Why a Big Raise Won't Actually Motivate You

Herzberg said there are two completely separate sets of factors. First,

you have what he called hygiene factors. Hygiene, like keeping things clean.

Sort of. Think of it as preventing problems. These are things like your salary,

your boss, your job security. If they're bad, you're definitely unhappy.

But if they're good, you're just neutral. They don't actually motivate you. Wait.

Hold on. So you're telling me a big raise won't actually make me work harder in the

long run? Precisely. It just stops you from being dissatisfied. The real fuel,

the thing that drives high performance, comes from the other set, the motivators.