The main source of competitive advantage in modern business is the proper selection and motivation of employees, that is, human resource management. As human resource management has been researched and developed, a number of theories of motivation have been developed that explain and encourage staff motivation, as seen from different expert perspectives. There are content theories of motivation and process theories of motivation. Content theories of motivation are focused on the individual needs of employees and completely ignore the characteristics of work as a source of motivation. While process theories of motivation not only involve human needs but also take into account factors such as expectations or perceptions of the individual. Namely, motivation is key to encouraging creativity and innovation of employees and for their professional development and retention in the organization. Employee motivation has become one of the most important tasks of managers in the company because it ensures success and competitive advantage on the market, and thus staff is the driving force of the organization. However, motivation is a very complex process because it differs from individual to individual and is influenced by a number of factors. Therefore, the manager must know the employees well and distinguish theories of motivation in order to be able to successfully apply them in each situation and ensure both employee satisfaction and successful performance of work tasks. By building a quality motivational system, the goals and success of the organization are achieved, which were achieved by satisfied and motivated staff.