Basic psychological needs

According to Self-determination theory (SDT), there are three universal psychological needs: autonomy; competence; and relatedness, and SDT suggests that the satisfaction of these three basic psychological needs is essential for individuals to thrive at work.

SDT focuses on the degree to which individuals experience need satisfaction in different contexts, as such, it is recommended that:


(1) You understand your need for autonomy, relatedness and competence at work;
(2) Whether these needs are likely to be satisfied in a flexible work arrangement, and;
(3) Any strategies to increase your needs satisfaction in a flexible work arrangement.