Frederick Herzberg is renowned for the development of his Motivator-Hygiene theory. His theory stands on the ground that employees need to get satisfied with their job and avoid job dissatisfaction. For this purpose Herzberg recommends focusing on hygiene factors to avoid job dissatisfaction and focus on motivation factors to stimulate job satisfaction. In such a way, employees achieve job satisfaction and positive performance.
2010
Introduction
Traditionally, the effectiveness of employees’ performance was one of the primary concerns of managers and theorists who researched issues related to management and who developed management theories. Views on the effectiveness of employees’ performance and its improvement vary consistently. The variety of theories has been developed to stimulate the improvement of effectiveness and productivity of employees through the implementation of new methods offered by different theorists. In this respect, job satisfaction has proved to be one of the key factors that determine the effectiveness of employees’ performance. At the same time, many researchers failed to understand the full scope of factors influencing job satisfaction. In such a context, researches and the Motivator-Hygiene theory developed by Frederick Herzberg are particularly noteworthy. In fact, F. Herzberg develops the idea that there are two groups of factors influencing the job satisfaction and, therefore, effectiveness of work of employees: on the one hand, there are motivator factors, which motivate employees and lead to their job satisfaction, whereas, on the other hand, there are hygiene factors that prevent job dissatisfaction but both groups of factors are essential to maintain positive performance of employees because,...
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... job satisfaction. Key hygiene factors are supervision, work conditions, salary, security, and others. Key motivator factors are job itself, advancement, achievement, recognition and responsibility. All the factors are important and both hygiene and motivator factors should be present to keep employees satisfied with their job.
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The early days of Uris Hall’s dormitory kitchen were characterized by excellent food and a content, tight-knit staff. The employees’ feelings of satisfaction and utmost commitment to their jobs are best explained using Herzberg’s Motivator-Hygiene Model. This motivation theory relies on the assumption that satisfaction and dissatisfaction in the workplace are independent of each other, and a different set of factors is responsible for causing each emotion. One motivating factor is the employees’ sense of achievement in their work. The case stresses that the eleven women who worked in the kitchen felt a consistent sense of pride in their labor; they went to great lengths to ensure superior quality
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A category for job satisfaction is the motivators/satisfiers. Factors such as recognition, responsibility meaningful and interesting work, opportunities for advancement, and personal growth are desirable traits that employees look for. Whereas, hygiene factors are the causes for job dissatisfaction. They are based off of working conditions, relationships between co-workers, policies, supervisor behaviour, job security, wages and benefits.
Nitin N., Boris G. and Linda-Eling L. (2008, July 01). Employee Motivation: A Powerful New Model. Harvard Business Review.
As with any theory, the motivator-hygiene theory has its share of criticisms. Among them is the lack of consideration for individual differences. Herzberg’s theory only takes into account internal organizational factors and does not consider personal attitudes and beliefs of one’s work. Moreover, the two-factor theory assumes that high job satisfaction equates to performance at work. This, however, does not hold true in many situations.(insert example) A highly satisfied, content, and happy worker is not necessarily the hardest worker in an organization.
Gosling, J. and H. Mintzberg (2003). "The Five Minds of a Manager." Harvard Business Review (November 2003): 1-10.
It is well established reality that organisations in the world today can no longer survive without focusing on their employees. If they have to be at the competitive edge they have to invest in human resource, and placing their employees on top priority. This notion has lead to the strategies that, most organisations are pursuing through employee management. To achieve the optimum performance from employees organisations must motivate their employees, and have to engage them in activities that will benefit and help employees in achieving their predetermined goals and objectives. In order to achieve this, it is imperative for managers to set in motion work conditions that will help employees to achieve satisfaction of their job, low turnover and absenteeism rate and promoting the environment that promotes the organizational commitments and organizational citizenship behavior. Job satisfaction has been identified as a major requirement for organisations which aim to achieve excellence in their operations. Armstrong (2003) refers to job satisfaction as the attributes and feelings people have about their work. By extension, job satisfaction will mean positive or favourable attitudes towards one’s job whilst a negative or unfavourable attitude indicates job dissatisfaction.
Of the numerous speculations of work motivation, Herzberg's (1998) motivator hygiene theory has been a standout amongst the most persuasive in late decades. Essentially, the hypothesis isolates propelling variables into two classifications: Motivator factors, which have a remark with the work itself, and Hygiene factors, which have a remark with the encompassing
Kovach KA (1987). What motivates employees? Workers and supervisors give different answers. Business Horizons, 30. 58-65. Print. 8 Feb. 2014.
Based off of the gratification an individual contains towards their work, job satisfaction is a key. The productivity could either be positive or negative, while the relationship between the productivity and satisfaction may not be consistent. There are multiple internal and external factors in job satisfaction that can impact the behavior of an employee and engagement over time. The way the worker’s attitude concerning their field affects the performance they perform on a daily basis. One who is satisfied with the job they do, succeeds at what they do.
Motivation is an important function in organizations to motivate their employees for their ability to perform well, improving their skills, increasing productivity, job satisfaction and employee extension. Employees also are not a machines that we could just program their task in their brain and they will do it automatically, they require motivation to actually do their job properly. And so, after discussing the process models of the Maslow’s “Hierarchy of needs”, Douglas McGregor theory X and Y, and also the Herzberg’s “two factor motivation hygiene theory.” understanding the ways of motivating people, the human nature, and the substance of nature. I believe that the true motivation can only come from within and also managers can actually motivate all of their employees.
OLLIER-MALATERRE, ARIANE; ROTHBARD, NANCY P.; BERG, JUSTIN M. Academy of Management Review (Oct2013), Vol. 38 Issue 4