Employee Motivation Before and During COVID‑19: Perceptions of Employees in a South African Agricultural Organisation

The COVID-19 pandemic forced numerous changes in the world of work. The agricultural sector in South Africa was deemed an essential service during the national lockdown, and employees had to keep working. Keeping employees motivated during the COVID-19 pandemic was a challenge. The study aims to provide practical insights into employee motivation during the COVID-19 pandemic. This study’s general objective therefore was to explore employees’ perceptions of the work-related factors that motivated them in a South African agricultural organisation before and during COVID-19. The study employed a qualitative research method with an interpretivist paradigm and a qualitative descriptive strategy. The sample consisted of employees (N = 8) employed at an agricultural organisation. The data were collected through qualitative online surveys using the QuestionPro software, and content analysis was applied to analyse the data. The participants indicated that they were motivated by a combination of intrinsic and extrinsic motivational factors before and during the COVID-19 pandemic. Recommendations were made by the participants who pointed out that existing efforts by the organisation should be maintained during the pandemic to keep employees motivated.