Demotivation by Design: How Organizational Systems Can Hurt Performance
From Honest HR by SHRM
March 31, 2026 · 35 min · Season 3 · Episode 35
About this episode
The episode discusses how organizational systems can unintentionally demotivate employees and explores strategies to foster motivation and performance.
Demotivation can quietly erode engagement, productivity, and retention, but it doesn’t have to. Pete Ketchum, organizational psychologist and head of HR at Atonom, a technology company that builds cloud employees, joins host Nicole Belyna, SHRM-SCP, to explore the psychology of motivation and the hidden ways workplace systems can unintentionally demotivate employees. From spotting early warning signs to rethinking performance management and better understanding how to remove barriers, foster autonomy, and reignite performance. This podcast is approved for .5 PDCs toward SHRM-CP and SHRM-SCP recertification. Listen to the complete episode to get your activity ID at the end. ID expires April 1, 2027. Subscribe to Honest HR to get the latest episodes, expert insights, and additional resources delivered straight to your inbox: https://shrm.co/voegyz --- Explore SHRM’s all-new flagships. Content curated by experts. Created for you weekly. Each content journey features engaging podcasts, video, articles, and groundbreaking newsletters tailored to meet your unique needs in your organization and career. Learn More: https://shrm.co/coy63r
People in this episode
Host: Nicole Belyna
Guest: Pete Ketchum
Topics covered
- demotivation
- organizational psychology
- employee engagement
- performance management
- workplace systems
Keywords
- demotivation
- employee engagement
- performance management
- organizational psychology
- workplace systems
Mentioned in this episode
Organizations: Atonom, SHRM
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