Frederick Herzberg - Theory of Motivation

BIKRAM PRADHANM.COM(BERHAMPUR UNIVERSITY)

ODISHA

• He first published his theory in 1959 in a book entitled ‘The Motivation to Work’ and put forward a two factor content theory which is often referred to as a two need system.

Introduction to the Theory:

• Fredrick Herzberg and his associates developed the MOTIVATION HYGIENE THEORY, commonly known as the two factor theory, in the late 1950s and early 1960s. Herzberg and his associates conducted a research based on the interview of 200 engineers and accountants who looked for 11 different firms in Pittsburgh area, U.S.A.

• The purpose of the research was to find out as to what variables are

perceived to be desirable goals to achieve and conversely, undesirable

conditions to avoid. During the course of the interviews, these men

were asked to describe a few previous job experiences in which they

felt “exceptionally good” or “exceptionally bad” about jobs. They were

also asked to rate the degree of which their feelings were influenced-

for better or worse- by each experience which they described.

• Based upon the answers received from these 200 people, Herzberg

concluded that there are certain factors that tend to be consistently related

to job satisfaction and on the other hand, there are some factors, which

are consistently related to job dissatisfaction. The last of job conditions,

he referred to as MAINTENANCE OR HYGIENE factors and the first

job conditions as MOTIVATIONAL FACTORS. The motivational factors

are intrinsic in nature and the hygiene factors are extrinsic in nature.

Motivational Factors:

1. Hygiene Factors:

• Hygiene factors or the maintenance factors do not motivate

people, they simply prevent dissatisfaction and maintain status

quo. Such factors do not produce positive results but prevent

negative results. If these factors are not there it will lead to job

dissatisfaction. These are not motivators, as they maintain a

zero level of motivation or in other words, these factors do

not provide any satisfaction but eliminate dissatisfaction.

ACCORDING TO HERZBERG THERE ARE TEN MAINTENANCE OR HYGIENE FACTORS:

The word hygiene is taken from the

medical science, where it means

taking preventions to maintain your

health but not necessarily improve

it. Similarly, hygiene factors in this

theory prevent damage to efficiency

but do not encourage growth. As

such, these are also called

dissatisfies.

SL.NO. HYGIENE FACTOR

1. Company policies

2. Technical Supervision

3. Inter-Personal relations with Supervision

4. Inter-Personal relations with subordinate

5. Inter-Personal relations with peers

6. salary

7. Job security

8. Personal Life

9. Working Conditions

10. Status

2. Motivational Factors:

• These factors are intrinsic in nature and are

related to the job. The motivational factors have

a positive effect on job satisfaction and often

result in an increase in total output. Thus, these

factors have a positive influence on morale,

satisfaction, efficiency and productivity.

Herzberg concluded that six factors motivate the employees:

SL.NO. Motivation factor

1. Achievement

2. Advancement

3. Possibility of Growth

4. Recognition

5. Work itself

6. Responsibility

• Any increase in these factors will improve the level of satisfaction, thus,

these factors can be used for motivating the employees. Based on his

research, Herzberg stated that managers have hitherto been very much

concerned with hygiene factors. As a result they have not been able to

obtain the desired behaviour from the employees. In order to increase the

motivation, it is necessary to pay attention to the motivational factors.

• He further concluded that today’s motivational factors are tomorrow’s

hygiene factors. Because once a need is satisfied, it stops influencing the

behaviour. Further, one person’s hygiene may be another person’s

motivator, because motivation is also influenced by the personality

characteristics of individuals.

Critical Analysis of the Theory:

• Herzberg’s theory is appreciated on the ground that it provides

an insight into the task of motivation by drawing attention to

the job factors which are often overlooked. It shows the value

of job enrichment in motivation. Thus, Herzberg’s theory has

solved the problems of managers who were wondering why

their policies failed to motivate the employees adequately.

• However, this theory has also not gone unchallenged. It has

been criticized on the following grounds: 

1. Not Conclusive:

Herzberg study was limited to the engineers and accountants. The critics

say that this theory is not conclusive because the professionals or the white

collar workers may like responsibility and challenging jobs. But the general

workers are motivated by pay and other benefits. The effect of hygiene and

motivational factors may totally be reverse on some other categories of

people.

2. Methodology:

Another criticism of this theory is directed at the method of research and

data collection. The interviewers were asked to report exceptionally good

or exceptionally bad job experience. This methodology is defective because

such information will always be subjective and biased.

3. Job Enrichment:

This theory has given too much emphasis on job enrichment and

has totally ignored job satisfaction of the workers. He didn’t

attach much importance to pay, status or interpersonal

relationships which are generally held as great motivators.

Keeping in view all these points we can conclude that Herzberg’s

theory has been widely read and there will be few people who are

not familiar with these recommendations. This theory provides

valuable guidelines to the managers for structuring their jobs in

order to include such factors in the jobs which bring satisfaction.