Retention of the key employees through the formation of mechanisms of motivation and stimulation is one of the main tasks of management of any enterprise. The consequence of this fact is the setting of another important task for the management staff: the identification of the leading motives of the personnel of economic entities to carry out labor activities. It is highly important for oil and gas companies, since the extraction of minerals is a key sector of the development of the Russian economy. Their production performance depends on the level of employee motivation. The presented article will analyze the system of motivation and stimulation of labor on the example of the gas field "N", and also reveal the main motives for the implementation of labor activities of employees using the following methods: Test «Labor Motivation» Rean A.A.; Survey «Employee Attitudes Toward a Crisis Situation» Lusher M. Color Test.