Motivation in the Work Place

Motivation in the Workplace

Different things motivate everyone. Some are motivated by money, or other incentives that offer recognition and achievement. Motivation is based on individual needs, when an individual wants to satisfy his or her needs, motivation can occur automatically. Motivation is important and has an effect of the productivity and success of an organization. Although, different companies approach motivation differently, it’s the responsibility of the leadership within the company to maintain motivation in the workplace. Many theories have been developed by psychologists and scientists about motivation. In my paper I will present different theories of motivation, and use these theories to help provide employers with information and tools that can be used to understand a key factor in a successful organization, motivated employees.

As I mentioned earlier, motivation is based on an individuals needs. When there is a certain desire for a particular need, behaviors are energized to satisfy that need. Unfulfilled needs, regardless if it’s a survival need, an example would be the need for food and shelter, or a social need, an example would be the need for friends or a significant other, it creates tension that forces people to satisfy those needs. When your needs are strong, you will be more motivated to fulfill those needs.

One of the earliest and well-known needs-based theories is Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs Theory (McShane & Von Glinow, 2005). This theory was developed by Abraham Maslow, a psychologist whose motivation theory arranged numerous needs into five basic categories. Starting at the bottom layer of the pyramid is an individual’s physiological need. Physiological needs consisted of survival needs such as food, air, water, and shelter. The second layer from the bottom of the pyramid is an individual’s safety needs. Safety needs is the need for a secure environment, absence from pain, threats, or illness. The third layer from the bottom of the pyramid is belongingness. Belongingness deals with the individual’s sense of love, affection, and interaction with people. The second layer from the top of the pyramid is esteem. Esteem touches on individuals self esteem through personal achievement, as well as social esteem through recognition and respect for others. The top layer of the pyramid is self-actualization. Self-actualization is the individual’s need for self-fulfillment. The sense that a person’s potential has been realized. Maslow recognizes in his theory that the individual is motivated by several needs, but the behavior of an individual is motivated by the lowest unsatisfied need at a time (McShane & Von Glinow, 2005). After that need has been satisfied the next higher need in the hierarchy becomes the motivator. Obviously, physiological needs would be the most important of the needs to satisfy first, and then you would move up the pyramid. Even