Why Maslow? Why Now?
One of the things we love about showing clients People Gauge for the first time is their fascination around Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs. It’s great seeing that eureka moment when they are able to clearly see the link between their People Gauge results and the fundamental principles of Maslow!
So, why Maslow?
Well, and please excuse us if we’re already preaching to the converted, Maslow’s theory was based on the premise that that human beings need to meet basic needs such as safety, belonging and security in order for them to realise their own personal development and growth.
These principles are no different in the world of work. Employers really do have a responsibility to provide a workplace environment that encourages and enables employees to fulfil their own unique potential – why would we not want to do that?
By ensuring that organisations meet the needs of their employees, they are able to ensure that those same employees are effectively motivated to give of their very best.
Our People Gauge Pyramid simply transposes the theory of Maslow’s ‘Hierarchy of Needs’ across into a work context.
Why Now?
Meeting the basic needs of your people, and then developing them further, enables everyone to flourish. And if they don’t flourish – if they’re not engaged – then they’re not productive and your business suffers.
Maslow’s theory is so relevant in today’s business environment.
At a very basic level, the ‘Physiological’ level, people need to know what is expected of them, they need to feel confident that they have the ability and the skill to then do what is expected of them and they need to have the time to then deliver. (that’s the big slice at the bottom of our pyramid).
‘Safety’ in this context is all about people knowing that they can rely on and trust their line manager, that they will believe they are treated fairly and that they are trained and reviewed on a regular basis so that they know how they are doing.
Attracting talent is one thing, but when retaining your best people comes into play, it’s the sense of ‘Belonging’ that can make the difference. This often comes down to the team interactions and direct working relationships – the camaraderie amongst peers.
‘Esteem’ comes next – ensuring people are recognised for the work they do and the effort they put in is really important. Such a massive area for impact but often over looked.
And then there is ‘Self-Actualisation’ – this is the area all about how personally challenged your people feel. That they are being developed and that they actually love working for you
So What?
The way in which your people respond to all five levels combine to indicate how engaged they are with your organisation.
Highly engaged employees help drive businesses forward – they have high productivity levels and their personal motivation can be infectious. They are enthusiastic, stretched and focused to deliver.
What do you think Abraham Maslow would think of how your organisation gets the very best out of your people?