Organizational Behavior (Stephen Robbins)

Herzberg’s theory has received some criticism.^20 However, it has been widely read

and few managers are unfamiliar with his recommendations. Over the past 40 years

the popularity of jobs that allow employees greater responsibility in planning and con-

trolling their work can probably be attributed largely to Herzberg’s findings and rec-

ommendations.

Summarizing Needs Theories

All needs theories of motivation, including Maslow’s hierarchy of needs, Alderfer’s ERG

theory, McClelland’s theory of needs, and Herzberg’s motivation-hygiene theory (or

the two-factor theory), propose a similar idea: Individuals have needs that, when unsat-

isfied, will result in motivation. For instance, if you have a need to be praised, you may

work harder at your task in order to receive recognition from your manager or other

co-workers. Similarly, if you need money and you are asked to do something, within rea-

son, that offers money as a reward, you will be motivated to complete the task in order

to earn the money. Where needs theories differ is in the types of needs they consider, and

whether they propose a hierarchy of needs (where some needs have to be satisfied

before others) or simply a list of needs. Exhibit 4-3 illustrates the relationship of the four

needs theories to each other. While the theories use different names for the needs, and

also have different numbers of needs, we can see that they are somewhat consistent in

the types of needs addressed. Exhibit 4-4 on page 113 indicates the contribution of and

empirical support for each theory.

Needs Theories in the Workplace

What can we conclude from the needs theories? We can safely say that individuals

have needs and that they can be highly motivated to achieve those needs. The types of

needs, and their importance, vary by individual, and probably vary over time for the

same individual as well. When rewarding individuals, one should consider their spe-

cific needs. Some employees may be struggling to make ends meet, while others are

looking for more opportunities to reach self-actualization. Individual needs also

change over time, depending on one’s stage in life. Obviously, in a workplace it would

be difficult to design a reward structure that could completely take into account the spe-

cific needs of each employee. At Burnaby, BC-based TELUS, employees earn points

through a variety of job-related activities. They then choose gifts from a catalogue

112 Part 2Striving for Performance

TELUS
http://www.telus.com

Hygiene

Factors

Need for Achievement

Need for Power

Need for Affiliation

Self-Actualization

Esteem

Social

Safety

Physiological

Motivators

Relatedness

Existence

Growth

Maslow Alderfer Herzberg McClelland

EXHIBIT 4-3 Relationship of Various Needs Theories