Maslow theory of Motivation

Abraham Maslow authored a paper titled “A Theory of Human Motivation” in 1943. He made the argument in this study that individuals endeavour to satisfy demands at varying degrees. People are more driven by their most fundamental wants, according to Maslow.

It was discovered that humans have five levels of requirements that they try to satisfy when these needs were categorised into various categories. The bottom of this pyramid model represented the most fundamental requirements, or the wants that provide the most motivation.

Essential Bodies

Since these demands are the most pressing, they are seen as the most significant and are often referred to as “basic needs.” They consist of things like clothes, food, housing, and sex. All of these are essential for our bodies to continue functioning. The physiological requirements are the most fundamental, or bottom, demands.

To pay for these essentials is one of the main reasons individuals hunt for work. It is quite difficult to encourage someone whose employment just allows him to provide these basic luxuries to himself and his family.

Individuals who labour for minimum wage find it difficult to remain motivated because they believe that their efforts will never be enough to achieve anything beyond putting food on the table. Instead than attempting to do better, these individuals are more concerned about making the minimal amount of effort necessary to maintain their employment.

Needs for Safety

A person will consider safety and security after ensuring that all of his fundamental needs have been satisfied. For this reason, before contacting someone for a service, many insurance businesses or loan-offering organisations often inquire about their income to determine whether they make more than a certain amount.

They are aware that someone who cannot provide for their fundamental needs will not be interested in future security or safety, protection from illness, protection from financial difficulties, etc. They run into problems when they cross this boundary. The largest illustration of this is the subprime loans that US banks made to borrowers who were never able to repay them.

Here, safety encompasses more than just one’s health or finances. It also concerns employment security and safety. When workers see numerous staff terminations, they will become less readily motivated. They won’t place as much emphasis on listening to inspirational material as they will on keeping their employment.

There are several vocations where one’s health and safety are not guaranteed. People who serve in the military, for instance, are aware that they might suffer fatal injuries at any time. In these situations, their motivation stems from their resentment of their adversary, how their selflessness keeps their families safe when they return home, how they are greatly serving their country, and how they encourage millions of others to enlist and defend their country.

The “Whistleblower Policy” is another result of ongoing efforts to ensure stability and safety in the workplace. This policy’s terms and conditions are written so that workers won’t be afraid to disclose any wrongdoings occurring in their firm for fear of facing threats, hazards, bullying, or harassment of any type. Additional policies that fall within this category include welfare programmes, sick leave, corporate leave, health insurance, etc.

Needs for Belonging

After meeting his fundamental requirements and securing a stable career and life, a person would want to build connections with other people. People would want to go out and mingle at these times and reflect on their lack of a partner.

These are emotional demands that friendship, love, and caring may satisfy. They grow to have a need for a feeling of belonging, or a want to feel like they are a part of the workplace.

It has been noted that workers who believe their presence at work has little effect on others eventually experience feelings of loneliness and depression. They become socially uncomfortable and their productivity suffers as a result. Many individuals experience a sense of alienation from their workplace due to persistent disregard from peers or management.

When relationship requirements are not addressed, individuals often experience anxiety, emotional fragility, depression, and loneliness. A portion of them eventually get prickly and short-tempered. In order to satisfy this urge, some people actually wind up sacrificing other wants.

In order to seem slender and attract attention from others, some give up the need to fuel themselves. As you may have predicted, a lot of these behaviours result in individuals skipping out on essentials, which might have negative long-term implications.

Having connections, being close to family, making friends, being a member of various teams, groups, clubs, and organisations are all effective means of promoting emotional stability in individuals. Many businesses invest a great deal of time and energy into creating an office culture that makes every employee feel that their job is essential to the company’s success.

Esteem

Esteem is the impression of oneself. It is how one presents themselves to others. Self-esteem is the perception of oneself in the eyes of others. A person who is highly esteemed believes that others regard him favourably. Our self-worth is what allows us to acknowledge our own abilities. When someone describes themselves as amusing, humorous, and kind, for instance, they must have heard others say the same things about them.

Individuals who are in need of respect will make an effort to change how other people see them. They often want to be successful in their careers and are driven to amass money and status symbols such as expensive vehicles. They are proud of their family members’ accomplishments and actively search for chances to interact with influential individuals of the community.

It’s crucial to recognise that members of this kind of group are driven mostly by status and reputation. They wouldn’t value a sizable pay increase as highly as they would an honorary title like Assistant Project Manager.

These individuals feel content and driven when their efforts are closely linked to the company’s successes. But if their labours go unappreciated and their dedication isn’t valued, they become less productive.

Self-Actualization

The realisation of oneself is known as self-actualization. Many individuals have a period in their lives when they begin to question what is expected of them. A voice instructs them to follow their destiny, which they hear. These individuals grapple with existential issues and attempt to understand the purpose of their existence.

These individuals often have attained every other level of the Maslow Pyramid. They now feel as if they have met all of their requirements and are searching for a greater meaning in life.

It’s often seen in the lives of prosperous, goal-oriented professionals who, upon retiring, feel compelled to be the best grandparents to their grandchildren. Some believe that now is the ideal moment for them to pursue their creative passions and change careers.

Several prosperous businesspeople have changed occupations at the pinnacle of their fields after giving up on lucrative, secure positions. Attorneys have turned into hotel owners, bankers into actors, actors into investigative journalists, and so on.

Individuals who want self-actualization have progressed beyond the point when they were preoccupied with their perceived social standing. They also engage in pursuits that really bring them joy.

Not every profession can be made to seem like a path toward self-actualization. Finding someone who believes that this is the work they would want to perform for the rest of their lives is the difficulty here for the manager or supervisor.

Many individuals are first thrilled to be in their line of work and are content and joyful there. But as they get older and more experienced, they could begin to desire for new pursuits. An effective manager must be able to make the most of his team members in order to ensure that they continue to feel satisfied and committed to their work. These workers won’t be positively coping with self-actualization unless they feel that their employment is something they have to do.