Fear of losing one’s job as a work motivation

Abstract

One of the most complex issues in organizations is work motivation; however, the phenomenon of fear as a motivating force at work has been little examined. Thus, the aim of this paper is to examine fear, understood as a work motivator, to boost performance and productivity. A qualitative methodology with a hermeneutic approach is used to explore the fear of losing one’s job as a motivating force in the work environment. Likewise, it is an exploratory and descriptive-analytical approach based on the review of scientific papers and a thematic analysis to identify patterns and recurring themes. The main results reveal that the fear of losing one’s job impacts both employees and the organization in general, generating psychological, physiological and behavioral reactions that affect productivity and social interactions, also damaging the culture and work environment. Fear can encourage work efforts in the short term, but it damages emotional and psychological well-being in the long term, decreasing creativity and innovation. In conclusion, based on the theories analyzed, it was found that, although fear can boost temporary performance, its effectiveness as a motivational driver depends on intrinsic factors and the balance between rewards and consequences. Fear can negatively affect competitiveness and organizational sustainability; therefore, leaders are recommended to apply balanced strategies that prioritize employee well-being, avoiding generating unnecessary anxiety, in order to improve performance and quality of work.