Are the motivational preferences of employees working in small enterprises in Slovakia changing in time

Small and medium-sized enterprises constitute a significant part of Slovakia's economy with the greatest potential for growth and the impact on economic stabilization and balanced development of the regions. The employee motivation has a major impact on the performance of employees working in these businesses. Research focused on the exploration of employee motivational preferences was conducted in all regions of Slovakia in 2017 and 2018. The sociological survey method was used through anonymous questionnaires. Overall, 2,646 respondents participated in the research. Based on the research results, it can be stated, that motivational preferences of employees working in small enterprises in Slovakia are changing over time. These are primarily motivational factors relating to the social needs and financial motivational factors.