Motivation is a driving force within individuals which confronts person to achieve a goal in order to fulfil a need or expectancy.
Motivation at work is an essential fact because without being motivated workers will not offer 100% effort. Motivation is not only based on activity, it all involve a mixture of skill, knowledge of how to complete a task, emotions, feelings, making task less difficult and hold back in conditions which aren’t under an individual’s control.
Hertzberg’s two-factor theory:
Fredrick Herzberg devised his theory in 1959. The original study for this theory involved 203 interviews with accounts and engineers chosen because of their growing improvement in the business world. Subjects were asked to share experiences of times they felt exceptionally good or bad at their present or previous job. Reasons and descriptions were asked sequence of events lead to these feelings. The interviews unravelled two different factors affecting motivation and work. This resulted in the two theory motivation and job satisfaction
Hygiene & Motivational Factors:
Herzberg motivational factors are related to job context concerned with job environment and extrinsic. These factors are either the ‘hygiene or ‘maintenance’ factors. Their role is to prevent dissatisfaction in the work.
Other motivational factors are to motivate an individual effort and performance. These are the ‘motivators’ or growth factors. The strength of these factors will influence feelings, satisfaction or lack of satisfaction.
Herzberg motivational factors can be related to Maslow’s hierarchy of needs due to the use of lower needs and motivators to Maslow’s higher-level needs. If the work force is to be successful, with the employees motivated, mangers must pay attention to motivators or growth factors.
Hygiene factors are important as the motivation factors due to the fact that it is vital at work when it comes to the workforce as managers must never carry out unfair treatment. The motivators are there for employers always wanting to advance in the workforce and the quality of someone’s experience at work. Hertzberg views have shown it is more likely a good performance leads to job satisfaction not the reverse.
Maslow theory:
Maslow’s theory shows people a very desirable, always wanting more. However your status will justify how more you actually get. Maslow believed people’s needs were ordered on levels in a hierarchy of importance.
Maslow found eight needs existing in an individual from birth which includes the need to know and understand. The hierarchy however is usually ranges from the lowest level to the highest. They are in order of physiological needs, safety needs, love needs, esteem needs to lastly self-actualisation which of course is at the highest point level.
Physiological needs - taken care of hunger and thirst, need for oxygen and to sustain a normal level of temperature in your body.
Safety needs - This associated with safety and security, away from pain or threat of being attacked.
Social needs - It includes being shown or showing affection, feeling that you belong, strong friendships, social activities and both receiving and giving of love.
Esteem needs - These include both respect for another’s self and esteem of others. Self-respect involves the urge for confidence, strength, independence and freedom. Esteem of others includes reputation, status and attention.
Self-actualisation needs - It’s the neutering and realisation of a person’s full potential. Maslow beliefs are ‘what human’s can be, they must be’ or becoming everything their capable of. Self- actualisation needs aren’t a creative urge but take many forms which are different as no one person is the same.
Personal experience:
I believe that motivation at any environment such as work, education, church or sports begins with my needs. Therefore Maslow theory in particular is the relevant theory for me because at some point, I will have a strong need for food and shelter. At other times, my social needs may be unfulfilled, and unfulfilled needs create a nervousness that makes me want to find ways to reduce those needs. The stronger my needs, the more motivated I am to satisfy them. I know that once my needs are satisfied the satisfaction shows throw the effort.
My motivation for starting a degree course is my yearning for money and desire for success. Well my life has not gone according to my judgments therefore having another chance to achieve something in life, a brighter future I don’t think anyone will refuse such an offer. What will motivate me throw the next 2-3 years is my Dad and my hunger, well my Dad is a high commissioner therefore it will burn me if I don’t become more successful than he is and the only way I could do that is by having a degree. I am motivated throw my hunger and my Dad therefore being financial stable is the key to my studying as this will satisfy my needs.
There has been several times when am de-motivated to do anything, I felt like this because there was luck of physiological needs. I was hungry and lack of sleep; well what made me motivated to work to my ability is when I ate some food, this brought me energy and desire to work. Next time I will make sure I go to bed on time and eat something in the morning before I go to work.
I think that it is very important to satisfy your individual needs first before anything else. If you have all the little needs satisfied the effort at work, school or sports pays of.
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