Introduction There are different points of view on what motivates workers. The most common opinions or theories have been developed over the last 100 years and have been subjected to an intense amount of research and study. Unfortunately these theories do not all reach the same conclusions!. However, they share a group of characteristics that can be used to understand what often causes some employees to perform better than others in the workplace. Motivating employees has become a more challenging issue for today's managers. According to a recent major survey, 92% of employers said motivating employees has become more challenging. Globalization, workplace expectations of the new generation, worker unions, humanitarianism, information technology and corporate restructuring are major factors shaping today's work environments. Theorists and researchers have learned a lot about motivation over the years. Managers must consider insights and theories about motivation when attempting to create positive motivational atmospheres for their employees. Regardless of nationality or personal background, people are driven to satisfy needs and achieve goals. Determining these goals and needs and understanding their relationships to the organization's goals is a complex and difficult question to answer. This article will discuss the case of Corning Co.'s flexible working hours, Steelcase Co.'s job sharing, and downsizing. These ideas will be examined against different theories of motivation to measure their impact on today's workers. Literature Review The companies Corning and Steelcase have started using new ways to motivate their employees. Basically, they started the co... mid-card... vation. Revenue, net income and job growth for these companies were substantially higher than those of companies with average levels of employee satisfaction. Conclusion Success in business depends on the ability to use resources more effectively than competitors. Because employees are typically a company's most valuable asset, they also represent the greatest opportunity to improve business performance and shareholder returns. By understanding the factors that motivate employees and the processes through which we can influence those factors, we will be better able to increase the discretionary engagement of our employees and, in turn, the performance of our company. Because every company is unique, there is no one-size-fits-all approach to employee motivation. It is up to management to determine the combination of practices that will have the greatest impact on employees.