Research background and purpose:
The aim of the research was to map and categorise scientific knowledge on motivational tools used in project teams in the post-pandemic period (from 2021 onwards). By structuring the fragmented literature, the author's goal was to organise the dispersed research on post-pandemic project team motivation. Additionally, it identified the industry sectors most represented in the research area. The author uncovered gaps to guide future empirical investigations.

Design/methodology/approach:
A systematic scoping review of the literature was conducted, following the Joanna Briggs Institute guidelines and the PRISMA-ScR standards. Through a search of Web of Science and Scopus, 58 peer-reviewed publications from 2021 to 2025 on motivation, project teams, and tools were identified. Using a narrative synthesis, data were organised into a three-dimensional matrix assessing impact level, motivation type, and mode of implementation.

Findings:
Through the analysis of 58 selected publications, the author maps key patterns and trends in post-pandemic motivational tools. This trend from traditional controls to a focus on psychological safety, employee agency, and autonomy is facilitated by modern digital tools such as virtual reality and e-learning. The author identified five gaps: team-level research dominance, insufficiency of hybrid models combining intrinsic and extrinsic motivators, industry sector asymmetries, digitalisation barriers for physical workers, and tension arising from human-AI collaboration.

Value added and limitations:
This study focuses solely on peer-reviewed publications in English from Scopus and Web of Science between 2021 and 2025. The results indicate that digital tools may act as active psychological catalysts instead of just operational interfaces. It also emphasises the need for future studies to assess the long-term motivational tools. The three-dimensional matrix provides a structured conceptual framework. It assists as a descriptive typology to help project management professionals map and understand complex motivational strategies within hybrid and remote work settings. The model offers, for organisational authorities, a conceptual guide to analyse motivational tools alongside team dynamics and technology interfaces. It also offers researchers a foundation for future empirical studies.