Welcome to the Inc. Productivity Tip of the Day! Today’s tip: Extrinsic vs. Intrinsic Rewards: What's a Better Motivator? From: MARIA HAGGERTY Since the recent economic downturn, there have been more nuanced discussions surrounding what kinds of benefits, rewards and incentives really attract and satisfy employees. At the heart of motivation are two overarching categories: extrinsic and intrinsic.