What are we researching?
We study which factors influence motivation on the shop floor. Among other things, we look at the role of work and organisational characteristics. Factors such as stress and engagement are also included in this research, as these are often strongly linked to employee motivation and well-being.
Why are we doing this research?
Motivation is relatively strongly linked to employee well-being and performance. Therefore, knowledge about the factors that influence motivation is essential for designing jobs to get the best out of employees and improve or maintain their well-being. Moreover, it helps to better understand why employees make certain choices, such as leaving an organisation, engaging in unethical behaviour, or choosing a specific profession (e.g. in the public sector).
How are we doing this research?
Much of our research is quantitative (surveys, experiments), but we do not exclude qualitative research.
How does our research make an impact?
Our research's knowledge about work, motivation, stress, and engagement/flow is widely applied in practice. It influences how public and private organisations organise their work or shape their HR management. The application may consist of using instruments (e.g. questionnaires) to monitor the well-being and attitudes of employees. But it can also consist of applying specific models of work characteristics to improve the content of work. There is a great deal of interest in the scientific knowledge about stress, creativity, flow, and motivation in practice. This knowledge is used in training or workshops to promote employees' development or achieve more efficient or effective management. The insights are also used in shaping organisations' HR policies.