Want Motivation Back? Stop Ripping Off the SCARF!

We all need 5 essentials to thrive in any social environment, especially at work. David Rock’s SCARF model explains it perfectly:

• Status – Being seen and recognised. 

• Certainty – Knowing what’s expected of us: our role, our goals, how we’re evaluated. 

• Autonomy – Feeling in control of our tasks and outcomes. 

• Relatedness – Feeling like we belong. 

• Fairness – Feeling treated equally compared to others.

Our little monkey brains – yes, we’re still animals, just watch the news if you need a reminder – treat threats to any of these as danger.

Example 1: You start the same day as a junior colleague. Over coffee, you discover they’re paid more because they’re related to the boss. Ouch. Status and Fairness take a direct hit.

Example 2: Your company is struggling. After years of loyalty and strong performance, every move you make is suddenly scrutinised – your cost, your value, whether your role is “essential”. Ouch. All five SCARF needs are under attack at once.

When these needs are threatened, we retreat: defensiveness rises, motivation drops, engagement disappears.

So, if your team seems disengaged, don’t just demand more motivation. Ask yourself: which of the 5 needs have we been neglecting – and what can I fix first?

Then repair it:

• Status → Recognise contributions: publicly to celebrate, privately when better suited. Include chances for visibility and involvement to strengthen a sense of value.

• Certainty → Clarify roles, goals, and the plan ahead, even if it’s short-term. Share current priorities, explain what success looks like, and communicate openly about what’s known and unknown to create a sense of stability.

• Autonomy → Give people control over how they deliver results, within clear boundaries. Let them choose methods or approaches, offer support without micromanaging, and recognise when they take ownership.

• Relatedness → Encourage real connection with informal check-ins and team collaboration sessions, not just meetings. Create moments where people feel included, heard, and able to contribute beyond status updates.

• Fairness → Apply rules and rewards consistently and transparently. Explain decisions when possible, address disparities quickly, and ensure people feel treated fairly within the team.

Fix the right area, and motivation follows naturally. However, as with everything, consistency is key for proper repair. If you consistently show up, recognise mistakes, take responsibility, and make small positive changes, trust will grow back.

Because we know it takes only seconds and a few poorly chosen words to destroy someone's motivation and trust - while rebuilding it takes months...