Being a productive member of society is a goal of many.

Why?

More than just a nice thing to do, apparently it stems from a Mitzvah / Torah Commandment.

It is possible that this same Mitzvah explains the reasoning behind Theodore Herzberg’s theory of Motivation in employee management.

In an Article on Motivation in Business Mr. Herzberg explains that at work people are satisfied by certain factors and dissatisfied by other factors. He Has a Two Factor Motivation Theory.

Motivators – certain Job factors at work – satisfy employees. But a lacking them at the workplace will not dissatisfy workers.

Hygiene Factors are certain environmental factors at the workplace related to dissatisfaction of employees. But lack of dissatisfaction with them will not satisfy employees.

Motivators or Job Factors include
Achievement
Recognition
Work itself
Responsibility
Advancement
Growth

Hygiene Factors include
Company policy and administration
Supervision
Relationship with supervisor
Work conditions
Salary
Relationship with peers
Personal life
Relationship with subordinates
Status
Security

Mr. Herzberg backs up his theory with empirical evidence from surveys. He shows similarities between workers in various countries. He poses the question himself why do these Motivators Motivate?

Apparently the answer is:

G-d made humans with an innate sense of what is right and wrong. What is right and wrong is explained in the Torah – in the Mitzvot / Commandments. One of the commandments of the Torah is LiYishuv Shel Olam / Settlement of the world.

G-d gave commandments for all humanity – these are the 7 Noahide laws. These are 7 Major categories – which are actually 30 laws. The 25th law of the 30 in the Category of Law and Order is Settlement of the World. By Working a person builds the world, making it a livable place. Working is a Mitzvah. A person who works because Hash-m / G-d gave the commandment to settle the world gets a greater reward than a person who just works because they need to make ends meet.

Apparently, this Mitzvah is linked to the satisfaction of people. People who accomplish this Mitzvah gain greater satisfaction from work and are more motivated, because they feel that they are fulfilling the Mitzvah. All the Motivators are related to the proper settlement of the World – Achievement, Recognition, Work itself,
Responsibility, Advancement, Growth

The Mitzvah that may unconsciously serve as the motivation for people at work.

We learn, several things – accomplishing Mitzvahs satisfy people. Apparently, the soul is satisfied, so the person is satisfied.

The opposite also applies, at times a person feels rotten inside, but they cannot pinpoint why? It is possible because they are disregarding certain Mitzvahs that cause the soul sadness.

Obviously, a good place to start is to learn more about Judaism.

Making one’s activities correspond to the Mitzvahs is one way to reach higher levels in personal satisfaction.

Getting Things Done
One’s Getting things done can also be improved through knowing the outlook of Torah.

Want to know something is right? See what the Torah says.

Some people never get married. Their goal in life is to enjoy themselves and to escape commitment. What does the Torah say?

The Torah helps people to see life in the proper light and directs a person’s life to achieve their potential in life.

A person has a commandment to be fruitful and multiply. Thus marriage is an obligatory commandment for males and a recommended commandment for females.

A person who takes the commandment to get married to heart will treat it as a requirement to get done. One should take finding their soul-mate as seriously as one normally would search for a job.

Sometimes when asked why they tarry to marry – a person of marriageable age says “I have to find a Job… or I have to get my degree… I need to have a substantial amount of money in my account… before I get married.”

But G-d doesn’t pose those requirements. People pose these requirements on themselves.

G-d is in charge of how much a person will make. Don’t try to add requrirements upon yourself that G-d himself doesn’t have. One of the only requirements that a Jew has in order to get married is that the partner be Jewish.

Obviously, you should search for a person with good character traits, someone mentally stable, a person with a good heart. And you must do your due diligence – get references about the potentials mate – ask pointed questions, like do they have a bad temper, are they mentally stable, are they taking any medications, are they seeing a psychologist, etc. And prayer is also in order, but in the end one should treat getting married and having children as a commandment – an obligation to be fulfilled and in the end following in the path of the Mitzvahs a person usually ends up happy.