Companies such as Google or BCG are at the top of the list of the best companies to work for globally. Why is that? The answer lies in the motivation of their employees. This is closely related to the hierarchy of personal needs, or also known as the famous Maslow's Pyramid.
If you want to know what Maslow's Pyramid is and how it can influence the motivation of your company's employees, read on and we will tell you about it.
The field of business-oriented psychology has been very useful since the second half of the 20th century. During this period, interesting theories have been developed that have helped employees to find reasons to keep up their efforts and to get the most out of their work.
Maslow's Pyramid, or hierarchy of needs, is a theory proposed by Abraham Maslow. According to this theory, human needs are arranged in a hierarchical fashion, The basic needs must be met first.
And then progressively move upwards according to the degree of urgency for the individual's satisfaction and self-realisation.
This pyramid is divided into 5 levels that group human needs according to the urgency they represent when it comes to being satisfied.
They are the most basic needs that any human being needs to stay alive. They are vital for survival. These include the need for food, water, sleep and shelter.
These are the primary needs, so the rest of the needs that we find in the pyramid will not be possible in any case if these needs of the first level are not previously covered.
These kinds of needs are also necessary to live, even if they are at a different level than the primary ones. Physical security, income- and resource-generating capacity, as well as health, are some of the needs to be met at this second level.
According to Maslow, these needs only make sense once the needs of the previous levels have been met. Love, life in society, the sense of belonging to a social group or friendship are some examples of human needs that would be placed in this third level.
Self-esteem is a need that, as a human being, we will seek to fulfil. For this reason, the recognition within the community or the various social groups with which it interacts constitute another level of human needs according to Maslow's Pyramid.
If this is not the case, we will feel inferior to others and, therefore, we will not be fulfilling this level of need. Reputation, competence, independence and freedom are part of the needs we seek to fulfil at this level.
Finally, at the highest level, is the need for self-fulfilment. Understanding one's raison d'être is surely one of the most elusive needs.
This involves the development of the innermost needs, such as morality and the search for a mission in life. This is the highest level of needs, which can only be fully satisfied when the previous levels have been satisfied.
Once we know what Maslow's Pyramid is, we are in a position to apply it in our company with regard to our employees. Knowing and understanding the theory of needs will allow you to apply it in order to increase the motivation of your employees.
As explained, the different levels of the pyramid allow the individual to develop gradually until he or she reaches his or her maximum personal growth and development through the self-realisation of the fifth level. However, this last level can only be reached once the previous levels have been satisfied.
In this regard, it is essential that the company, as the source of income for the workers, offers a wage and benefits package to the workers. social benefits to ensure that the needs of the first levels of Maslow's Pyramid can be fully satisfied by employees.
Social needs (e.g. taking into account the working space and environment) as well as recognition and self-fulfilment needs (including the sphere of professional life as an essential element of these) also need to be taken into account.
This ensures that the company constitutes an element of growth for the employees, This, in addition to ensuring talent retention, will also allow the company itself to develop from a human and social perspective.
