HERZBERG MOTIVATION THEORY (TWO FACTOR THEORY)
Figure 1: Motivators & Hygiene Factors
(Source - Kurt, 2021)
The two-factor theory of job satisfaction was the result of a five year research program on job attitudes initiated by a grant from The Buhl Foundation. There was an urgent need at the time for more and better insight about the attitudes of people towards their jobs due to the prevalence of job dissatisfaction indicators such as strikes, slowdowns, and filing of grievances (Stello, 2016). According to Figure1, factors that affect job satisfaction are divided into two categories. Hygiene factors surround the doing of the job. They include supervision, interpersonal relations, physical working conditions, salary, company policy and administration, benefits, and job security. Motivation factors lead to positive job attitudes because they satisfy the need for self-actualization. Motivation factors are achievement, recognition, the work itself, responsibility, and advancement. The opposite of satisfaction is no satisfaction. The opposite of dissatisfaction is no dissatisfaction. The satisfaction of hygiene needs can prevent dissatisfaction and poor performance, but only the satisfaction of the motivation factors will bring the type of productivity improvement sought by companies (Stello, 2016). Based on two hundred engineers’ and accountants’ feedback collected in the USA regarding their personal feelings towards their working environments,as shown in Figure2, Herzberg defined two sets of factors in deciding employees’ working attitudes and level of performance, named Motivation & Hygiene Factors (Robbins, 2009). Msg, (n.d.); Nivens, (n.d.) also says that these are the two factors on which Herzberg theory is based that are motivational factor and hygiene factor. The hygiene factors aim at reducing the elements that would reduce the level of motivation among the workers. The factors vary depending on the social statuses of employees (Robbins & Judge, 2007).
Figure 2 : Herzberg’s Hygiene Factors and Motivators Diagram
(Source - Kurt, 2021)
In accordance with the theory stated by Herzberg, there are few factors of job that results in the satisfaction when there are other factors of job that prevent dissatisfaction (Adair 2011). Therefore Herzberg’s two-factor theory, also known as the motivation-hygiene theory is one of the most significant theories related to job satisfaction (Dion, 2006).
Hygiene factors
Hygiene factors are the external factors that are present in the working environment of the workers (Renwick et al. 2013). According to Pinder (2014), these factors are sufficient for implementing motivation but are not necessary for motivation.
Hygiene factors include company policy, supervision, working condition, salary and good relationship with boss and peers (Bassett-Jones, & Lloyd, 2005). When existing adequately in a job leads to NO DISSATISFACTION, not presenting adequately in a job will cause DISSATISFACTION (Sheth et al. 2014). Bratton and Gold (2012) found that payment was the main basic for the employees to become satisfied in their job. However, Dar et al. (2014) found that payment might increase the level of attention and responsibility in the workplace among the employees due to the flow of primary level of satisfaction. The hygiene factors also encourage the staffs to generate their opinions and suggestions for improvement in the working standards and other financial and non-financial factors which would help them to work in a productive fashion in the organization (Longest, 2014).
As an example, Kacel and colleagues (2005) employed Herzberg’s theory as a framework in their study of job satisfaction among 147 nurse practitioners in a Midwestern area of the United States. The authors mentioned that improving hygiene factors, especially salaries and compensation, improved job satisfaction.
Motivators
These factors directly influence the employees for the enhancement in their performance, by accepting the challenging task and achieving recognition at work (Mano et al., 2012). This will also improve the productivity of the employees on the performance and motivation of the employees is related to each other (Robbins et al., 2013).
In case of Coca Cola Company, starting from managers to other employees challenging work, added responsibilities and recognition has provided them positive satisfaction resulting to motivation in better work (Heinrichs, Oser and Lovat, 2013).
Another example shown by Alshmemri, Shahwan-Akl and Maude (2016) is that they have studied job satisfaction among Saudi nurses in three main public hospitals in Saudi Arabia. The study had a mixed method design and utilized Herzberg’s theory as its theoretical framework. Two hundred and seventy two Saudi nurses were surveyed to identify which factors they believed led to job satisfaction. The results of the study supported Herzberg’s motivation factors were most important and led to job satisfaction.
