What is the Maslow Hierarchy of Needs Model?
This model lists down the five levels of needs that any employee desires. It is called a hierarchy because a person can only move to the next level after fulfilling the requirements of the current level.
According to Maslow, physiological needs (a steady and sufficient income to pay for basic necessities, for instance) are the most basic, and therefore represent the lowest level of this hierarchy. In other words, without fulfilling an employee’s physiological needs, you cannot fulfill any of the others.
In this blog, Aron Govil will discuss Maslow’s five levels of needs, and how an employer can fulfill each of those.
How to Use the Maslow Hierarchy of Needs Model as per Aron Govil:
Aron Govil Discusses Physiological Needs:
Maslow understood that people first need to fulfill their basic survival needs before they can move on to other levels. For instance, if an employee is unable to afford food, water, clothing, and shelter, they are unlikely to be able to think about acquiring new skills or socializing at work.
Besides paying a salary that helps employees fulfill these fundamental demands, giving basic workplace facilities (such as clean water, snacks, and restrooms) is also part of the physiological needs category.
Aron Govil Discusses Safety Needs:
Once an employee feels that their basic needs are being met, they will move on to the next level – safety needs.
Every single one of us worries about their own safety as well as the safety of their loved ones. At the workplace, an employee should feel that their physical, emotional, and mental safeties are not compromised.
Hence, according to Aron Govil, giving adequate safety to your employees can range from providing lockers and ergonomic furniture, to having a bully- and harassment-free environment. It also involves making sure that employees feel secure about their job and do not have to wonder if their current day at work is going to be their last.
Aron Govil Discusses Social Needs:
The third level of needs in Maslow’s hierarchy deals with acceptance, companionships, friendships, and love. Being an employer, you should strive to create a work environment that facilitates and encourages interaction between your employees.
Aron Govil recommends conducting networking sessions either before or after the working hours. You could also introduce a ‘happy hour’ (and it need not have anything to do with pubs or drinks). Celebrating anniversaries and birthdays is also an excellent way to develop bonds and relationships within the workplace.
Aron Govil Discusses Esteem Needs:
The fourth level of the hierarchy has to do with personal ego; receiving recognition, feeling accomplished, and self-respect are all part of the esteem needs category. Workers want to be appreciated by people that work above and alongside them.
To ensure that your employees’ esteem needs are met, you should create a work culture where accomplishments are recognized and celebrated. Other than that, you can also create employee-rewards so that, alongside the broader business objectives, workers have their own sets of goals to work towards.
Aron Govil Discusses Self-Actualization Needs:
Self-actualization is the peak of Maslow’s hierarchy, and can only be reached once all the levels above it have been successfully conquered. Self-actualization has to do with helping your employees maximize their potential and become the very best that they can be.
According to Aron Govil, a few ways that this need can be achieved are: conducting regular talent-planning discussions among managers and HR, having career-related meetings with employees, and offering programs like fast-track management.
Bosses should understand and anticipate their employees’ abilities and help them advance their professional careers without forcing them into unsuitable roles.
Final Word:
Even though Maslow’s developed his ‘hierarchy of needs’ in 1943, the framework is still as relevant as ever. You can use this tool to achieve your HR and management goals, such as greater employee engagement and staff retention. The key is to be able to apply the model according to the changing needs of the employees, and to understand that different employees might be motivated by different things.