Importance of Hierarchy of Needs to Management

Motivation is a process that start, guides and keeps the goal-oriented behavior of a person. Motivation is what causes us to do something and it is because of a reason behind our action like getting a glass of juice to cut thirst. And motivation is very important in handling a person especially in the field of management. Motivation drives an employee to show his or her full potential on a certain job. However before you can motivate that person, it is very important also to know the basic, especially his or her needs. But what are these needs?



That is why, Abraham Maslow, a renowned psychologist created an order that will show the needs of a person on hierarchy set-up. This concept was introduced by him on the year 1943 on his paper “A Theory of Human Motivation” and later on his book “Motivation and Personality”. On this hierarchy, it suggests that people are motivated to accomplish something especially the basic needs before moving to the next stage.

The following are the needs according to Abraham Maslow.

1. Basic Needs or Physiological needs

This is the basic needs of a person and the first and very important need among the others. This is the foundation of all the needs, because it includes the things that a person should have in order to survive. These are water, air, food, sleep, health and clothing.

2. Safety and Security Needs

On this stage, a person will seek security for his or her self after fulfilling the first type of needs. It is the time where a person find a place or make his life safe from inside or outside threats whether it’s physical or emotional. Therefore some people will find a safe place to live or looking for a shelter, will find a stable job, will get health insurance and other types of insurances.

3. Social or Belonging Needs

It is the stage where a person will seek love and affection towards the others. This is the time that a person will creates relationships like friendship, romantic bond, companionship which will be fulfilled by the family and creates involvement to the community, creates social interaction and even on religious sects.

4. Esteem Needs

After completing the first three stages, esteem needs will be the fourth and also important to a person in order to develop his or her self. There are two classifications of esteem, the internal and the external esteem. Internal esteem is related to self-respect and achievement. While external esteem refers to the social status and the recognition by either a community or an institution. So in total, esteem needs includes self-respect, achievements either on work or on school, attention given to the person, social recognition, reputation and accomplishment.

5. Self-actualizing/ self-actualization needs

This is the final stage of needs. On this stage, a person will undergo self-actualization and will become more aware on his or her self, concerned with personal development, less concerned with the notion of others and interested on fulfilling their potential or potency.

Importance to Management
Maslow’s hierarchy of needs has an implication to a company or on managing a group of person because using this, you can provide the following:

Physiological needs: you can provide breaks like lunch, and recess and wages that helps your people buy their needs.

Safety needs: create a safe office environment on your company or establishment, gives benefits like health, life, etc. and regularization of the employees.

Social Needs: create a team-based project or even make a special program or adhoc committee that will organize sports fest every company’s foundation day.

Esteem needs: recognize the efforts of you employees by giving them incentives or awards. And even by just telling them “good job” or “job well done”.

Self-actualization: help your employees by providing wisdom, challenges and seminars that will help them to reach them their full potential.


But you must consider that not all the employees you had has the same mindset. As the manager or the leader, you should be observant and has enough knowledge about the attitude or behavior of each of your employees.

References:
Smashing Magazine, Net MBA and About