Employee motivation, emotions, and performance: a longitudinal diary study

Abstract

Purpose Numerous studies have focused on the effect of motivation on performance in the workplace. The purpose of this paper is to evaluate the somewhat overlooked role of positive and negative emotions as potential mediators of this critical association. Design/methodology/approach The longitudinal study employed multilevel modeling for assessing the effects of motivation, emotions and work satisfaction on job performance. In total, 116 respondents provided 1,044 responses at nine consecutive measurement points. Findings Findings indicated that positive emotions and job satisfaction mediate the positive association between autonomous motivation and performance. Concurrently, negative emotions and decreased job satisfaction mediated the negative associations between controlled motivation and job performance. Research limitations/implications The results address only the within-subject and between-subject analysis of temporal variations in emotions and behavior. Future studies can include higher levels of analysis, such as group, team and organizational contexts. Originality/value This research contributes to self-determination theory by highlighting the role of emotions in understanding how motivation shapes workplace performance.