Maslow's Theory of Motivation

Introduction

The productivity of the workforce is the prime concern. Motivation theories help in understanding employee performance. Maslow used individuals needs to explain the motivation of people for doing something. He put those needs in the hierarchy.

Theory

Maslow's suggests that the needs of the individual moves sequentially as physiological, safety, social, esteem, and self-actualization. People have all these needs at different stages of life. Organizations can identify where individuals lie on the hierarchy and design the motivation strategies. It can assure the maximum productivity of individual and expected organizational output.

Criticism

1. There is no defined hierarchy of the needs.

2. Sometimes people are not even aware of their own needs.

3. Even if people are aware of their needs, it is difficult to measure it.

4. People strive of self-actualization even lower-order needs are not achieved.

5. There is no direct correlation between need, motivation, behavior and organizational output.