Meet John Curtin Distinguished Professor Marylene Gagne – Professor at Curtin University’s Future of Work Institute (FOWI) who asks the question many of us wonder about: what motivates us to work? When she’s not at work, you’ll find her volunteering at the RSPCA, socialising rescued cats to give them the best chance at finding a fur-ever home.
Describe your research in 3 words
Work. Motivation. Well-being.
Tell me briefly about your field of research
My research examines how organisations, through their structures, cultures, rewards, tasks, and management, affect people’s motivational orientations towards their work, including volunteer work, and how quality of motivation influences performance and well-being in the workplace.
Research highlight
My work with volunteer-involving organisations is dear to my heart. It one of the best ways to understand how to best motivate workers when money is not an option, and volunteer work has profound impact on our world.
What are your passions/hobbies outside of work?
I volunteer at the RSPCA as part of the “cat corps” where I work to help struggling cats become more adoptable by socialising and calming them. I absolutely love doing this on weekends.
What’s a fun fact about you that your colleagues would probably not know?
I would like to become a crazy cat lady!
What’s the most valuable things you’ve learnt in your career so far?
That learning never stops. Ways of doing research have changed so much since I started that I constantly need to update my skills and remain open to learning. While this can feel daunting, I embrace it the best I can. The same applies to my research: I make it most relevant through deep exchange with practitioners and organisational leaders.
What’s a piece of advice you would give to your fellow colleagues and students alike?
Giving is receiving. I feel most rewarded in my work through collaboration with my fellow academics and my students.
Interested to learn more about her research?
Join us at Money Bites: Am I in it for the money? on Thursday 16 October 2025 as Marylene discusses the research behind compensation systems and serves up pros and cons of pay-for-performance, revealing how these schemes impact employee motivation, performance and well-being.
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