Maslow's Hierarchy of needs

Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs

The Psychologist Abraham Maslow developed a theory that suggests we, humans, are motivated to satisfy five basic needs. These needs are arranged in a hierarchy, Maslow suggests that we seek first to satisfy the lowest level of needs, once this is done, we seek to satisfy each higher level of need until we have satisfied all five needs.

The Hierarchy of Needs is as follows;

1.       Physiological needs

2.       Security/safety needs

3.       Love/belongingness needs

4.       Esteem needs

5.       Self-actualization needs

In practical application of this five hierarchy of needs. I related this to the life of an employee.

An employee’s beginning emphasis on the lower order needs of physiology and security makes sense.

Generally, a person beginning their career will be very concerned with physiological needs such as adequate wages and stable income and security needs such as benefits and a safe work environment. As an employee they all want a good salary  to meet the needs of our family and we want to work in a safety environment. After that the employee will want his “belongingness”  needs met. This level of social interaction an employee desires will vary based on whether the employees is an introvert or extrovert .the point there is that employees desire to work in an environment where they are accepted in an organization and have some interaction with others.

When that first three needs are satisfied, an employee will want his higher level needs of esteem  and self-actualization. Esteem needs are tied to an employee’s image of himself and his desire for the    and recognition of others.  Meaning job tithe is one of the important to an employee’s esteem.

With self-actualization , the employee will be interested in growth and individual development. He may want a challenging job to get an opportunity to complete further education.

 At this highest level an employee want to do more and to know more of his capacity an example of this is a promotion, where an employee can meet his own actualization needs.

The basic idea of Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs is that our needs are constantly changing. As one need is met we desire other needs.

End!!!