Lack of hygiene contributes toward job dissatisfaction and motivators facilitates in job satisfaction (Malik and Naeem, 2013). Job satisfaction is involved when an individual’s higher level needs (advancement, recognition, responsibility, achievement and opportunity for growth in the job) are fulfilled. If the above mentioned factors are not present in the job then there will be NO SATISFACTION, if present there is SATISFACTION (Pegler, 2012).
Figure 3 : Two Factor Theory
(Source - Rohith, 2020)
Conclusion
Motivation and hygiene factors introduced by Herzberg have found similarities among other motivation theories under content theories as each theory carries various employee’s need for motivation in similar terms (Borkowski, 2011). As per the view of Aarons, Ehrhart, Farahnak, and Hurlburt (2015), every organization has to follow a specific leadership theory for leading a business organization towards the business goal. These two factors in Herzberg’s Motivation-Hygiene Theory gives a detailed explanation of the leadership phenomenon and the way the leaders motivate their team members.
Reference
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Adair, J., (2011), Leadership and motivation, London, Kogan Page.
Alshmemri, M., Shahwan-Akl, L. & Maude, P., (2016), ‘Job Satisfaction of Saudi Nurses Working in Makkah Region Public Hospitals’, Saudi Arabia, Life Science Journal, 13(12).
Bassett-Jones, N. & Lloyd, G.C., (2005), ‘Does Herzberg's motivation theory have staying power’, Journal of Management Development, 24(10), pp. 929-43.
Borkowski, N., (2011), Organizational Behavior in Health Care 2nd(ed.) United Kingdom, Jones and Bartlett Publisher International.
Bratton, J. and Gold, J., (2012), Human resource management: theory and practice, Palgrave Macmillan.
Dar, A.T., Bashir, M., Ghazanfar, F. & Abrar, M., (2014), ‘Mediating role of employee motivation in relationship to post-selection HRM practices and organizational performance’, International Review of Management and Marketing, 4(3), p. 224.
Dion, M.J., (2006), The impact of workplace incivility and occupational stress on the job satisfaction and turnover intention of acute care nurses, PhD thesis, University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT.
Heinrichs, K., Oser, F. and Lovat, T., (2013), Handbook of moral motivation: theories, models, and applications (Vol. 1), Springer Science & Business Media.
Kacel, B., Miller, M. & Norris, D., (2005), ‘Measurement of nurse practitioner job satisfaction in a Midwestern state’, Journal of the American Academy of Nurse Practitioners, 17, pp. 27–32.
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Malik, M.E., and Naeem, B., (2013), ‘Towards understanding controversy on Herzberg theory of motivation’, World Applied Sciences Journal, 24(8), pp.1031-6.
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Stello, C.M., (2016), Herzberg’s Two-Factor Theory of Job Satisfaction: An Integrative Literature Review,pp.3.
Agree with your views. According to Herzberg Theory, it is able to identify that there is a complex connection between satisfaction and dissatisfaction and both has a huge influence on individual behavior and it might directly bring changes on employee performance for their organization (Nguyen, 2017).
ReplyDeleteIndeed Pernalla, The basic premise of the Herzberg’s Two Factor Theory is that if an employer is trying to increase job satisfaction and ultimately job performance for an employee, they need to address those factors that affect one’s job satisfaction. The most direct approach is to work on the intrinsic, job content factors. Giving the employee encouragement and recognition helps them to feel more valued within the company, as well as giving a sense of achievement and responsibility (Riley, 2005).
DeleteAgree with you. The motivational-hygiene model states that employee motivation is achieved when employees are faced with challenging but enjoyable work where one can achieve, grow, and demonstrate responsibility and advance in the organisation. That is, when the employees’ efforts are recognized, it brings about job satisfaction and motivation (Dartey-Baah & Amoako, 2011).
ReplyDeleteOf course Chamara, Job satisfaction is an important factor of an organization’s success. There has been relatively little research into the determinants of job satisfaction in the retail sector using Herzberg’s two-factor theory. It has been argued that an increase in job satisfaction results in a rise in worker productivity (Wright & Cropanzano, 1997; Shikdar & Das,2003).As mentioned by Dunnette, Campbell and Hakel (1967) and Robbins (2001), job satisfaction is an emotional state which a person perceives a variety of features of his/her work or the work environment. Therefore, it has major consequences on their lives.
DeleteAgree with your points, According to Herzberg, satisfaction depends on motivators and dissatisfaction is the result of hygiene factors. He defined motivators as intrinsic to the job role, and hygiene factors as extrinsic to the job. Also, there is a distinction between satisfaction and dissatisfaction (Udechukwu, 2009).
