Herzberg's Two Factor Theory

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Two factor theory’ by Herzberg
As per this theory, certain characteristics of an organization can be consistently related to job satisfaction, while other attributes can be attributed to job dissatisfaction. These important factors are called as motivators and hygiene factors, respectively.
Motivators
These are those factors, whose presence motivates an employee to put in his best efforts. The absence of these factors does not provide any specific dissatisfaction, rather it curbs motivation amongst the employees. Motivators includes factors like, growth, achievement, responsibility,nature of work, etc. (Shipley, 2005).
Hygiene factors
These are those factors which can eliminate dissatisfaction, but cannot act as motivating agents themselves. …show more content…

However, this theory might not be sufficient enough to explain the employee behavior at Google. The theory assumes that there is a strong correlation between employee loyalty and job satisfaction, which might not always be true. It is more of a generalization and is not applicable for all kinds of employees (Jones, 2006). The findings of Herzberg are based on his interviews with engineers and accountants, and may not be equally applicable to all (Tietjien, 2006). For example: More talented employees, might not be much interested in job enrichment or increased pay, rather, they would have higher preference for independence and task flexibility. In such a case, motivators and hygiene factors might not be sufficient to retain …show more content…

Morale has to do more with feelings. When morale is high, employees approach their work with willingness, enthusiasm and energy (Gartenstein, 2012). Motivation, on the other hand refers to an employee’s drive to get his job done. High motivation does not ensure high morale. High motivation can come because of several reasons like fear of negative outcomes, excessive desire for rewards, competitive mindset, etc. Although, a highly motivated employee may produce great outcomes, it would be difficult to retain him, if his morale is not kept high. One approach which Google could have adopted would have been to, make morale and motivation work

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