Motivation without a raise: mission impossible? Not really, no.

"I can't give everyone a raise. But I feel my team's motivation is hanging by a thread."

I hear this a lot. And I understand.

Margins are sometimes tight. Salaries have already been reviewed recently. Inflation has put everyone under pressure.

But if your only lever is the pay slip, you're playing a losing game. Because you're only touching on part of the subject.

And here's what happens, inevitably:

• A spike in motivation... followed by a relapse.
• A team that quickly gets used to it... and asks for more.
• And you start all over again... at the checkout.

Motivation: two levers, one engine

What makes people stay (or leave) is often a balance between two forms of motivation.

• Extrinsic motivation: salary, bonuses, benefits, company car. It comes from the outside. It's what the company puts in place to sustain commitment.
• Intrinsic motivation: the taste for a job well done, the desire to progress, the need to contribute to something greater than oneself. It comes from within. It's the sacred fire within each person.

Both count. But if what you propose on the outside doesn't echo what's on the inside, it rings hollow. And it doesn't stick. It's a plaster on a wooden leg.

A bonus may reward, but it doesn't replace the need for meaning. A company car may motivate, but it won't make you forget a toxic manager.

What really makes people stay is when these external levers reinforce an already positive, coherent and rewarding experience.

To put it plainly: the extrinsic supports, but it's the intrinsic that holds.

The good news is that recognition doesn't ONLY come in the form of a pay slip.

👉 And no, the answer isn't a gym membership or Tuesday muffins.

How about going back to basics?

It's not new, but it's still true: the theory of self-determination, developed by Deci & Ryan as early as 1985, remains one of the keys to understanding what really motivates people - and keeps them motivated.

According to them, intrinsic motivation is based on three fundamental needs. If these are nourished, commitment naturally follows.

1. Autonomy

A sense of control over actions and decisions. To activate: leave real room for manoeuvre, clarify objectives but let teams choose how to achieve them.

2. Competence

Feeling good at what you do, making progress, taking on appropriate challenges. Activate: offer stimulating projects, constructive feedback, real opportunities to learn and grow.

3. The social link

Feeling connected to others, being part of a collective, being recognized. To activate: cultivate an environment of trust, value contributions, encourage cooperation rather than competition.

📌 What we often forget? Employees don't all want "more". They want better: more meaning, more listening, more room to maneuver. And that's in your hands (not in the pay scales).

What about you? Do you know what motivates your teams? Because those who know how to activate it... won't have to go back to the cash register every three months ;)

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