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Herzberg Motivation Theory


24 Minute Human Resources

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Unit Summary

Herzberg’s Two-Factor Theory highlights two important factors:
  • Motivation Factors
  • Hygiene Factors

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Motivation includes “the processes that account for an individual’s intensity, direction, and persistence of effort toward attaining a goal”. One of the most popular early motivation theories is Herzberg’s Two-Factor Theory. He highlighted two important rewards to motivate your teams:
  • Internist Rewards known as “Motivation Factors”: when an employee is satisfied, they will receive a feeling of accomplishment from performing a particular task. Intrinsic rewards contain recognition, opportunities for growth, promotional opportunities and responsibility which will create job satisfaction. These intrinsic rewards are related to job satisfaction. Herzberg called the intrinsic rewards the motivation factors as they can transfer the employee from being not satisfied to satisfied.
  • Extrinsic Rewards known as “Hygiene Factors”: are rewards an employee receives from others for performing a particular task, such as salary. Other extrinsic rewards contain the company policy, quality of supervision, job security. Extrinsic factors are related with job dissatisfaction. Herzberg called the extrinsic rewards Hygiene factors. These hygiene factors can transfer the employee from being dissatisfied to being not dissatisfied.
Managers who eliminate job dissatisfaction factors may not necessarily bring about motivation; employees will not be dissatisfied nor satisfied. To motivate employees, managers must emphasize on intrinsically rewarding factors that are associated with the work itself or to outcomes directly derived from it. Remember, “The way your employees feel is the way your customers will feel. And if your employees don’t feel valued, neither will your customers.” – Sybil F. Stershic, Taking Care of the People Who Matter Most: A Guide to Employee-Customer Care

"You can have the best strategy and the best building in the world, but if you don’t have the hearts and minds of the people who work with you, none of it comes to life.” Renee West, Luxor and Excalibur Hotel