The relationship between rewards, recognition and motivation

A synthesis of rewards, recognition, and motivation promotes employee engagement and performance in different organizational contexts. The interrelationship of these different elements and how they influence productivity on individual and group levels have been covered in this paper. The intrinsic and extrinsic rewards are analyzed for their immediate effects on levels of motivation, while recognition is studied as an important external contributor to a workplace's value perception. The paper integrates literature reviews together with the psychological theories of motivation like Herzberg's Two-Factor Theory and Deci and Ryan's Self-Determination Theory to build a framework understanding of how rewards and recognition act as motivating factors intrinsically and extrinsically. Findings suggest that whereas extrinsic rewards often lead to short-term motivation, it is recognition that leads to long-term engagement and satisfaction. This research signifies the understanding of how purposefully used combinations of rewards and recognition will give maximum motivity to employees and contribute to improved organization productivity. Key Words: Rewards, Recognition, Motivation, Extrinsic Motivation, Intrinsic Motivation, Job Satisfaction, Organizational Performance, Employee Engagement, Performance Management, Incentives.