Managers want employee job performance to be high and to stay high over time. Today’s best managers know that the motivation to perform a job well can come from both inside and outside of an employee. Internal motivation for employees comes from setting goals and seeing that they have the ability to reach those goals. When employees get feedback that they are reaching their goals, then their internal motivation to perform may continue. External motivation for employees can come in the form of other employees wanting to help them, and in receiving money and benefits from the organization.
Source: Zyphur, M. J., Chaturvedi, S., & Arvey, R. D. 2008. Job performance over time is a function of latent trajectories and previous performance. Journal of Applied Psychology, 93, 217-224.
