way human resource professionals can seek to understand how employees are motivated is through Self-Determination Theory. The Self-Determination Theory focuses on three fundamental needs, autonomy, competence, and relatedness, to frame motivational and developmental factors. Intrinsic motivation, which is supported by the Self-Determination Theory, is defined as motivation that is based on inherent satisfaction rather than for external rewards. As organizations continue to transition toward team-based and purpose-driven environments, understanding intrinsic motivation becomes critical in supporting engagement outcomes among early career professionals.
Autonomy and meaningful work appear to play a significant role in engagement levels, reinforcing existing literature that emphasizes the importance of intrinsic motivation in the modern workplace. This work contributes to the growing body of research on motivation and engagement by offering insights relevant to human resource professionals seeking to improve retention, engagement strategies, and workplace culture for early career employees.
Start Date
10-4-2026 3:55 PM
Location
CASB 102
End Date
10-4-2026 4:10 PM
BS6 - Motivated to Engage: Intrinsic Motivation in Early Career Professionals
CASB 102
MOTIVATED TO ENGAGE: INTRINSIC MOTIVATION IN EARLY CAREER PROFESSIONALS
Leggieri, Mary K.
Employee engagement has become an increasingly important focus for organizations as Millennials and Generation Z comprise a growing percentage of the workforce. Early career professionals are entering the workplace with expectations that differ from previous generations, placing greater emphasis on autonomy, purpose, and meaningful work. Organizations that fail to recognize these motivational differences may experience lower engagement levels, increased turnover, and challenges in retention among early career employees.
One way human resource professionals can seek to understand how employees are motivated is through Self-Determination Theory. The Self-Determination Theory focuses on three fundamental needs, autonomy, competence, and relatedness, to frame motivational and developmental factors. Intrinsic motivation, which is supported by the Self-Determination Theory, is defined as motivation that is based on inherent satisfaction rather than for external rewards. As organizations continue to transition toward team-based and purpose-driven environments, understanding intrinsic motivation becomes critical in supporting engagement outcomes among early career professionals.
Autonomy and meaningful work appear to play a significant role in engagement levels, reinforcing existing literature that emphasizes the importance of intrinsic motivation in the modern workplace. This work contributes to the growing body of research on motivation and engagement by offering insights relevant to human resource professionals seeking to improve retention, engagement strategies, and workplace culture for early career employees.