The Secret Sauce to Unlocking Employee Engagement

3 core needs you can’t ignore if you want to fuel motivation and keep employees engaged

Shannon D. Smith
5 min readJun 4, 2024

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Team of professionals looking at a laptop.
Image by pikisuperstar on Freepik

A dedicated project manager walks into her office on a typical Monday morning. She feels a genuine spark of excitement and purpose, anticipating the challenges of the day.

Her energy is palpable as she collaborates with her team, contributing innovative ideas that drive her company’s mission forward. This isn’t a mere fantasy-it’s the power of true employee engagement in action.

But what makes this project manager’s experience so different from her disengaged counterparts, who go through the motions?

How can companies cultivate environments where employees are not only present but passionate about their work?

The secret lies in understanding and nurturing 3 core psychological needs: autonomy, competence, and relatedness. When these needs are fulfilled, employees don’t just work-they thrive.

In this article, we’re exploring the fascinating world of employee engagement, and the 3 core psychological needs you cannot ignore if you want to drive motivation, satisfaction, and ultimately, employee engagement.

Employee Engagement Basics

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Shannon D. Smith
Shannon D. Smith

Written by Shannon D. Smith

The Alignment Architect | I help professionals and organizations cultivate alignment in their careers, teams, and workplaces for sustainable success.

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