--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The first major issue you need to…" description: "\"The first major issue you need to consider when focusing on today's workers: You have to know what motivates them. If you think it's primarily money, t..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7c5/linda-rottenberg-30485_age_the-first-major-issue-you-need-to-consid_31928.png" --- # The first major issue you need to consider when focusing… ![“The first major issue you need to consider when focusing on today's workers: You have to know what motivates them. If you think it's primarily money, think again. The biggest single change in the workforce of the entrepreneurial age is the list of priorities workers bring to the job. Except…” quote by Linda Rottenberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7c5/linda-rottenberg-30485_age_the-first-major-issue-you-need-to-consid_31928.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7c5/linda-rottenberg-30485_age_the-first-major-issue-you-need-to-consid_31928.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7c5/linda-rottenberg-30485_age_the-first-major-issue-you-need-to-consid_31928.png) > “The first major issue you need to consider when focusing on today's workers: You have to know what motivates them. If you think it's primarily money, think again. The biggest single change in the workforce of the entrepreneurial age is the list of priorities workers bring to the job. Except paycheck there are new considerations: impact, freedom, quality of life. Employees today have higher expectations; they are looking for what I call "psychic equity". Make your workplace more entrepreneurial and flexible or find your workers fleeing to launch enterprises of their own.” [Linda Rottenberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/linda-rottenberg/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Workers today prioritize purpose, autonomy, and work‑life balance over salary, seeking what the author calls "psychic equity"—the intangible value of meaningful, flexible work. **In simple terms:** Beyond pay, people want impact, freedom, and quality of life. Key Takeaway Motivation now hinges on purpose and flexibility. Themes Motivation Workplace culture Entrepreneurial mindset Employee autonomy Purpose-driven work Mood Inspirational Analytical Type Observational Advice When to use this quote - Designing employee retention strategies - Creating flexible work policies - Developing purpose‑aligned roles - Competing with startup culture - Assessing employee satisfaction Key Concepts Psychic equity Entrepreneurial work environment Employee expectations Practical Applications - Redesigning compensation packages to include purpose metrics - Implementing flexible, entrepreneurial work structures Questions to Reflect On - How can organizations measure "psychic equity"? - What trade‑offs arise when prioritizing autonomy over compensation? ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Age](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/age/) [Consideration](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/consideration/) [Employee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/employee/) [Enterprise](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/enterprise/) [Entrepreneurial](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/entrepreneurial/) [Equity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/equity/) [Expectations](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/expectations/) [Higher Expectations](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/higher-expectations/) [Money](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/money/) [Priorities](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/priorities/) [Quality](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/quality/) [Quality of life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/quality-of-life/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) [Today](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/today/) [Workplace](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/workplace/) ## Related quotes > [“Numbers of men are getting richer and greater numbers are getting poorer. 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I cannot control other's expectations.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kasper-schmeichel/there-is-no-one-with-higher-expectations-of-me-than-myself-i-cannot/) [Kasper Schmeichel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kasper-schmeichel/) > [I believe we must go further in redefining what United's corporate citizenship looks like in our society... and we intend to live up to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-munoz/i-believe-we-must-go-further-in-redefining-what-united-s-corporate/) [Oscar Munoz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-munoz/) ## More by Linda Rottenberg > [Stalking is an underrated startup strategy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/linda-rottenberg/stalking-is-an-underrated-startup-strategy/) [Linda Rottenberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/linda-rottenberg/) > [When Edison first started out with his "crazy" idea for the light bulb, skeptics were unmoved. 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