Two-factor theory (Herzberg)

from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Factors that, according to Herzberg, influence attitudes towards work

The two-factor theory (also motivation-hygiene theory ) by Frederick Herzberg (1959) is a content theory on motivation , especially work motivation . Together with Maslow's hierarchy of needs , it is one of the best-known representatives of the content theories of motivation, the common feature of which is that they offer a classification of motivational goals.

As the name suggests, Herzberg distinguishes between two types of influencing variables. On the one hand there are factors related to the content of the work (motivators) and on the other hand factors related to the context of the work (hygiene factors). The content factors include e.g. B. Taking responsibility or gaining recognition; the contextual factors can be pay and external working conditions.

However, satisfaction and dissatisfaction do not represent the two extreme characteristics of a property, but are to be viewed as two independent properties. The "hygiene factors" (unsatisfied - not unsatisfied) and the "motivators" (not satisfied - satisfied) represent these two areas. According to the theory, both forms must be present in order to experience job satisfaction .

So satisfaction does not necessarily exist if there are no reasons for dissatisfaction.

Hygiene factors

Herzberg understands hygiene factors to mean those factors which, if positive, prevent the development of dissatisfaction, but do not contribute to or create satisfaction. Often these factors are not noticed or taken for granted. But if they are not there, this is perceived as a defect. The hygiene factors include in particular:

  • Remuneration and salary,
  • Personnel policy, management style
  • Working conditions including autonomy and support
  • interpersonal relationships with employees and superiors,
  • Job security and
  • Influence on private life.

The concept of the hygiene factor reveals the essential idea of ​​the theory. The factors of dissatisfaction should be removed from the human environment, as in medical hygiene health risks should be removed from the human environment in order to prevent diseases.

As an example, one can cite that dissatisfaction arises when cooperation with others does not work or the company structure appears “impossible”. In the event that all these extrinsic aspects are sufficiently well developed, however, there is no satisfaction, but a neutral state of experience, which is referred to as non-dissatisfaction (state: disinterest or indifference). Favorable hygiene factors do not make you happy, they “only” do not make you unhappy. This approach also explains why wages that are too low make you unhappy, but why you cannot increase the motivation and satisfaction of employees indefinitely with your wages.

Motivators

According to Herzberg, motivators influence the motivation for performance itself and come primarily from the work content . Motivators change satisfaction, but their lack does not necessarily lead to dissatisfaction. The focus here is on the pursuit of growth and complacency. The motivators include in particular

Interplay of the factors

The combination of hygiene factors and motivators creates four possible situations:

  • High hygiene and high motivation: The ideal situation in which employees are highly motivated and have few complaints.
  • High level of hygiene and low motivation: The employees hardly have any complaints, but are poorly motivated (mercenary mentality).
  • Poor hygiene and high motivation: The employees are motivated, but have many complaints. The job is exciting and challenging, but the working conditions are not so good.
  • Poor hygiene and low motivation: the worst situation. Unmotivated employees with a lot of complaints.

Some of the motivators can also act as hygiene factors, so they can be taken for granted. Conversely, hygiene factors can become more important and motivators if they have been absent for a longer period of time. The classification of individual factors in the group of hygiene factors or motivators depends in part on the specific situation and the experience of the individual and of society as a whole.

criticism

According to R. Büttner, the main criticism can be summarized as follows:

  • F. Herzberg's results were obtained using the critical events method and can generally only be replicated using this method. The results are therefore method-dependent.
  • The assumed (uni) causal effect of job satisfaction on job performance cannot be maintained empirically.
  • The strict separation of hygiene and motivational factors is empirically outdated.
  • The protection of self-worth as an alternative way of explaining Herzberg's results was not taken into account.
  • The emergence of job satisfaction has been trivialized too much.

Empirical studies have also shown that hygiene factors can lead to satisfaction and (missing) motivators to dissatisfaction (Semmer and Udris 2007). The inconclusive result on the “income” factor is due to the fact that the study did not break it down into the “amount of income” and the “regular and punctual payment of income”.

literature

  • Frederick Herzberg, Bernard Mausner, Barbara Bloch Snyderman: The Motivation to Work. 2nd Edition. Wiley, New York 1959.
  • Frederick Herzberg: One more time: how do you motivate employees? In: Harvard Business Review. 46, 1, 1968, pp. 53-62.
  • Oswald Neuberger: Work: Concept, design, motivation, satisfaction. Enke, Stuttgart 1985.
  • Eberhard Ulich: Industrial Psychology. 6th edition. Schäffer-Poeschel, Stuttgart 2005, pp. 203-207.

Web links

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ David G. Myers: Psychology. Springer, ISBN 3-540-21358-9 , p. 888.
  2. ↑ Content theories of motivation - definition in the Gabler Wirtschaftslexikon
  3. ↑ 1. Employee motivation: Motivate employees properly
  4. ↑ R. Buettner: Specific criticism of the 2-factor theory by F. Herzberg. McGraw-Hill Open Publishing, May 2010.
  5. ↑ David G. Myers: Psychology. Springer, ISBN 3-540-21358-9 , p. 889.