Purpose and Productivity: Evidence from a Cross-Country Field Experiment

Differences in productivity may be driven by heterogeneity in skills but also the extent to which individuals are motivated to do their job over and above financial compensation. The proposed research will unpack the sources of intrinsic motivation and test whether these can be leveraged to increase productivity. To do so we will run a cross-country field experiment in collaboration with a multinational company that offers one-day workshops that guide employees on how to connect their individual purpose with their work. We will randomise the roll-out of the workshops and track outcomes such as productivity and performance on the job, turnover, job changes, job satisfaction, team engagement and wellbeing. We will also investigate how individual responses differ across cultures, and how norms interact with identical HR policies.