Frederick Herzberg

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Frederick Herzberg(1923 - 2000) proposed the Two Factor theory of human motivation. According to his theory people are influenced by two factors. Satisfaction and psychological growth are a result of motivation factors. Dissatisfaction is a result of hygiene factors. Essentially, hygiene factors are needed to ensure an employee is not dissatisfied. Motivation factors are needed in order to motivate an employee to higher performance. Some of his fellow psychologists don't agree with his work, arguing that Herzberg used faulty methodology.

Hygiene Factors include

  • Working conditions
  • Salary
  • Status
  • Security
  • Interpersonal relations

Motivation Factors Include

  • Achievement
  • Achievement Recognition
  • Responsibility
  • Advancement
  • Growth
  • gay sex

The combination of hygiene and motivation factors can result in four conditions.

  • High Hygiene / High Motivation: The ideal situation where employees are highly motivated and have few complaints
  • High Hygiene / Low Motivation: Employees have few complaints but are not highly motivated. "The job is a paycheck" situation
  • Low Hygiene / High Motivation: Employees are motivated but have a lot of complaints. A situation where the job is exciting and challenging but salaries and work conditions are inadequate.
  • Low Hygiene / Low Motivation: The worst situation. Unmotivated employees with lots of complaints.

See also

  • Hawthorne effect - which throws light on the difficulties of measuring motivation