Motivation is on the rise among New Zealand employees.

But it's coming at a cost to both staff and their organisations.

Latest research from The Resilience Institute shows workers are more motivated than they were four years ago.

But institute founder Dr Sven Hansen says people are becoming less resilient to the pressures of their work - risking employee burnout.

"People are challenged more than ever today, so the engagement in work is coming at a severe personal cost."

Dr Sven Hansen says this also harms an organisation's productivity.