The energising experience of psychological need fulfilment: a person-centred approach

Purpose Energy is important at work. The self-determination theory posits that to increase employee energy, individuals must have three fundamental psychological needs fulfilled: autonomy, competence and relatedness. We take a person-centred approach to the experience of need fulfilment for energy at work. Design/methodology/approach Across two studies, we investigate psychological needs profiles and their relationship to energy during times in which employees exerted extra effort at work. We utilise latent profile analysis. Findings We discover five profiles of need fulfilment and tested their relationship to energy during the event: high-level, low-level, competence-driven, upper-middle and lower-middle. Participants whose needs were highly fulfilled (high-level need fulfilment class) reported the highest mean energy levels. Originality/value Previous research has often taken a variable-centred approach, conflated need fulfilment and need thwarting and/or only considered need fulfilment profiles related to negative outcomes. Our study extends this research by investigating need fulfilment profiles related to energy at work.