Big Concepts in Workplace
Hierarchy of Needs (Maslow)
Maslow is one of the most prominent psychologists of the 20th century. His hierarchy of needs is an image well-known to most business students and managers. The theory is constructed on a simple principle: The needs of human beings are being hierarchically ranked. Maslow, A. H. (1943); Some of the needs are basic to all human beings, and in their absence nothing else matters. When these basic needs are satisfied, we turn looking to satisfy higher needs. In other words, once a lower level need is satisfied, it no longer helps as a motivator. We get more comfortable managing with those needs and look beyond to satisfy higher needs.
The most basic of Maslow’s needs are physiological needs. When it comes to an employment, those needs refer to having a place to work, regular pay, a comfortable work environment, and other facilities such as cafeteria. When these needs are lacking, the search for them may overpower all other needs. Imagine an employee is not getting paid on time and not being paid as per the industry norms, not having a proper place, equipment, and facilities to perform the tasks. At that point, an employee is highly de-motivated, and their ultimate behavior may be directed at finding another job. Once those physiological needs are satisfied, employees tend to become concerned about safety needs such as having formal employment contracts, sick pay, pension schemes. No more future uncertainty concerns, and they free from the threat of danger. On the next level up, social needs refer to the need to bond with others (team members), be liked & loved, and form lasting understanding and connections with others (Baumeister, R. F., & Leary, M. R. 1995). The satisfaction of social needs makes esteem needs such as respect for others and praise (a job well done), job title (seniority and ladder up), status become extra prominent. Finally, at the highest level of the hierarchy, the need for self-actualization manifests itself by the desire to be respected by one’s peers (growth & advancement) the desire to acquire new skills, take on new challenges (being creative and innovative), and behave in a way that will lead to achieving of ultimate personal and organizational objectives.
Two-Factor Theory (Herzberg)
The approach to question motivation by Frederick Herzberg different to Maslow’s. Herzberg concluded that characteristics of the work environment that satisfy employees are very different from characteristics that dissatisfy them. (Herzberg, F., Mausner, B., & Snyderman, B. 1959). Herzberg labeled factors causing dissatisfaction of workers as “hygiene factors” because these were part of the environment in which a job is performing, as contrasting to the job itself. These factors included company policies, supervision, working conditions, salary, safety, and security on the job. Imagine an employee working in an unpleasant work environment. The office is too hot in the summer and too cold in the winter, no proper ventilation systems are in place, the employer is not supportive, and the management doesn’t trust their employees, not looking to build healthy relationship. That would certainly be a miserable work environment for any employee. However, employees would be most likely motivated if these problems were solved (the office temperature is just right, employer trust your work, pays on time) In fact, many factors in our work environment are things that we miss when they are absent but take for granted if they are present.
In contrast, motivators are factors that are intrinsic to the job, such as achievement, recognition, interesting work, increased responsibilities, advancement, and growth opportunities. According to Herzberg’s research, motivators are the conditions that truly encourage employees to try harder. (Herzberg, F., Mausner, B., & Snyderman, B. 1959)
The classification of the factors as hygiene or motivator looks simple yet it is not. For example, the theory facts pay as a hygiene factor. Pay may have symbolic value by showing employees that they are being recognized for their contributions as well as communicating that they are advancing within the company. Similarly, the quality of supervision or the types of relationships employees form with their supervisors may determine whether they are assigned interesting work, whether they are recognized for their potential, and whether they take on more responsibilities. One criticism relates to the primary research methodology employed when arriving at hygiene versus motivators. When people are asked why they are satisfied, they may attribute the causes of satisfaction to themselves, whereas when explaining what dissatisfies them, they may blame the situation (Cummings, L. L., & Elsalmi, A. M. 1968).
The theory can be a valuable assistance to managers despite its limitations because it certainly points out that improving the hygiene factors in which the job is performed goes only up to a certain extent in motivating employees. Undoubtedly, motivational factors matter because absence those factors causes significant dissatisfaction. In modern day evolving environments, focusing solely on hygiene factors will never going to be enough, and leadership should also enhance jobs by providing employees with opportunities for challenging work, much greater responsibilities, and advancement opportunities.
ERG Theory (Alderfer)
Clayton Alderfer’s ERG (Existence, Relatedness & Growth) is a modified version of Maslow’s hierarchy of needs theory. Instead of the five hierarchical needs, Alderfer suggested that it can be classified just under three main categories (Alderfer, C. P. 1969), such as;
Existence which relates to Maslow’s first two pillars, physiological & safety needs
Relatedness relates to social needs
Growth relates to esteem and self-actualization needs
Alderfer’s theory is relaxed compared with Maslow’s assumptions, as ERG theory does not necessarily rank it’s needs in any precise order, and it openly recognizes that one or more than one need may operate at a given time (Alderfer, C. P. 1969). The theory suggests that individuals are frustrated satisfying one need may regress and seek to fulfill another need “frustration-regression”. For instance, an employee can grow despite having unsatisfied relatedness needs, i.e.- if an impressive employee is not offered with advancement opportunities, they become more frustrated & demotivated; and they may look to socialize more with other members of the team. The implication of this theory that to boost motivation, employers should look to promote all elements of EGR theory concurrently.
Alderfer, C. P. (1969). An empirical test of a new theory of human needs. Organizational Behavior and Human Performance, 4, 142–175.
Baumeister, R. F., & Leary, M. R. (1995). The need to belong: Desire for interpersonal attachments as a fundamental human motivation. Psychological Bulletin, 117, 497–529.
Cummings, L. L., & Elsalmi, A. M. (1968). Empirical research on the bases and correlates of managerial motivation. Psychological Bulletin, 70, 127–144; House, R. J., & Wigdor, L. A. (1967).
Herzberg, F., Mausner, B., & Snyderman, B. (1959). The motivation to work. New York: John Wiley; Herzberg, F. (1965). The motivation to work among Finnish supervisors. Personnel Psychology, 18, 393–402.
Maslow, A. H. (1943). A theory of human motivation. Psychological Review. 50(4), 370-396.
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