Re-visiting women’s work motivations and career needs: international evidence from the perspective of self-determination theory

Purpose The study explores the work motivations and career needs of women, drawing on self-determination theory. The study aims to develop motivation theories and support organisations to shape the work environment addressing women’s work motivations and current career needs. Design/methodology/approach The exploratory study was conducted based on two research questions: Why do women change jobs? What are women looking for in a new workplace? To conduct this study, an online questionnaire with open-ended questions was prepared. Respondents were women who had applied for an administrative job post in Brazil, Mexico, Poland, Portugal and State of Palestine. Collected answers from 363 respondents were analysed by using Nvivo software. Findings This study presents women’s work motivations and career needs that affect the decision to change the job. Results indicate that women’s work motivations include four components: 1 − career growth (career development, skills improvement, challenges), 2 − competitive compensation (financial, personal fulfilment), 3 − work environment (organisational culture, work-life balance) and 4 − leadership (recognition, management leadership skills). Additionally, the study highlights four components of women’s current career needs: 1 − career growth (continuous professional development, challenges, training skills), 2 − competitive compensation (financial/fair pay, personal fulfilment), 3 − work environment (cooperation/teamwork, adequate tools, respect and safety) and 4 − leadership (clear organisation goals, communication/empathy, recognition, support). Originality/value Based on collected data, components of women’s work motivations and career needs were identified. The results provide contemporary and international evidence about the complex nature of women’s work motivations and career needs.