What keeps your employees motivated? Is it the pay scale, job security or job satisfaction? Developing a workforce where employees get an appropriate source of motivation and a growing work environment often brings out their best performance. Show A study conducted by the Association of American Psychology revealed that 89% of the total workforce at an organization would send good recommendations if there are engagement and wellness initiatives involved. Additionally, engaged employees will deliver more productive work and result in 21 percent higher profitability. This is because empowered teams have lower desertion, and greater zeal to perform. There are few popular theories that talk about the importance of employee motivation and its impact on overall productivity. Frederick Herzberg’s theory is one of the most frequently quoted theories by HR professionals. This article aims to explain Herzberg’s Two Factor theory in detail along with its implementation strategy. What Is Herzberg’s Two Factor Theory?Herzberg is an American psychologist, who turned into one of the most influential people in the world of management studies. He developed the Two-factor theory of motivation. Frederick Herzberg’s two-factor theory says that a workplace consists of both negative and positive factors. Some factors lead to job satisfaction of employees and others lead to their dissatisfaction. He went to different organisations, ran multiple surveys and experiments, and finally drew the theory. Herzberg Theory focused on three major factors i.e., employee’s attitude, motivation and overall job satisfaction. The Two Factor Theory Is Based on Which Factors?According to Herzberg’s Two Factor Theory of Motivation, the contrast of ‘Satisfaction’ is ‘No Satisfaction’ and the opposite of ‘Dissatisfaction’ is ‘No Dissatisfaction’. Herzberg 2 Factor Theory is further divided into two crucial factors: Hygienic and Motivational Factors. What are Herzberg Hygiene Factors in the Workplace?Those factors are essential to keep the employees motivated. However, they do not lead to long term satisfaction but the absence of these will lead to dissatisfaction at the workplace. The hygiene factors are also known as maintenance factors. Herzberg’s Hygiene Factors (Factors of Satisfaction) represent the physiological needs that the employees want and look forward to being fulfilled. The negligence of which becomes a deal-breaker. Some of the popular Herzberg’s hygiene factors examples are:
What are Motivational Factors in the Workplace?Unlike hygiene factors, Herzberg’s motivation theory highlights the ways to yield positive satisfaction in employees. Herzberg motivation factors are inherent to work and encourage employees to give a supreme performance. Therefore, these factors are also called satisfiers. Herzberg’s two-factor theory of motivation are associated with the psychological needs of employees and they find these extremely rewarding. These factors include:
Examples of Herzberg’s Two Factor Theory of MotivationHerzberg’s 2 factor theory has been widely applied within organisations in studies to ensure staff satisfaction. One of the greatest examples is Ruthankoon and Ogunlana (2003), who tested Herzberg’s theory and extrapolated that different Herzberg motivation factors are functional in different disciplines in the Thai construction industry. Tesco relies a lot on the elements of Frederick Herzberg two factor theory to ensure hygienic as well as motivational satisfaction for its employees. The company paid attention to factors causing dissatisfaction and satisfaction. How to Apply Herzberg Theory of Motivation in the Workplace?There are five ways to initiate the implication of Herzberg’s two factor theory of motivation at your workplace.
Conclusion There are multiple theories of motivation that managers can attempt to implement at the workplace. However, Herzberg’s two-factor theory has been implemented by most successful organisations today. Improving both hygiene factors and motivation factors helps organizations groom a productive and motivated workforce. If the senior level management implements the theory correctly, it can boost employee concentration, improve productivity, and reduce attrition. Herzberg Two Factor Theory addresses how employee motivation is impacted by different elements of satisfaction and dissatisfaction. By investing time to understand your employees, and implementing a few policy changes, you can greatly improve employee motivation. FAQs
Two factors in Herzberg's two-factor theory are Hygienic factors and Motivational factors. Having a work environment with high hygiene to keep your employees away from matters of dissatisfaction is crucial. On the other hand, factors that give the employees motivation to work with a great sense of purpose and significance are Motivational factors like Promotion, Rewards and Recognition, Responsibility etc. Just like the name suggests, Herzberg's theory of motivation talks about the factors that result in higher employee satisfaction. As per the theory, there are a few psychological needs that employees find extremely rewarding. Such as meaningfulness at work, having a futuristic approach, promotion, and recognition at work, etc. Herzberg's motivation factors are related to inherent work factors that keep the employee motivated. According to Herzberg's Theory, promotion, reward and recognition, relevancy of work, and accountability are primary motivators. Herzberg's 2-factor theory helps managers understand the workplace's major factors as satisfiers and dissatisfiers. Identifying and improving the hygiene and motivation factors allows businesses to retain top talent and increase productivity. The absence of maintenance (hygiene) factors dissatisfies the employee; however, their presence doesn't satisfy the employee. Example: Salary, health benefits, relationship with the employer. While motivational factors like promotions, rewards, etc., satisfy the employees, their absence doesn't dissatisfy the employee. American psychologist Frederick Herzberg proposed the two-factor theory of motivation. This theory mentions the two major factors: Hygiene and Motivation, that affect the long-term job satisfaction of employees. |