HR Models Library
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Curated and described by Harsimran Kaur Kapoor
6. Engagement & Culture
Self-Determination Theory
The engine under engagement
Use when
Designing motivation inside constraints; auditing why engagement is flat
Autonomy
Authorship over how work gets done. Not the absence of constraint: meaningful choice inside one.
Competence
Usable skill, real feedback, visible progress. Stretch without support kills this.
Relatedness
Belonging and a credible social contract with the people and the institution.
“Constrained choice beats both free choice and no choice.”
How to use it
A funded menu of five options an employee picks from produces more felt autonomy than a vague promise of flexibility. Use the three needs as an audit lens on any people program: which need does this serve, and which does it quietly damage?
Card details
- Model type
- Grid
- Origin status
- Established
- Content last reviewed
- 28 July 2026
Origin
EstablishedEdward Deci and Richard Ryan, American Psychologist, 2000.
Used in these workflows
Neighbouring models
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Page description, selection and arrangement © 2026 Harsimran Kaur Kapoor. Self-Determination Theory is an established model. See Origin for attribution.