Abstract:

Motivation and the design of effective motivation systems have already been the subject of numerous studies undertaken by researchers in the field of management and psychology, while the area of ​​intergenerational differences remains relatively new and unexplored. We believe that properly determining the features and needs of individual cohorts of Generations X, Y, and Z in terms of their preferences for motivators will make it possible to develop more effective incentive systems. The aim of the study is to determine to what extent generational differences have an impact on the perception of the tools used in the motivational process. This study presents the results of an expert opinion poll and a survey conducted among 227 employees of project teams, in which the participants were asked to assess the importance of financial and non-financial factors in motivating employees from Generations X, Y, and Z. The gathered responses allowed us to identify differences between the cohorts in terms of their perception of these tools. The respondents regarded financial factors (particularly, a salary increase) as the most important motivational tools. On the other hand, the most frequently mentioned non-financial incentives were working in a well-coordinated team and opportunities to improve skills and qualifications through participation in training and language courses.