Extrinsic motivation is best defined as the actions of an individual who acts based on the value associated with offers of external rewards. Though intrinsic motivation is more influential than extrinsic rewards because of the power of self-rewards, many individuals consider external rewards more influential. Every individual’s behavior is influenced to some extent by the prospect of receiving external rewards such as bonuses, pay raises, promotions, etc.
One responsibility in conducting a needs assessment involves learning the type of external rewards that the individuals who will participate in a training program have an interest in receiving. With the knowledge of the important external rewards, training program designers can design a training program that offers the preferred types of external rewards during and after training. External rewards offered after training are intended to encourage trainees to transfer what was learned during the training into their job, leading to improved work performance.