Employee Motivation Is Critical to the Success of an Organization. Discuss How Managers Motivate Their Employees by Using the Herzberg's Motivation-Hygiene Theory. Illustrate Your Answer with Academic Literature Review and Examples.

Herzberg’s two factor theory of motivation at the workplace shows the difference between two factors of motivation. The two factors being satisfiers, which are the main causes for job satisfaction (motivation), from hygiene factors which are the main causes for job dissatisfaction (demotivation to stay in the job). Examples of motivating factors are achievement, recognition, responsibility and the work itself. Hygiene factors include: working conditions, salary, relationship with colleagues, supervision, etc. An organisation needs to influence satisfiers through performance management using range of tools such as: job descriptions, supervision, performance appraisals, continuous development/training, rewards and career development.

This is achieved by applying ‘hygiene factors’ and ‘motivators’ (Herzberg, 1978). Hygiene factors such as remuneration must be present if employees are to perform at all, but these factors alone do not generate high levels of commitment and enthusiasm; motivators such as career development may however turn satisfactory performers into good or excellent performers.

According to the Two-Factor theory (Herzberg’s motivation-hygiene theory), which is closely related to the Maslow’s theory of motivation, such factors as salary or safe and pleasant working conditions (hygiene factors)

Embracing Herzberg's motivation-hygiene theory, the company has embarked on offering its employees incentives that contribute to job satisfaction. The

Based the Hertzberg’s Hygiene and Motivating theory, the author of this article collects data showing that the incomplete motivators may be the reasons why the workers and employees are not satisfied at work and decide to leave and emigrate. Data also show that opinions concerning hygiene and motivating factors are very different amongst the employees with different age, educational level and work position. In general, Almonaitiene’s research matches Hertzberg’s dual factor theory. In order to retain employees, employers need to find out what are the hygiene and motivating factors for different employees. This research helps my essay in small business motivation issues and provide suggestions on motivating factors in small businesses.

Herzberg did a job satisfaction study of accountants and engineers, after that he developed this theory. He found that there are two groups of factors affect to an employee’s job satisfaction or job dissatisfaction. Herzberg's two-factor theory is probably the most widely known and accepted approach relating directly to job satisfaction. Herzberg addressed, the problem of job satisfaction in terms of those factors which cause satisfaction (motivators) and those which cause dissatisfaction (hygiene). This information then becomes the basis for evaluating an individual's job and making the changes necessary to increase worker motivation. Herzberg's two-factor theory of job-satisfaction is not new, as a matter of fact; it dates back to 1959 and is the outgrowth of a research study project on job attitudes conducted by Herzberg, Mausner and

Chapman, Alan (n.d.). Frederick Herzberg motivational theory, motivators and hygiene factors. Businessballs.com Retrieved 7/21/10 from http://www.businessballs.com/herzberg.htm

According to Herzberg, individuals are not satisfied with lower-order needs at work, for example, those associated with minimum salary levels or safe and pleasant working conditions. Theses individuals look for the gratification of higher-level psychological needs such as achievement, recognition, responsibility, advancement, and the nature of the work itself. Motivation-hygiene theory, based on the presence of one set of job characteristics or incentives lead to worker satisfaction at work, while another and separate set of job characteristics lead to dissatisfaction at work. Moreover he found that job characteristics related to what an individual does is the nature of the work he performs, having the capacity to gratify such needs such as achievement, competency, status, personal worth, and self-realization, leading to satisfaction. However, the absence of such gratifying job characteristics does not lead to dissatisfaction. Instead, dissatisfaction results from unfavorable assessments of such job-related factors as company

Herzberg’s Motivation-Hygiene Theory- a theory that explores factors associated with satisfaction or dissatisfaction in the workplace (Bell et al., 2014).

Herzberg, a pioneer in motivation theory, determined that there are two factors that motivate employees: high-order needs and low-order needs. Those high-order needs are met by intrinsic motivation, such as fulfilling our personal needs and growth: achievements, recognition, promotions, work itself, and responsibility. He refers to low-order needs as hygienic factors; those needs cannot motivate employees but can minimize dissatisfaction in the work-place. Hygienic factors include, pay, company guidelines, quality of supervision, working conditions, relationships with co-workers, and job security (Damij, 2015, p.2).

The subject of motivation has been an important component in both theoretical and applied literature. There are many reasons why the motivational theories have generated so much discussion. In an organization motivation has been considered an important factor because employee motivation is considered essential for an organization 's status within the business environment and the community. The two motivation theories selected for this paper is Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs and Herzberg hygiene factors.

Herzberg’s model (1956) is the most used in business. It splits hygiene factors from motivation factors. Hygiene factors are related to salary, working conditions, policies and administration are not managed well lead to dissatisfaction in the employees when they are not satisfied. (Saiyadain, 2009)

According to Herzberg, the factors leading to job satisfaction are distinctly different from those that lead to job-dissatisfaction. Therefore, the managers who seek to eliminate factors that create job-dissatisfaction can bring about peace at the workplace but cannot motivate the employees. These factors are termed as hygiene factors comprising administration, supervision, working conditions, salary and wages etc. While absence of hygiene factors will lead to dissatisfaction, mere presence of these factors will not satisfy (i.e. motivate) the employees. In order to motivate the employees, managers must resort to ‘motivators’ (those factors that motivate the employees towards better performance) such as recognition, challenging assignment, responsibility, opportunities for growth and self-fulfillment etc.

Herzberg’s two-factor theory Psychologist Frederick Herzberg developed a ‘two-factor’ theory for motivation based on ‘motivators’ and ‘hygience factors’. Hygience factors are basic human needs at work. It do not motivate but failure to meet them causes dissatisfaction. The hygience factors

The study, as reported in the journal, was using Herzberg’s Hygiene Factors and Motivators to examine (a) what motivates employees in the retail industry and (b) their levels of jobs satisfaction. Tan & Waheed (2011) stated that the survey was done by way of convenient sampling to select sales personnel from women’s clothing stores at Bandar Sunway shopping mall located at Selangor, Malaysia. One hundred and eighty selected sales personnel of heterogeneity were surveyed by a questionnaire written in English. The questionnaire included a series of statements and questions pertaining to determinants of job satisfaction. The survey candidates were requested to indicate their degree of agreement to each. According to the researchers, linear regression analysis was performed to test the relationship between Herzberg’s Two-Factor Theory and job satisfaction and further analysis was done evaluating the relationship between money and job satisfaction.