Notes on Herzberg’s two factor theory of motivation

Herzberg’s two factor theory of motivation

This is an environmental motivation theory which emphasises factors in the environment that contribute to the behaviour. His two factors are job satisfaction and job dissatisfaction. His conclusions are based on research conducted among 200 accountants and engineers.

Hygiene factors:

The hygiene factors do not motivate people. They simply maintain status quo. They produce no growth but they prevent loss. The absence of these factors leads to job satisfaction.

The elimination of dissatisfaction does not mean satisfaction and they simply maintain a “Zero level of motivation”. These factors are primarily extrinsic and environment oriented and relate to job context, rather than job content. Some of the hygiene factors are:

(i) Interpersonal relations with peers and supervisors and subordinates.

(ii) Company policies and administration rules.

(iii) Working conditions and job security.

(iv) Supervisor’s technical competence.

(v) Salary and certain types of employee benefits.

All these factors are designed to avoid damage to efficiency or morale and these do not stimulate positive growth.

The word “hygiene” is taken from the medical field, where it means-taking steps to maintain your health and not necessarily improve it. Similarly a hygiene factor in this theory of motivation prevents decay but does-not encourage growth.

Hawthrone experiments suggest that improvements in working conditions or increments in financial benefits do not contribute to motivate performance. A new plant or new facilities at a plant seldom motivates workers if the workers do not enjoy their work and is no substitute for employee feelings or recognition and achievement.

Motivational factors:

These factors are related to the nature of work itself (job content), and are intrinsic to the job itself. These factors have a positive influence on morale, satisfaction, efficiency and higher productivity. Some of these factors are:

(a) The jobs itself:

To be motivated, the people must like and enjoy their jobs. They are highly committed to goal achievement and do not mind working after hours to do what is to be done. Their moral is high as evidenced by lack of absenteeism and tardiness.

(b) Recognition:

Recognition of an employee’s contribution is highly morale boosting. It gives the workers a feeling of work and self esteem. It is human nature to be happy when appreciated. This is the fourth level need in Maslow’s model of hierarchical needs and boosts the ego and esteems the factors.

(c) Achievement:

A goal achievement gives a great feeling of accomplishment. The goal must be challenging requiring initiative and creativity. The opportunities must exist for a meaningful achievement otherwise workers become sensitized to their environment- and begin to find faults with it.

(d) Responsibility:

It is an obligation to carry out the assigned duties satisfactorily. The higher the level of these duties, the more responsible you feel and more motivated you are. It is good feeling to know that you are considered a person of integrity and intelligence to be given a higher responsibility. It is a motivational factor that helps growth.

(e) Growth and Advancement:

These factors are an inter-related and are positively related to motivation. Job promotions, higher responsibility, participation in central decision making, executive benefits are all signs of growth and advancement an add to dedication and commitment of employees.

Herzberg’s two factor model is tied in with Maslow’s basic model in that the hygiene faclms satisfy the first three levels of Maslow models of physiological needs, security and safety needs and social needs, and the motivational factors satisfy the last two higher level needs of esteem and self-actualization needs in the Maslow model.

This theory has contributed to one management programme that has lent itself to the enhancement of motivators. This programme is that of “job enrichment” which means restructuring of jobs to include satisfier factors into the job content. Some of the principles of job enrichment are advanced by Herzberg himself.

i) Give the employee the freedom of operation and responsibility. An opportunity to schedule one’s own work enhances a sense of achievement and motivation. Expand his authority while retaining some controls and accountability for actions and results.

ii) To increase responsibility, give the person a whole unit to operate. This unit may be one group, section or division and grant additional authority to achieve the group goal. This will help the growth an advancement factors.

iii) Introduce new and more difficult tasks at each step giving the workers an opportunity to learn and specialize.

iv) The employee must be given frequent feedback on his performance and on his handling of his own duties and responsibilities. This feedback will reinforce the learning process and reduce or eliminate any existing deviations and will appraise the employee about his progress.