Self-motivation as the missing link: how career control fuels work enjoyment

Purpose This study explores how career control influences work enjoyment among Indian corporate employees, with self-motivation acting as a mediating factor. Grounded in self-determination theory and the job demands-resources model, the research addresses a gap in understanding how perceived autonomy and internal motivation interact to affect workplace satisfaction in non-Western contexts. Design/methodology/approach A cross-sectional survey was conducted with 213 full-time corporate employees across various industries in India. Participants completed standardised scales measuring career control, self-motivation and work enjoyment. Data were analysed using SPSS, AMOS and Hayes’ PROCESS macro (Model 4) with bootstrapping to test measurement validity, structural relationships and mediation effects. Findings Career control was positively associated with both self-motivation and work enjoyment. Self-motivation significantly mediated the relationship between career control and work enjoyment. These findings support the applicability of self-determination theory and the job demands-resources model in the Indian business environment and underscore the central role of psychological autonomy in enhancing affective workplace outcomes. Originality/value This study extends SDT and JD-R by showing how self-motivation mediates the link between career control and work enjoyment in India’s collectivist, high power-distance context. It offers a culturally grounded model of autonomy and motivation, addressing gaps in cross-cultural organisational behaviour research.