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14-4 Human Relations [CH 14

How Needs Motivate People
The Hawthorne studies revolutionized management's approach to direction and
employee motivation. Before the Hawthorne investigation, most organizations had
used money as the primary means of motivating workers. The importance of the
need Hawthorne findings lies not in denying the effect of money as a motivator, but in
Lack of something useful;
discrepancy between a emphasizing the presence of a number of other sources of employee motivation.
desired state and the actual Each individual is motivated to take action designed to satisfy needs. A need is
state. simply the lacking something useful. It reflects a gap between an individual's actual
state and their desired state. A motive is the inner state that directs the individual
motive
Inner state that directs toward the goal of satisfying a felt need. The individual is moved (the root word for
individuals toward the goal motive) to act to reduce a state of tension and return to a condition of status.
of satisfying a felt need. Consider the relationship between needs and motives in this example: For the
student who has attended classes or worked until 1 p.m., they may need food. The lack

of lunch is reflected in the motive hunger. A short walk to a nearby lunch counter
results in the purchase and consumption of the $7.59 special— a hamburger, French
fries, and choice of beverage. By 1:30, the individual's need for food has been satisfied
and they are ready for the 2 o'clock class. This process is depicted in Figure 14.1.

The Needs Hierarchy
Psychologist Abraham H. Maslow developed a widely accepted list of human
needs based on these important assumptions:

• People want everything and their needs depend on what they already possess.
• A satisfied need is not a motivator; only those needs that have not been

satisfied can influence behavior.
• People's needs are arranged in a hierarchy of importance. Once one need has
been at least partially satisfied, another emerges and demands satisfaction.

Figure 14.2 depicts the hierarchy of needs with the levels arranged in order of
importance to the individual. Priority is assigned to the basic physiological needs.

Physiological Needs
physiological needs
Primary human needs for Physiological needs are the primary needs for food, shelter, and clothing. They are
food, shelter, and clothing present in all people and must be satisfied before higher-order needs can be
that must be satisfied before considered. A hungry person is possessed by the need to obtain food; other needs are
higher-order needs can be
considered. ignored. Once the need to eat is partially satisfied, other needs enter the picture. Since
most families today can afford to satisfy their basic needs, the higher-order needs are
likely to play a greater role in worker motivation.

safety needs Safety Needs
Second level of human
needs including job The second-level safety needs include job security, protection from physical harm,
security, protection from and avoidance of the unexpected. Gratification of these needs for employees may take
physical harm, and such forms as guaranteed annual wages, life insurance, the purchase of radial tires,
avoidance of the observing job safety rules, or membership in the company health club.
unexpected.
Social Needs

social (belongingness) Satisfaction of physiological and safety needs leads to consideration of social
needs needs (also known as the need to belong or a belongingness needs)—the desire to be
Desire to be accepted by accepted by members of the family and other individuals and groups. A person may be
members of the family,
other individuals, and motivated to join various groups at the work, at their church or synagogue, or other
groups. service organization such as Kiwanis, Rotary or The Elks. factory and conform to the
standards established and accepted by the informal organization in order to fulfill
social needs.
esteem needs
Desire for accomplishment, Esteem Needs
a feeling of achievement,
and the respect of others. The higher-order esteem needs are more difficult to satisfy. These are the needs to
feel a sense of accomplishment, achievement, and respect from others. The
competitive need to excel—to better the performance of others—is an almost universal
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