Motivation and Hygiene Factors

According to the Two Factor Theory of Frederick Herzberg people are influenced by two factors. Satisfaction and psychological growth was a factor of motivation factors. Dissatisfaction was a result of hygiene factors. Herzberg developed this motivation theory during his investigation of 200 accountants and engineers in the USA.

- Hygiene factors are needed to ensure an employee does not become dissatisfied. They do not lead to higher levels of motivation, but without them there is dissatisfaction.

- Motivation factors are needed in order to motivate an employee into higher performance. These factors result from internal generators in employees.

Typical Hygiene Factors are:

• Working conditions

• Quality of supervision

• Salary

• Status

• Security

• Company

• Job

• Company policies and administration

• Interpersonal relations

Typical Motivation Factors include:

• Achievement

• Recognition for achievement

• Responsibility for task

• Interest in the job

• Advancement to higher level tasks

• Growth

Combining the hygiene and motivation factors results in four scenario's:

• High Hygiene + High Motivation: The ideal situation where employees are highly motivated and have few complaints.

• High Hygiene + Low Motivation: Employees have few complaints but are not highly motivated. The job is perceived as a paycheck.

• Low Hygiene + High Motivation: Employees are motivated but have a lot of complaints. A situation where the job is exciting and challenging but salaries and work conditions are not up to par.

• Low Hygiene + Low Motivation: The worst situation. Unmotivated employees with lots of complaints.

Herzberg suggests that often work can and should be arranged in the following ways:

- job enlargement

- job rotation, and/or

- job enrichment.

Besides The Two Factor Theory, Frederick Herzberg is also known sometimes for his acronym KITA, which has been politely translated as a kick in the pants! Herzberg said that KITA does not produce motivation but only movement.

Compare: Maslow Hierarchy Needs  |  Theory X Theory Y  |  Competing Values Framework |  Expectancy Theory  |  ERG Theory  |  Hofstede  |  What is Value Based Management?  |  Leadership Continuum

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