New HR Models: Wellbeing, Motivation and Workforce Flexibility
We've added three new video explainers to our HR Models library, covering essential theories for understanding employee wellbeing, motivation, and flexible workforce strategies.
Atkinson's Flexible Firm Model
John Atkinson's influential model explains how organisations structure their workforce for flexibility. The model distinguishes between:
Core workers: – Permanent employees with organisation-specific skills who enjoy job security and career development
Peripheral workers: – Part-time, temporary, or contract workers who provide numerical flexibility
The model identifies three types of organisational flexibility:
- Functional flexibility – Core workers who can perform multiple roles
- Numerical flexibility – Ability to adjust workforce size to meet demand
- Financial flexibility – Variable pay structures linked to performance
This model is essential for understanding contemporary workforce strategies, the gig economy, and debates about employment security.
Self-Determination Theory
Edward Deci and Richard Ryan's Self-Determination Theory (SDT) is one of the most influential motivation theories in organisational psychology. It identifies three basic psychological needs:
Autonomy: – The need for control over one's own actions and decisions
Competence: – The need to feel effective and capable
Relatedness: – The need for connection and belonging with others
When these needs are satisfied, people experience intrinsic motivation – they engage in activities because they find them inherently interesting and satisfying, not just for external rewards.
SDT has major implications for job design, leadership, reward strategies, and creating engaging work environments.
Seligman's PERMA Model
Martin Seligman, the founder of positive psychology, developed the PERMA model to describe the five elements of human flourishing:
P – Positive emotions: – Experiencing joy, gratitude, hope, and other positive feelings
E – Engagement: – Being fully absorbed in activities (flow states)
R – Relationships: – Having meaningful connections with others
M – Meaning: – Belonging to and serving something larger than oneself
A – Accomplishment: – Pursuing achievement and mastery
PERMA provides a comprehensive framework for workplace wellbeing that goes beyond simply reducing stress or dissatisfaction. It helps organisations understand what enables employees to truly thrive.
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These three models join our growing library of 42 HR theory videos. Each video provides a clear, concise explanation to help you understand and apply these theories in your CIPD assignments.
Explore the HR Models library and build your theoretical knowledge today.