Instead of a focus on motivating employees, it seems like there should be a focus on not demotivating them. I don't think an employer can or should try to be a

Instead of a focus on motivating employees, it seems like there should be a focus on not demotivating them. I don't think an employer can or should try to be a therapist for employees by trying to help them find purpose. Throwing a bunch of HR tools at a team of developers is a sure-fire way of getting eye rolling and complaints about upper management wasting developers' time. Pay your developers well, don't treat them like children, give the technology leaders the respect to make technology decisions, and don't put them in a toxic environment. Be active in getting constant face-to-face feedback and actually listen and be willing to admit faults as an employer.