Topic - 4Session - 12

Herzbergs Two-Factor Theory of Motivation

Frederick Herzberg's Motivation and Hygiene Factors

Frederick Herzberg's book 'The Motivation to Work', written with research colleagues B Mausner and B Snyderman in 1959, first established his theories about motivation in the workplace. Herzberg's work, originally on 200 Pittsburgh engineers and accountants, has become one of the most replicated studies in the field of workplace psychology.Herzberg was the first to show that satisfaction and dissatisfaction at work nearly always arose from different factors, and were not simply opposing reactions to the same factors, as had always previously been (and still now by the unenlightened) believed.He showed that certain factors truly motivate ('motivators'), whereas others tended to lead to dissatisfaction ('hygiene factors').

According to Herzberg, Man has two sets of needs; one as an animal to avoid pain, and two as a human being to grow psychologically.He illustrated this also through Biblical example: Adam after his expulsion from Eden having the need for food, warmth, shelter, safety, etc. - the 'hygiene' needs; and Abraham, capable and achieving great things through self-development - the 'motivational' needs.Certain parallels can clearly be seen with Maslow.

Herzberg's research proved that people will strive to achieve hygiene needs because they are unhappy without them, but once satisfied the effect soon wears off - satisfaction is temporary. Examples of hygiene needs in the workplace are policy, relationship with supervisor, work conditions, salary, company car, status, security, relationship with subordinates, personal life.True motivators were found to be other completely different factors: achievement, recognition, work itself, responsibility, advancement, and personal growth.

People commonly argue that money is a primary motivator. It's not. Surveys repeatedly show that other factors motivate more. For example, a survey by Development Dimensions International published in the UK Times newspaper in 2004 interviewed 1,000 staff from companies employing more than 500 workers, and found many to be bored, lacking commitment and looking for a new job. Pay actually came fifth in the reasons people gave for leaving their jobs. The main reasons were lack of stimulus jobs and no opportunity for advancement - classic Herzberg motivators - 43% left for better promotion chances, 28% for more challenging work; 23% for a more exciting place to work; and 21% for more varied work.

An extention of Maslows work, Herzberg developed a specific content theory of work motivation. A research was conducted on about 200 accountants and engineers by firms in and around Pittsburgh and Pennsylvania. Two questions were asked:When did you feel particularly good about your job what turned you on ; andWhen did you feel exceptionally bad about your job what turned you off? The responses to these questions were interesting and fairly consistent. When tabulating these good and bad feelings, Herzberg concluded that job satisfiers are related to job content and that job dissatisfiers are allied to job context. Herzberg labeled the satisfiers as motivators and the dissatisfiers as hygiene factors. Taken together these are known as Herzbergs two-factor theory of motivation.

Herzbergs Two Factor Theory

McClellands Learned Needs TheoryMcClelland proposed a theory of motivation that is closely associated with learning concepts. He believed that many needs are acquired from the culture. Three of these needs are :- Need for achievement (n Ach),- Need of affiliation (n Aff),- Need for power (n Pow).Based on the above, McClelland developed a descriptive set of factors which reflect a high need for achievement. These are:The person likes to take responsibility for solving problems.The person tends to set moderate achievement goals and is inclined to take calculated risks.The person desires feedback on performance.

Job EnrichmentHerzberg popularized the term job enrichment, a motivational approach that is intended to increase job satisfaction and performance. The implementation of job enrichment is realized through direct changes in the work itself. The important ingredients that Herzberg felt would encourage the motivator factors to emerge were:

Direct Feedback: The evaluation of performance should be timely and direct.New Learning: A good job enables people to feel that they are psychologically growing. All jobs should provide an opportunity to learn something.Scheduling: People should be able to schedule their own work.Uniqueness: Each job should have some unique qualities or features.Control over Resources: If at all possible, the workers should have control over their job tasks.Personal accountability: People should be provided with an opportunity to be accountable for the job.

Whether job enrichment is a powerful motivator of positive behaviour, is still an unanswered question, because many points have been raised by people who questioned the imposition of personal value systems when prescribing job enrichment. However, despite these problems, job enrichment is a wide spread application of Herzbergs two-factor theory. It may not be scientifically pure, but it continues to be adopted.