Abraham Maslow Theory

In 1943, psychologist Abraham Maslow proposed the idea of a hierarchy of needs in a paper he wrote titled “A Theory of Human Motivation” in the Psychological Review. Maslow decided to extend the paper to include his ideas and findings about humans’ innate curiosity. The hierarchy of needs is set up as a pyramid to demonstrate that a person needs to fulfill the bottom parts of the pyramid first before moving up into the more complex ways of thinking. This model, although written over 70 years ago, still holds ideas that could improve the workplace today. Maslow included physiological, security, belongingness and love, esteem, and self- actualization needs. Maslow’s hierarchy of needs can help employees and managers to have a more positive outlook …show more content…
This includes feeling safe and secure both physically and mentally. Employees must feel safe in their workplace if they want to get tasks accomplished. They need to feel that they won’t get hurt while doing their job along with job security. Managers need to set strict boundaries and protocol so their workers are able to have a sense of security while they are at work. Safety also includes law and order. Each employee and manager is held to a high standard so the company follows the rules and laws of the overall company and the government regulations. When the employees feel safe in their own work environment, the workers are more inclined to work harder because they can concentrate on their work instead of worrying about other things. This allows the employees to get more work done because the work they are doing is at a better quality and is done faster. Safety is a key step to motivating employees and improving their work …show more content…
The esteem needs include the prestige and feeling of accomplishment. This may be the most important aspect that needs to be included in the workplace. It is important for the employees of the company to goals that they set themselves and have the opportunities to reach those goals. If an employee has no goal they want to reach or no ambition to reach a certain level, they won’t be motivated to improve. Each employee should also be recognized when they accomplish the goals they have set. It is important to recognize the accomplishments because it shows the employees that reaching their goals result in something good. Managers must reward the employees for doing their work in a timely and efficient matter. By employees setting goals and managers recognizing when they are accomplished, employees will be more motivated to do their work well and up to standards which will result in a more positive work environment for everyone