03. Herzberg – Two factor theory

Kurt (2021) defines that Herzberg’s two-factor theory outlines that humans are motivated by two things: motivators and hygiene factors. Motivators encourage job satisfaction and hygiene factors prevent job dissatisfaction.

According to Herzberg cited in Ruthankoon, R. and Ogunlana, S.O., (2003.), motivation factors are the six ``job content'' factors that include achievement, recognition, work itself, responsibility, advancement, and possibility of growth. Hygiene factors are ``job context'' factors, which include company policy, supervision, relationship with supervisors, work conditions, relationship with peers, salary, personal life, relationship with subordinates, status, and job security.

Figure-1

(Source: Schermerhorn, et al., 2011)

Motivator Factors:

According to Herzberg cited in Nickerson.C (2021), these motivators are intrinsic to the job and lead to job satisfaction because they satisfy needs for growth and self-actualization.

According to Alshmemri, M., Shahwan-Akl, L. and Maude, P., (2017);

1.  Achievement: Positive achievement includes achieving a specific success, such as completing a difficult task on time, solving a job-related problem, or seeing positive results from one’s work. Negative achievement includes failure to make progress at work or poor job related decision making.

2.     Recognition: Positive recognition happens when employees receive praise or rewards for reaching specific goals at their job, or when they produce high quality work. While negative recognition at work includes criticism.

3.     Responsibility: This factor includes both responsibility and authority in relation to the job. Responsibility is related to gaining satisfaction from being given the responsibility and freedom to make decisions. Gaps between responsibility and authority negatively impact job satisfaction leading to dissatisfaction.

4.     The work itself: The actual content of job tasks and assignments has either a positive or a negative effect upon employees. Whether the job is too easy or too difficult, interesting or boring, can impact satisfaction or dissatisfaction of employees in the workplace.

5.   Advancement: Advancement is defined as the upward and positive status or position of the person or employee in the workplace. A negative or neutral status at work is considered negative advancement.

6.     Possibility for growth: Possibilities for growth are the actual opportunities for a person to experience personal growth and be promoted in the workplace. This allows for professional growth, increased chances to learn new skills, undergo training in new techniques and gaining new professional knowledge. 

Hygiene Factors

Hygiene factors are extrinsic to the job, and function in “the need to avoid unpleasantness” (Herzberg cited in Nickerson.C (2021).

According to Alshmemri, M., Shahwan-Akl, L. and Maude, P., (2017);

1.   Company policies and administration: This includes descriptions of adequate or inadequate company organization and management policies and guidelines. This factor involves good or poor organizational policies that affect the employee. For example, they may include a lack of delegation of authority, poor policies and procedures and poor communication.

2.       Working conditions: These factors involve the physical surroundings of the job, and whether there are good or poor facilities. Working conditions may include the amount of work, space, ventilation, tools, temperature and safety. A good environment, as opposed to a poor environment, makes employees satisfied and proud.

3.       Supervision: Supervision is associated with the competence or incompetence, and fairness or unfairness of the supervisor or supervision. This includes the supervisor’s willingness to delegate responsibility or to teach, fairness and job knowledge. A good supervisor, or access to supervision, is important to enhance the employee’s level of job satisfaction. Poor leadership or management may decrease the level of job satisfaction in the workplace.

4.       Salary: This includes all forms of compensation at one’s place of work, such as wage or salary increases, or unfulfilled expectations of wage or salary increases or decrease. Hospital policies should be clear regarding salary increases and bonuses in the workplace.

5.       Interpersonal relations: These relationships are limited to the personal and working relationships between the worker and her/his superiors, subordinates and peers. This includes job-related interactions and social discussions in the work environment and during break times.

According to Herzberg cited in Dartey-Baah, K. and Amoako, G.K., (2011), managers need to eliminate the dissatisfaction by doing the following;

v Fix poor and obstructive company policies.
v Provide effective, supportive and non-intrusive supervision.
v Create and support the culture of respect and dignity for all team members.
v Ensure that wages and salaries are competitive.
v Provide job security.
v Build job status by providing meaningful work for all positions.

·       Poor hygiene factors can cause job dissatisfaction, while better hygiene factors can reduce dissatisfaction but cannot cause job satisfaction (Herzberg et al. cited in Alshmemri 2017).

Motivation factors included achievement, recognition, the work itself, responsibility, advancement and the possibility for growth (Herzberg,1966; Herzberg, 2003 cited in Alshmemri 2017).

List of references:

1. Alshmemri, M., Shahwan-Akl, L. and Maude, P., (2017). Herzberg’s two-factor theory. Life Science Journal, 14(5), pp.12-16.
2. Dartey-Baah, K. and Amoako, G.K., (2011). Application of Frederick Herzberg’s Two-Factor theory in assessing and understanding employee motivation at work: a Ghanaian Perspective. European Journal of Business and Management, 3(9), pp.1-8.
3. Herzberg, F., Mausner, B., & Snydermann B.(1959). The motivation to work. New York: Wiley.
4. Herzberg, F.I. (1987), “One more time: How do you motivate employees?”, Harvard Business Review,Sep/Oct. 87, Vol. 65 Issue 5, p109-120.
5. Herzberg, F. I. (1966). Work and the Nature of Man.
6. Herzberg, F.I. (1968), ``One more time: how do you motivate employees?'',Harvard Business Review,January-February, Vol. 46, pp. 53-62.
7.  Kurt.S (2021), Herzberg’s Motivation-Hygiene Theory: Two-factor. Available from: https://educationlibrary.org/herzbergs-motivation-hygiene-theory-two-factor/. (Accessed on 27^th April 2022).
8. Nickerson.C (2021), Herzberg’s Motivation Two-Factor Theory. Available from: https://www.simplypsychology.org/herzbergs-two-factor-theory.html (Accessed on: 27th April 2022).
9. Ruthankoon, R. and Ogunlana, S.O., (2003). Testing Herzberg’s two‐factor theory in the Thai construction industry. Engineering, Construction and Architectural Management.