A significant development in motivation theory was distinction between motivational and maintenance factors in job situation.
HERZBERG’S Two Factor
theory of MOTIVATION
A significant development in
motivation theory was distinction between motivational and maintenance factors
in job situation. A research was conducted by Herzberg and his associates based
on the interview of 200 engineers and accountants who worked for eleven different
firms in Pittsburgh area. These men were asked to recall specific incidents in
their experience which made them feel particularly bad about jobs. The findings
of the research led to draw a distinction between what are called as ‘motivators’ and ‘hygiene factors’. To this group of engineers and accountants, the
real motivators were opportunities to gain expertise and to handle more
demanding assignments. Hygiene factors served to prevent loss of money and
efficiency. Thus, hygiene factors provide no motivation to the employees, but the absence
of these factors serves as dissatisfies.
Some job conditions operate
primarily to dissatisfy employees. Their presence does not motivate employees
in a strong way. Many of these factors are traditionally perceived by
management as motivators, but the factors are really more potent as
dissatisfiers. They are called maintenance factors in job because they are
necessary to maintain a reasonable level of satisfaction among the employees.
Their absence proves to be strong dissatisfiers. They are also known as ‘dissatisfiers’
or ‘hygienic
factors’ because they support employees’ mental health. Another set of
job conditions operates primarily to build strong motivation and high job
satisfaction among the employees. These conditions are ‘Motivational Factors’.
Herzberg’s maintenance and motivational factors have been shown in the table
given below.
Hygienic factors include such
things as wages, fringe benefits, Physical conditions and overall company
policy and administration. The presence of these factors at a satisfactory
level prevents job dissatisfaction, but they do not provide motivation to the
employees. So they are not considered as motivational factors, on the other
hand, are essential for increasing the productivity of the employees. They are
also known as satisfiers and include such factors as recognition, feeling of
accomplishment and achievement, opportunity of advancement and potential for
personal growth, responsibility and sense of job and individual importance, new
experience and challenging work etc.
Tags : Management Concepts & Organisational Behaviour - Motivation
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