When it is discovered that a worker can fulfill the demands of their job, but is lacking in this area, it is often thought that the worker's motivation may be the root of the problem (Laird 95). But what is motivation at work? According to Laird (2006), “motivation is a fundamental component of performance” and “is the reason why someone chooses to do certain things and chooses not to do others.” In other words, work motivation is what energizes workers to the level of performance required to complete a task, directs their energy toward the goals they need to accomplish, and maintains that level of effort over a period of time. time (Steers et al., 2004). Essentially, worker motivation is what gets the job done. Employee motivation has always been a central issue in the workplace and as an individual in a supervisory position, it becomes your duty to understand and institute systems that ensure that your subordinates are well motivated. Good employee motivation can ensure high productivity and successful workflow, while low worker motivation can lead to absenteeism, decreased productivity rates and employee turnover. Much research has been done on motivation, and much of this research is applicable to the workplace. Due to the nature of man, motivation varies from one individual to another and for this reason there is no single system that is best to ensure worker motivation in every organizational situation and , as a product, many theories have been created to describe what drives people to perform their tasks satisfactorily. Throughout this document, the three main types of these motivational theories will be described along with examples of each...... middle of article ......ent. Cambridge, MA: Perseus Group, 2003. Print. Locke, Edwin A., and Gary P. Latham. “New Directions in Goal Setting Theory.” Current Directions in Psychological Science 15.5 (2006): 265-68. Print.Mcclelland, David C. “Toward a Theory of Motivation Acquisition.” American Psychologist 20.5 (1965): 321-33. Web.Rodgers, Robert and John E. Hunter. “Impact of management by objectives on organizational productivity.” Journal of Applied Psychology 76.2 (1991): 322-36. Print. Steers, Richard M., Lyman W. Porter, and Gregory A. Bigley. Motivation and leadership at work. New York: McGraw-Hill, 1996. Print. Steers, Richard M., Richard T. Mowday, and Debra L. Shapiro. “Introduction to the Special Thematic Forum: The Future of Work Motivation Theory.” The Academy of Management Review 29.3 (2004): 379. Print.Vroom, Victor H. Work and motivation. New York: John Wiley & Sons, 1967. Print.