Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs actually motivates the employee

In modern organizations, the human is an active labor force which can be affected by many factors, profound to all kinds of attitudes and behaviors. Therefore, it is absolutely necessary for the labor force to be externally motivated. External motivation is the motivation that represents the driving force in organizations (Anderson and Schalk,1998). The importance of which has been understood more with the human factor, motivation is a concept that has been known since ancient times but has begun to be studied in the period after the classical management approach (Yang, 2006). Motivation has tremendous value as a result of the advantages it provides. Therefore, it is extremely important for managers, teachers, religious leaders, coaches, health care suppliers and parents in putting individuals to action (ICASL, 2015). Individuals can be motivated either as a result of the value activity or as a result of strong external factors. The researchers who have come back to realize its importance following the periods when individuals were seen as machines have also scientifically studied motivation and developed numerous theories (Anderson and Schalk,1998). The first theory of motivation was put forward by Maslow in 1943, and with this theory, a hierarchy of needs that influenced motivation was established. Maslow argues that humans are motivated not by external motives such as reward and punishment but by the internal needs program (Adair, 2013). Motivation is a general concept involving desires, wishes, needs, drives, and interests.  Physiological motivations, such as hunger, thirst, sexuality, are called drives. High drives like human-specific desire to achieve are called needs (Yang, 2006). In his theory, Maslow, argues that human needs are unlimited, after a need is satisfied, another need will arise, needs have a certain hierarchical order, no need or drive can be considered independently, every need is related to satisfaction or dissatisfaction of other needs, and unsatisfied needs are a great source of motivation for humans (Adair, 2013). When Abraham Maslow created his Hierarchy of Needs, he argued that humans are motivated by five essential needs: physiological, safety, social, self-esteem and self-actualization also was known as self-fulfillment (Bloisi, 2007).

Fig. 1 How the Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs can work in an organization

(Bloisi, 2007)

As per the above diagram, at the bottom of the pyramid are our physiological needs like food, water, sleep, and warmth. In an organization, this will be the pay, benefits, and employee benefits. Safety concerns come next, and these include comfort, security, and stability, from an organization's point of view, safe working conditions, and job security. Moving up the pyramid we tend to return to social desires, like a sense of belonging love and friendship, in the organization's point of view work associations, work & professional relations. Esteem needs the next level such as a positive self-image, prestige, and status, in an organization's point of view job title, work prestige, and work statues before topping out with self-actualization that concerns feeling consummated through growth, advancement, and power.

Video 1.0

Why Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs Matters

Source: The School of Life

Maslow's Hierarchy, of Needs is one of the central ideas in modern economics and sociology. The work of a once little-known American psychologist, it has grown into an indispensable guide to understanding the modern world. This video explains who Maslow was, what his pyramid is, and why it matters so much.

Now we consider how Aitken Spence Hotel Management (ASHM) HR department translates Maslow’s motivational theory into something that can help to motivate, recruit and retain employees.

Here are some examples that ASHM adapted for their employee’s motivation through. (ASHM, 2019). 

Physiological needs – This includes having a place to work, a regular monthly salary, a comfortable working atmosphere, and essential facilities. ASHM gave all the employees workstation, computers, each twenty-fifth of the monthly salary payment, comfortable air-conditioned work atmosphere, with three-time meals, tea/coffee making facilities.

Safety needs – These desires embrace having formal contracts of employment as well as benefits such as a pension scheme and sick pay. There should also be an emphasis on health and safety within the operating environment. ASHM provides permanent work contracts, benefits like service charge, medical reimbursements, privet provident funds, service payments, annual leave reimbursement to ensure the safety work.

Social needs – Promoting group working across teams, departments and different levels, as well as encouraging team building through social activities can help satisfy these needs. ASPHM encourages employees to work even from home or other remote locations such as from Colombo, Musket, Malay or Bombay. The team members can be fulfilling the family or social commitment and work through by creating love and affection for having a professional relationship.

Self-esteem – At the self-esteem level respect for others and praise is vital. A 360-degree feedback and appraisal system will help recognize employees’ contributions and a peer to peer or social recognition program will celebrate employees’ achievements and confer prestige and respect. ASHM designed various benefits based on organizational structure, as you progress on the ladder the job title, prestige and statures will change. accordingly, the vehicle, fuel, house, medical, entertainment, air ticket, foreign travel title will change to elevate employee's prestige, respect, and status.

Self-actualization – At the best level personal development plans, training, secondments, mentoring, and therefore the chance for promotion enables employees to be the very best. ASHM implementing regular talent coming up with meetings among managers and hr, having career discussions with staff and providing options like fast-track management programs, to fulfill employees’ self-actualization needs while ensuring they have the experience to fill future vacancies.

In Maslow’s theory global level following points been highlighted to criticized the theory for some extend. 

Maslow developed his theory based on observation, which according to some scientists, results in a concept that is lacking with the global change.

Employees whose lowest level wants have not been met can create decisions based on compensation, safety, or stability concerns. therefore, it is very important that hr professionals make sure that these wants are consummated before others further up the pyramid.

It is additionally worth noting that workers can default to their lowest level needs if their higher-level needs are no longer being satisfied, for instance, in economic downturn employees will also concentrate on compensation, safety, or stability issues.

Maslow additionally introduced the concept that our desires constantly change: as one needs is met then so we desire the level above it. The pay rise we tend to received last year ago won’t encourage us for succeeding five years, the popularity award us were presented with two years ago won’t satisfy our current desires for appreciation and the training course we tend to do three years ago won’t satisfy our need to be learning new skills and knowledge.

Finally, there’s an unspoken of acceptance that the hierarchy is fixed one should meet the requirements within the order specified. As per the global context, these are not fulfilling in an orderly manner.

Motivation is an essential factor for efficiency and performance in organizations. Hence, enhancements and the best practices to encourage staff need to be researched by the organization’s management. For this, it's necessary to develop past theories concerning motivation and test their validity in the modern labor force. Abraham Maslow’s hierarchy of needs theory is still important and relevant in today’s business organizations. Modern motivation has moved on from Maslow’s Hierarchy of needs alone. however, this simple motivation tool remains necessary and as such, it can facilitate hr professionals to achieve many organizational goals, such as improved employee retention and employee engagement, as long as they understand how to apply it in a sensible manner, and regularly adapt to fulfill their employees’ ever-changing needs.

References

Aitken Spence Hotel Management (Pvt) Ltd, (2019) Human Recourses & Practices. ASHM Annual Report, 2019(110), pp. 140-168

Anderson, N. and Schalk, R. (1998) ‘The psychological contract in retrospect and prospect. Journal of Organizational Behavior,19(5), 637-647.

Bloisi.P, (2007) Applying Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs Theory to HR Responsibilities. Employee and Consumer Engagement [Online]. Available at <blog.sodexoengage.com/rewards-recognition/applying-maslows-hierarchy-of-needs-theory-to-hr-responsibilities>. [Accessed on 24^th November 2019].

Dr. Nyameh, (2013) Application of the Maslow’s hierarchy of need theory; impacts and implications on organizational culture, human resource and employee’s performance, International Journal of Business and Management Invention, Volume 2, PP.39-45.

Institute of Chartered Accountant of Sri Lanka Processional Journal (ICASL), (2015), HR & Motivation 1525^th Ed. Colombo, ICASL.

J. Adair, (2013), Human motivate by Internal & External Motives. Employee Performance Time,104 (25), pp 55-85.

K. Yang, (2006) Beyond Maslow’s Culture-Bound Linear theory. Journal of Basic Human Needs, [Online]. Available at <psycnet.apa.org>.[Accessed on 25th November 2019].