Frederick Herzberg developed the Motivation-Hygiene Theory based on interviews about times employees felt exceptionally good or bad about their jobs. He identified two factors - motivators related to job content that promote motivation when present, and hygiene factors related to job context that improve satisfaction when addressed but do not motivate on their own. The theory provides a framework to understand employee motivation and propose programs balancing these factors for different generations and cultures.

1. Frederick Herzberg
Motivation-Hygiene Theory
Albert Winadi 19 October 2012
Eleonora Ellen UPH
Eric Setiawan
Meliana Lumban Raja
Rocky Novanda

2. 2
Frederick Herzberg
(18 April 1923 – 19 January 2000)
“Father of job enrichment principle”
WWII Nazi Dachau Concentration Camp witness, Germany
1946 Graduate, City College
1950 Ph.D., University of Pittsburgh
1951 Research Director, Psychological Services of Pittsburgh
1957 Professor of Psychology, Case Western Reserve
University, Cleveland
1972 Professor of Management, University of Utah
1968 publication on motivation:
1959 book release:
“One More Time,
“The Motivation to Work”
How Do You Motivate Employees?”
Focuses on a particular motivation theory
which based his future publications. 1.2 million reprints in 1987
Most requested article from Harvard Business Review

3. “The Motivation to Work” 1959
One question:
Motivation study
Interview
“ whenThinkfelt exceptionally
you
of the time
good, or exceptionally bad
about your job; either your
present job or any other
Accountants Engineers job you have had...
Pittsburgh
Tell me what happened. ”
Two unique sets of results
I like my job! I don’t like my job!
• Achievement • Company policy
• Recognition • Bad administration
• Nature of work • Incompetent supervisor
• Responsibility and advancement • Poor working condition

4. Two-factor motivation
Motivators
Job content
Promote
The absence of these conditions
doesn't necessarily dissatisfy. But
when present, they build strong levels
of motivation that result in good job
performance.
Hygiene factors
Job context
Improve
The presence of these conditions to the
satisfaction of the employee doesn't
necessarily motivate, but their
absence results in dissatisfaction.
Hygiene factors are merely a launch pad - when damaged or undermined
we have no platform, but in themselves they do not motivate.
The contrast is true for motivators.

5. How to implement Hygiene-Motivator?
Motivators
• Improve safety standards at
work
• Give more recognition or
• Offer flexibility in working
rewards for good performance
Improve
hours and location
• Offer opportunity to obtain
• Improve working environment
more experience and
knowledge
Promote (better air conditioning, water
dispenser, clean toilet)
• Give a sense of reliance for the
• Provide security via health
employee’s performance
benefits, etc.
• Give room for “improvisation”
Hygiene factors

6. This chart shows how motivator elements are commonly different with hygiene
factors, but in some cases one element can take both roles.

7. Implementation at different professions
LOW hygiene, HIGH motivator HIGH hygiene, HIGH motivator
HIGH
Coping with working condition for a purpose Intense, high-risk high-reward positions
• Artistic workers • Cutting edge research & development in hi-
• “LSM”, non-profit organization workers tech companies
• Volunteer workers • Marketing in highly rewarding companies
• Management trainee • Consultants
Motivators
LOW hygiene, LOW motivator HIGH hygiene, LOW motivator
Entry level or relatively undesirable jobs Focus on getting paycheck, not needing challenge
• Prison guards • Internal accountants
• Garbage man • Factory workers
• China Foxconn laborers that produce iPhone 5 • Security guards
• Tellers and cashiers
• State-owned employees
LOW
LOW Hygiene factors HIGH

8. In different
environments, it can
Strengths Weaknesses be difficult to
Distinguishes identify an element
motivators and as hygiene factor /
demotivators. motivator.
Ambiguity of
Two-factors
elements Small sample for
Highly customizable survey, i.e. 200
depending on Questionable professionals, white
industry, job Flexible male. Also uses
survey
position, country, etc questionable ”critical
. incident technique”
Simple Too “general”
Provides quick list of Tends to generalize
ready-to-use and disregard
elements. Also allows individual characters,
prioritization of e.g. Policies. Thus the
hygiene / motivators. weakness against
diverse environment.
Strengths and weaknesses

9. Implementation at country dimension
Geert – Hofstede cultural dimension approach
Power Malaysia High power distance can be viewed as a deterrent for
Distance unorthodox approaches, thus workers tend to aim for
Israel stability. As such, hygiene factors are preferred.
Individualism USA High individualism strongly suggest high sense of
achievement and self-reward. In this situation, both
Indonesia factors may take effect depending on economy.
Uncertainty Japan High uncertainty avoidance relates to safety and security,
Avoidance thus challenge is viewed negatively. As such, this trait
Singapore relates to hygiene factors more.
Masculinity Austria Masculinity symbolizes hard work, perfection and
achievement, even in adverse situations. As such, high
Sweden masculinity relates to motivators more.
Challenges
• Theory is difficult to be applied to diverse, multicultural countries.
• Various factors other than culture are also considerable, e.g. Economy, Politic stability, Nature.
• Commonly, there may be contrasting factors (e.g. Japan (UAI, MAS), Singapore (PDI,UAI)).

10. Hygiene-Motivator Motivation Program
for Generation X and Generation Y
Identify the Determine Hygiene- Propose motivation
characteristics Motivator balance program

11. Identify the characteristics Identify the
characteristics
Determine Hygiene-
Motivator balance
Propose motivation
program
Comparing Gen X and Gen Y
Traditionalist Boomer Gen X Gen Y
Too much Continuous &
Training The hard way Required to keep me
and I’ll leave expected
Collaborative &
Learning style Classroom Facilitated Independent
networked
Communication style Top down Guarded Hub & Spoke Collaborative
Problem-solving Hierarchical Horizontal Independent Collaborative
Decision-making Seeks Approval Team informed Team included Team decided
Command &
Leadership style Get out of the way Coach Partner
control
No news is good
Feedback Once per year Weekly / Daily On demand
news
Unable to work Unfathomable
Technology use Uncomfortable Unsure
without it if not provided
Part of my daily
Job changing Unwise Sets me back Necessary
routine
Lancaster, L.C. and Stillman, D. When Generations Collide: Who They Are. Why They Clash. How to Solve the Generational Puzzle at Work. Wheaton, IL. Harper Business, 2003.

12. Determine balance Identify the
characteristics
Determine Hygiene-
Motivator balance
Propose motivation
program
Hygiene factors - Motivators
Hygiene Motivators Hygiene Motivators
Freedom to Regular
work anywhere feedback
Unable to work Coaching
w/o technology opportunities
Seeks financial
Seeks challenge
stability
Generation X Generation Y

13. Propose motivation program Identify the
characteristics
Determine Hygiene-
Motivator balance
Propose motivation
program
Generation X and Generation Y
Gen X : Gen Y :
Communication
Team Building
Multitasking preferred
Training Opportunities Give them team
Establish clear expectations &
Flexible Work Schedule rewards
Help them grow and Learn
Increased Pay
Feedback
Increase promotional Flexibility
opportunities
Expect them to go

14. Q&A

15. APPENDICES

16. Sample study cases
• Tesco
Tesco aims to motivate its employees both by paying attention to hygiene
factors and by enabling motivators.
• Kellogg’s
Awareness of motivating factors helps Kellogg's to build a business that
delivers consistently strong results.
• ARM
ARM uses employee engagement as a key tool in motivation. This is a
satisfier as employees develop a genuine attachment to the teams in which
they work.