Donna Chowdhury: MOTICIPATION: Unlocking Workplace Energy

This professional publication introduces Moticipation, a term coined by the author to describe the relationship between motivation and participation in the workplace. The concept emphasizes that motivation is often strengthened when employees feel actively involved, heard, and included, rather than being driven solely by external incentives. Drawing on contemporary workplace challenges such as burnout, disengagement, and change fatigue, the article highlights how participation, trust, and psychological safety contribute to sustained employee energy and engagement. It offers practical insights for leaders and HR professionals on fostering inclusive communication, shared decision-making, and consistent leadership presence in both in-person and hybrid work environments. By positioning Moticipation as a human-centered and actionable approach, the article contributes a new lens for understanding engagement and workplace culture, with implications for leadership practice, employee well-being, and organizational performance.

Chowdhury, D. (2025, January 20). Moticipation: Unlocking workplace energy. Society for Human Resource Management. https://www.shrm.org/topics-tools/news/moticipation-unlocking-workplace-energy

Donna
Matthew Dunleavy wearing a pink and purple polka-dot shirt under a grey blazer with red-framed glasses and a long reddish-brown beard smiling into the camera
Matthew Dunleavy

Senior Educational Developer, Faculty Excellence and Development

Matthew Dunleavy (he/him) is an educational developer and scholarly teacher with over 9+ years’ experience. He immediately joins our CTEI from York University where he was an Educational Developer with the Teaching Commons; before entering that role, he served as the Program Director of the Online Learning and Technology Consultants (OLTC) Program at the Maple League of Universities (Acadia University; Bishop’s University; Mount Allison University; and St. Francis Xavier University). In 2022, he was awarded the D2L Innovation Award in Teaching and Learning by the Society for Teaching and Learning in Higher Education (STLHE) for this work.