Motivation

Maslow's Theory

There is a general consensus that motivation is an internal state or condition—sometimes described as a need or desire—that serves to activate or energize behavior and give it direction. One of the most influential authors in the area of motivation is Abraham Maslow, who attempted to synthesize a large body of research related to the topic. Prior to Maslow, researchers generally focused separately on factors such as biology, achievement, or power to explain what energizes, directs, and sustains human behavior. Maslow posited a hierarchy or pyramid of human needs divided into five levels. At the bottom of the pyramid is the physiological level, which includes food, water, and shelter—the most basic needs for human survival. The premise is that unless an individual's basic needs have been met, higher levels in the pyramid are of no relevance as survival is the most basic human component. When the basic survival needs have been met, the individual aspires to the next level seeking safety, including freedom from anxiety and stress. Stress, unfortunately, appears to be a constant in our culture. Although anxiety and stress may be a constant, one needs to look at these elements on an individual basis and on a continuum from moderate to extreme. Once the stress level has been moderated, or is acceptable, for the individual and basic safety conditions have been met, the individual would then look to the third stage, which is identified as the social level. This level includes the need for belongingness, friendship, and love. Having obtained relationship/belongingness security, it is possible to look to the fourth level, self-esteem. In this arena, the individual seeks to feel competent, confident, and self-assured. Finally, having accomplished the needs on all four levels, the individual is able to pursue self-actualization— or to “be all that one can be.”

Maslow's hierarchy of needs model provides a means for motivating employees in a rapidly changing healthcare industry. In a work setting, the first basic level that must be satisfied for an employee to be motivated is that of wages. Maslow posited that basic survival needs can be fulfilled with wages because money is an equivalent to shelter, food, water, heat, clothing, and so forth. Once the survival needs are covered in the form of adequate wages, the individual seeks safety on the job. This [Page 793]includes not only physical, but also mental, safety, implying a decrease in anxiety. Training plays an important role at this level because the worker consciously and subconsciously relates training to safety. When the terms for safety on the job have been met, individuals aspire to satisfy the third level: social belongingness in the workplace. We seek pleasant working relationships with coworkers, peers, and others; it is important to us to find our place in formal and informal work groups. The social needs wax and wane on the strength of our personal relationships and our participation with others in the organization. Training provides the individual with additional opportunities to meet people in the work environment, to discover others with the same interests or job responsibilities, and to establish new lines of communication. The fourth level, self-esteem in the organization, is generally based on the individual's successful performance appraisals, incentives, rewards received, and recognitions obtained—which all are related to self-confidence. To enhance self-esteem, training provides a possible source to feel and actually be more productive and confident in the work environment. In turn, as the individual's confidence level grows, there is greater opportunity to obtain rewards, recognition, and positive performance appraisals. Finally, training allows the individual to move toward self-actualization; to develop one's potential, to learn new things, to take risks, and to feel even more confident in what one does.

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