Need and Motivation
Maslow’s hierarchy of needs
Abraham Maslow suggests that a person is motivated by an
inner programme of needs rather than by external motives
such as rewards or punishments. When one of these sets of
needs is met we move onto the next. Maslow thought that once
a need is met it can no longer be a motivator. Human beings
have a characteristic of always desiring something so once
one need is fulfilled we automatically move onto the next, and
so on.
A sketch map of individual needs – which is useful for
managers when considering individuals – can be drawn from
Maslow’s hierarchy of needs (1954), but it must be borne in
mind that his theory does not fully appreciate individual differences
or that each person has a unique set of needs and values.
Maslow identified five motivating factors in his hierarchy of
1 Physiological needs (including hunger, thirst and sleep)
2 Safety needs (security and protection from danger)
3 Social needs (belonging, acceptance, social life, friendship
and love)
4 Self-esteem (self-respect, achievement, status and
recognition)
5 Self-actualisation (growth, accomplishment and personal
development).
However, points to bear in mind:
• Individuals do not necessarily move up the hierarchy on
the principle that a ‘satisfied need ceases to motivate’
although that can be the case. Just because the social needs
have been met doesn’t automatically mean that you move
on to the esteem needs.
• Different levels of needs can kick in at random points on
the scale toward the full satisfaction of all the needs. For
example, our physiological and security needs are more
basic and if we are threatened we would move down the
ladder to defend ourselves.
• Culture, age and other factors can affect the importance
of the different needs to different people, and at different
stages in their lives.
• The satisfying of some needs can be sacrificed in order to
try and satisfy higher level needs. For example, some people
would be willing to go without the more basic needs in
order to fulfil their needs for achievement and recognition.
MOTIVATION
• Each person will have individual differences and unique sets
of needs which will change at different stages of their lives.
Despite these points the hierarchy can still be useful to the leader
in considering each of the team members and their motivational
priorities.
needs:
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