This article analyzes data of labor motivation studies in Russian society currently undergoing a transformation with particular emphasis on the methods of studying this motivation. It demonstrated that the most frequently utilized methods (in the Soviet times, as well as in post-Soviet period) do not provide adequate information that can be applied directly to the practices of managing work process of the employees. With the help of these methodologies, we are able to identify the value systems of everyday consciousness, but not the motivational importance of labor factors. Based on the materials of a study, conducted at two private industrial enterprises from 2013 on, by using direct questions, we found out that labor motives there are: good salary, work safety, convenient work hours, relations with co-workers, adequate sanitary-hygienic conditions, job security, relations with management and interesting work. Author proposes a new methodology, in which definition of the relevance and significance of the elements of production situation is based on the analysis of correlation between indicators that reflect a balance between work values (aspirations) and ability to implement them in the labor activities (character of the current work), on the one hand, and nature of the identification of the workers with the company, on the other. As a result of its application for the workers at two private industrial enterprises from 2013 – the labor content and utilization of their abilities under current production situation appeared to be the most significant. Public recognition of their work efforts, relations with management and job security also turned out to be a significant element of production situation. Proposed methodology can be utilized to identify controllable factors of labor activities of workers at specific industrial enterprises.