Egypt case: How companies can use Maslow's Hierarchy of needs to enhance the motivation of their workforce?
Alaa Etman™
Strategist / Business Development Manager/ Business planner/ Business and Marketing Consultant (MBA)
Google corporation considers a great example that applying Maslow's Hierarch of needs, the human resources department in the company do a lot of actions to make the workplace like a second home for the employees, the professional employees in this occasion who studied psychology and organizational behavior create good conditions in the workplace, in Google corporation offices you will find comfortable places, places to take rest and nap, kitchen and plenty of food types and drinks, transportations, training and principles with ethics and respect, rewarding systems, club memberships, profit shares and promotions, retirement plans and social insurance, medical insurance, and annual paid vacations, all these conditions and more have a great impact on the behavior of employees which will appear in the work environment and profitability of the corporation. Through my browsing I found some information about the google work environment which we can say all of them comply with Maslow’s theory:
10 Reasons Why Google’s Company Culture Works
The Google company culture didn’t come into existence overnight. It took years of refinement and the efforts of both the company and its employees.
However, to summarize all of their efforts, here are 10 reasons why Google’s company culture works today.
The management can make use of the Maslow Hierarchy of needs theory to achieve the maximum satisfaction to its employees then they will be motivated enough to work and produce, so the general productivity and profitability of the company will increase. When you understand Maslow's hierarchy of needs, you can use it as a rubric to evaluate the environment and culture of your workplace. By working to help your employees meet their basic needs, you are making it possible for them to be motivated toward higher goals within the organization.
At the level of physiological needs, this can mean providing a comfortable and pleasant working environment for your workers. Incredibly, small things like keeping the thermostat a few degrees too low or providing uncomfortable chairs can damage employee motivation and productivity. By investing in creating an enjoyable and comfortable workspace, you can rest assured that your workers aren't spending their time focused on the wrong things.
When it comes to security needs, you can help provide precise descriptions of each job, be transparent about your organization's financial status and projections, and provide compensation and benefits that help your workers feel secure in their careers.
As you can imagine, a workplace that doesn't provide basic physiological or security needs will not be productive. You'll likely find that your workers are phoning it in most days, that is, if they aren't busy shopping for another job.
At the social needs level, you can work to cultivate a positive culture in the workplace and set up opportunities for employees to socialize outside of the workplace. You can also encourage workers to find a healthy balance between work and life, which can help avoid burnout and improve job satisfaction.
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You can also help your employees at the esteem needs level by providing opportunities to display their talents and skills in the workplace. Even small things, like giving each worker stationary with their name on it, can go a long way in boosting the employees' esteem and encouraging them to be motivated towards higher goals. Workers can also appreciate being included in decision-making processes and goal setting, as it helps them feel as though they are being recognized for their ideas and contributions.
Finally, at the self-actualization needs level, you will want to provide opportunities for your employees to fulfill their potential within your organization. This might be through providing career development opportunities, job rotation to increase exposure and experience, or opportunities to be innovative within the brand. Through supportive leadership, you can help encourage your workers to find their motivation to become the best they can be both in and out of the workplace.
When I applied the Maslow theory in my company, I found different results with productivity and so the profitability, but also, the loyalty of employees to the company, I can see how they become my army in fighting against any other competition in the market, by applying Maslow hierarch theory you can reach the concept of the family. A family which has the same direction, and attitude toward one goal.
According to Maslow’s theory, an employee begins by focusing on the lower order needs of physiology and security. A person that has just begun their career will be more concerned with physiological needs like stable income and security needs. Once these basic needs are met, the employee will now focus on social needs.
With these needs met, a worker will want to meet higher-level needs such as self-esteem needs. These needs are tied to the image of an employee and his desire for the respect and recognition of other coworkers. Even if the employee doesn’t desire to go into management, he likely doesn’t want to keep on doing the same task for 10 years. To make work more rewarding, carry out cross-training, job enrichment, and special assignments. Additionally, allow workers to get involved in decision-making. Managers should provide rewards to employees. Rewards need to be balanced to have the best effect.
This basic motivational tool is still important today, and as such, it can help business owners achieve their organizational goals, such as higher staff retention and more employee engagement. But they have to know how to apply it practically and constantly adapt to meet the changing needs of their employees. However, keep in mind that what motivates one employee may not necessarily motivate another.
hierarchy of needs theory: A content theory that proposes that people are motivated by five categories of needs—physiological, safety, belongingness, esteem, and self-actualization—that exist in a hierarchical order.
According to Maslow’s theory, low-order needs take priority—they must be satisfied before higher-order needs are activated.
The needs are satisfied in sequence:
Physiological needs come before safety needs, safety needs before social needs, and so on. A person desiring physical safety will devote his or her efforts to securing a safer environment and will not be concerned with esteem needs or self-actualization needs. Once a need is satisfied, it declines in importance and the next higher need is activated. A study of employees in the manufacturing department of a major healthcare company in the United Kingdom provides some support for Maslow’s theory. Most line workers emphasized that they worked at the company primarily because of the good pay, benefits, and job security. Thus, employees’ lower-level physiological and safety needs were being met. When questioned about their motivation, employees indicated the importance of positive social relationships with both peers and supervisors (belongingness needs) and a desire for greater respect and recognition from management (esteem needs). As a new manager, recognize that some people are motivated primarily to satisfy lower-level physiological and safety needs, while others want to satisfy higher-level needs.