Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs - Essay Example

 Hierarchy of Needs Introduction With the developing world the businesses all over the world have also developed. New strategies and methods are being sought by these businesses so as to satisfy their employees and consumers both. Such a strategy was designed by Maslow which is being used by many organizations all over the world to satisfy their employees. This theory by Maslow was given in 1943 and was known as the ‘hierarchy of -needs’. It gave a general overview about the needs and wants of the individuals living in the world and how these needs and wants change through different set-ups. This essay would further describe the Hierarchy of needs and would tell as to how the theory is relevant when it comes to use in organizations (Institute of Management 1998). Hierarchy of Needs General Information Hierarchy of needs is a theory which can be implemented into practice in organizations because of the context in which it was written. It tells the employers about the human nature and how necessary it is to fulfill the requirements of these individuals in order to attain high performance. The hierarchy of needs is divided into five major representations by Maslow. These needs are basically formatted into a pyramid which shows how they are important. In basic terminology this hierarchy of needs is divided into physiological, safety, love and belongingness, esteem, and self actualization (Institute of Management 1998; Viles 2008). Following is the list that provides the overview of Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs: Self-actualization (personal growth and fulfillment) Esteem needs (Achievement, status, responsibility, reputation). Belongingness and love needs (Family, affection, relationships, work group etc.). Safety needs (Protection, security, order law, limits, stability, etc.) It can be derived from the above list that the biological needs are the first ones which need to be fulfilled. Biological needs are the basic necessities of life without which a person cannot survive. Breathing, shelter and biological factors such as homeostasis can be counted in these needs. All these factors are necessary for an individual to survive. If this need is fulfilled then the next human need is of safety. Safety is described in different contexts by Maslow as in the general world this safety implies to be something which is related to justice and freedom whereas in a work environment this safety means the safety of job. In a work environment this safety can also mean the incentives provided for the safety of an individual by the employer when the employee is in need of help. In general it is all what a human may need after his basic needs of survival are fulfilled. After the human needs of safety are fulfilled Maslow states that humans usually run for love and belongingness. By love and belongingness here he means that humans need affection from their fellow members of the society so that they feel secure in the society. During work this love implies the understanding between co-workers and an employee-employer relationship. According to him a human should always feel that he is being trusted in the environment in which he works or he would deviate from his responsibilities. After that the factor of Esteem comes as laid down by Maslow in the list. Self Esteem constitutes a major part of the personality of an individual and it is necessary for an individual to feel that he is being respected in the society he lives. If he feels the other way then it is likely that the individual also starts to disrespect the society. In a work environment it is meant that the employee feels that he is being respected by his colleagues and he is being rewarded for whatever he is achieving in work. Lastly Maslow emphasizes on the broad concept of self-actualization which every human being requires. Maslow states that in order to reach this mode of self actualization it is necessary that he achieves all the previous needs and knows how to manage them. It is then that the individual would know his worth and would then act as per his personality. He would then know as to what he really requires and give his full potential to whatever he can do with his life. This is the final step in the realization of the potential that one possesses and Maslow notes that if one has achieved this level then it is possible that he would become very successful in life (Stum 2001; Miles 2008; Institute of Management 1998). Organizational Contexts of the Hierarchy of Needs It is known that Maslow’s hierarchy of needs is not only limited to real life situations but also extends to job experiences. It is widely being used by different companies to provide the employees with the perfect job experience so that they can perform at their highest level. It is the duty of the employer to see as to if the employee is being provided with his basic rights or not as it would affect majorly the performance of the employees. Similarly if an employee is not provided with job security then it is quite possible that he would not be working to his highest of standards. Thus it is necessary that both the basic needs of survival