ReplyDeleteYes Nivethini, the hygiene factors are also termed as maintenance factors. They are not directly related to the job but related to the conditions that enclose doing the job. When they are not present, it makes dissatisfaction to the employees of an organization. By the way, when they are present, it does not effectively build strong motivation (Turner, 2015).
DeleteThank you for sharing this article with us. Agree with you, that in order to reduce dissatisfaction, leaders must clean the hygiene factors within the team and in order to increase satisfaction, leaders must focus on improving the motivational factors (Herzberg, et al., 2010).
ReplyDeleteA main point to be noted from Herzberg research was that he perceived motivational and hygiene factors to be separated into two different dimensions affecting separate aspects of job satisfaction. This belief was very much different from the traditional approach of viewing job satisfaction and dissatisfaction as opposite ends of the same continuum (Herzberg, 2010). Hygiene factors prevent dissatisfaction but they do not lead to satisfaction. They are necessary only to avoid bad feeling at work. On the other hand, motivators are the real factors that motivate employees at work.
DeleteAgree with you,Herzberg explained job satisfaction can’t improve any of hygiene factors & can only improve by increasing the motivators (Smerek & Peterson,2007).
ReplyDeleteIndeed, Employees are more loyal and productive when they are satisfied Hunter & Tietyen, (1997), and these satisfied employees affect the customer satisfaction and organizational productivity, Potterfield, (1999).
DeleteAt the same time Indeevari Malik and Naeem (2013) argues that organizational rewards such as adequate pay equity, working conditions, fringe benefits and promotional opportunity were found to be powerful determinants of job satisfaction only in lower-level occupations which refuted Herzberg thesis that hygiene factors do not produce job satisfaction.
ReplyDeleteYes, Saiyadain (2003) and Robbins et al. (2007) assert that it is clear that satisfied or happy employees are more motivated and productive than dissatisfied employees. It appears that satisfaction results in devoting more effort by workers and consequently contributes to higher levels of work performance.
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ReplyDeleteYes, I agree with you, Herzberg’s two factor theory can be utilized as an effective tool to motivate employees. Wregner & Miller (2003) described motivation as something that energized individuals to take action and which is concerned with the choices the individual makes as part of his or her goal-oriented behavior. Following the recent definition contributed by Fuller et.al. (2008) motivation is a person’s intensity, direction and persistence of efforts to attain a specific objective.
Of course, Shermerhorn (2001), highlighting that Herzberg's two-factor theory of clarifies the motivational effects of the work environment. Herzberg says best way to motivate the employees is to give challenging work that they can take responsibility (Leach and Westbrook, 2000).
DeleteAgreed with you Indeevari, The implication for organizations to use this theory is that meeting employees’ extrinsic or hygiene factors will only prevent employees from becoming actively dissatisfied but will not motivate them to contribute additional effort toward better performance. To motivate employees, organizations should focus on supplying intrinsic or motivation factors (Yusoff, et al., 2013).
ReplyDeleteIndeed, According to the setting of theory, Extrinsic Factors are less to contribute to employees’ motivation need. The presences of these factors were just to prevent any dissatisfaction to arise in their workplaces. Extrinsic Factors are also well known as job context factors; are extrinsic satisfactions granted by other people for employees (Robbins, 2009).
DeleteAgreed with you and also, Herzberg also identified job enrichment as part of his research into motivating growth factors. He noted that encouraging workers to take on extra job responsibilities helps them feel trusted and valued. The achievement came in first, followed by possibilities of promotion and recognition (Young, 2017).
ReplyDeleteYes, One set of factors are those which, if absent, cause dissatisfaction. These factors are related to job context, they are concerned with job environment and extrinsic to the job itself. These factors are the ‘hygiene’ or ‘maintenance’ factors (‘hygiene’ being used as analogous to the medical term meaning preventive and environmental). They serve to prevent dissatisfaction. The other set of factors are those that, if present, serve to motivate the individual to superior effort and performance (Mullins 2010).
DeleteAgreed, also In addition Yusoff et al. (2013) states that the Herzberg Two-Factor Theory is closely related to Maslow's hierarchy of needs but it introduced more factors to estimate how individuals are motivated in the workplace.
ReplyDelete