A post on LinkedIn from my good friend, Lee Smith, inspired me to write this blog…
In his post Lee talks about the fact that many employees, including line managers, are in a bad place right now. Overwhelmed by the cost of living crisis, rail and other strike action, chaos in the NHS and so much more. And he makes the point that ‘hygiene factors’ are more important than ever right now.
So I thought this was a good time to share Hetzbergs ‘Hygiene – Motivators’ factors model:
Although this model comes in for criticism, and has been replaced by newer theories of motivation, I still think it is really useful when considering the employee experience. Sometimes referred to as the ‘two-factor’ model, Hertzberg first developed his model in 1959, and in summary, it makes the distinction between hygiene factors and motivators, as seen in above.
Hygiene factors are those elements of a job, or indeed your experience at work, which are necessary foundations for satisfaction. Examples of hygiene factors include pay, physical working environment, and fringe benefits perceived to be part of the job you do. The absence of hygiene factors is linked to dissatisfaction at work, but the inclusion of hygiene factors tends to result in satisfaction.
But this is not the same as being motivated at work, hygiene factors do not motivate. Motivation factors are much more innate, including elements such as achievement, growth, responsibility and meaning.
It’s no surprise that motivation factors are those we hear about when people share their best experience stories. It is these motivation factors which illicit a positive emotion and are the foundation for positive experiences and engagement.
It is of course possible to be motivated at work, but dissatisfied – although probably not for long!
Hygiene factors matter; ignore them at your peril. Companies of course should ensure employees get paid the right amount and on time, work in a physical environment which is right for their job and much more.
The current unrest we’re witnessing amongst employees, resulting in strikes, is a result of ignoring the hygiene factors for too long. And without the hygiene factors in place, trying to design experiences that deliver engagement will be impossible.
It seems it’s time to get back to basics and ensure the hygiene factors are in place so that we can then focus on the things that enable employees to thrive at work.
As ever we would love to hear your thoughts on these ideas, so either leave a comment below, or drop us a line and tell us what you think.