and safety are provided to the employees by the employers (Miles 2008). Similarly the employers should manage the workplace in such a way that a friendly environment is established. The co-workers getting along with each other is a strong sign of a friendly environment and this would help to boost up the morale of the employees. Similarly the employers should also develop a relationship with their employees so that these employees do not feel isolated or so in their environment. Again if these employees do not feel safe and wanted in their work environment then it is quite possible that the workers would not perform to their highest of level. The employers should also follow the guidelines given by Maslow to build an environment in which the employee builds up his self esteem. He should be friendly with all his employees and should regularly update them with their reports of performance. It is the duty of an employer to motivate his workers so that they feel comfortable at work and try even harder to perform at work. The employer should reward his/her workers so that the workers are aware about their known respect and prestige in the company. This would all help to build up towards the morale of the employee. And finally after all these needs are met the employee may enter the area of self actualization in which he can realize his own worth and perform even better. If an employee enters this stage he can be really beneficial to an employer as he would be at his best in performance. All these factors together help the leaders to build up an excellent organizational framework (Institute of Management 1998; Stum 2001). Companies which follow the Hierarchy of Needs In reality many firms are following the framework laid down by Maslow and two of the most renowned companies which are using it are Siemens and Royal Bank of Scotland (RBS). RBS is known for its policies of corporate social responsibilities and is one of the best followers of the hierarchy of needs. It believes that employees should be provided with basic needs so that they can perform well. RBS shares certain features about the company to make the employees feel as if they are home. They share their vision and goals with the employees so that the employees almost never feel strange in the work environment. Esteem is also recognized by RBS as it provides employees with opportunities and reward regularly. The logo of RBS is to ‘make it happen’ and this is targeted for the employees to tell them that their work would be rewarded righteously. By righteously providing all these needs the employees can achieve the level of self actualization where they can improve their performance with RBS even more (Royal Bank of Scotland Group 2004; Royal Bank of Scotland 1997). Similarly Siemens is also following a great deal of the Hierarchy of Needs. Siemens makes sure that the employees are getting the right benefits for the right thing. They provide their skilled workers and engineers with the right packages and benefits which can help to boost up their morale and self esteem. They recognize the value of an employee in their company and reward them accordingly which can again enhance the performance of an employee. His self-esteem can be built by either promoting him or working with him in collaboration to provide him with more opportunities when it comes to Siemens. It provides great opportunities for employees to recognize their inner self or leads to the concept of self-actualization. Siemens usually sets up programs for their employees which are career oriented and which may solely rely on a single employee based on his performance. This may help the employees to realize their talent which they can greatly enhance after experiencing it in real. In simple words Siemens is following the high orders of the hierarchy of needs perfectly so as to enhance the performance of the workers properly (Eberl et al 2007). Conclusion Hierarchy of Needs is a broad concept laid down by Maslow and has undergone several changes since it became known. It is now being used by a number of organizations or companies to build a relatively strong employee base with strong corporate social responsibilities. In other words it is providing a framework to many organizations through which they can benefit. Bibliography Top of Form Institute of Management (Great Britain). Abraham Maslow: The Hierarchy of Needs. The management thinkers. Corby: Institute of Management Foundation, 1998. Top of Form Vich, Miles. "Maslow's Leadership Legacy." Journal of Humanistic Psychology. 48. 4 (2008): 444-445. Top of Form Stum, David L. "Maslow Revisited: Building the Employee Commitment Pyramid." Strategy and Leadership. 29. 4 (2001): 4-9. Top of Form Eberl, Ulrich, and Jörg U. Puma. Innovative Minds: A Look Inside Siemens' Idea Machine. Erlangen: Publicis Corp. Publ, 2007. Top of Form Royal Bank of Scotland Group. Wealth Creation in Scotland: A Study of Scotland's Top 100 Companies. Edinburgh: Royal Bank of Scotland Group, 2004. Bottom of Form Top of Form Royal Bank of Scotland. The Royal Bank of Scotland: A History. Edinburgh: Royal Bank of Scotland, 1997. Bottom of Form Bottom of Form Bottom of Form Bottom of Form Bottom of Form Read More