GCSE Business Studies/Motivation and Rewards

Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs

Maslow's hierarchy of needs, represented as a pyramid with the more basic needs at the bottom.

Maslow studied employee motivation and, 1954, published his research. He created a hierarchy of people's needed. These were:

• Physiological needs (e.g. food, clothing)
• Safety needs (e.g. job security)
• Social needs (e.g. friendship)
• Self-esteem
• Self-fulfillment

Some people are prepared to work for just money, but others like going to work because of the friends they have made there, or the fact that they are respected by others and recognized for their good work.

Conclusions

Maslow drew some conclusions from his research. He determined that:

• If a lower need is not met, then the higher ones are ignored. For example, if employees are worried that they will be fired, and have no job security, they will be concerned about friendship and respect.
• If a need is not met staff may become very frustrated. For example, if someone works very hard for a promotion and does not achieve the recognition they want, they may become demotivated and put in less effort.
• When a need is met it will no longer motivate the person, but the next need in the hierarchy will become important to that person.