MASLOW'S PYRAMID APPLIED TO EMPLOYEE MOTIVATION IN A NEW COMPANY

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Another important aspect to take into account in this section is the staff incentive process, as it is one of the main drivers of motivation for company employees. (Maslow's Pyramid), insofar as they can be rewarded for their efforts and personal performance with certain recognitions. Therefore, in many cases (depending on the competitiveness of the sector), it is important to set up a compensation system and an incentive programme that rewards/penalises individual performance in an objective manner.

Today it has been demonstrated that most people do not only and exclusively work for the money received in the form of salary, but for other motivations that the people management professional has to identify and continue to stimulate. Maslow's pyramid is a theory of human motivation that states that people's needs are organised in a hierarchy of five levels, from the most basic needs to the highest. Each level must be satisfied before a person can advance to the next level, and once a need is satisfied, it loses its ability to motivate.

Applying Maslow's pyramid to the motivation of your employees in a new company can be done as follows

1. Physiological needs: These needs include food, water, air and a place to sleep. As a leader of a new enterprise, it is important to provide a fair wage and basic benefits so that employees can meet these needs.
2. Security needs: Once physiological needs are met, employees need to feel secure in their work. This includes having a safe working environment, a stable employment contract and a fair employment relationship.
3. Social needs: People need to feel part of a group and have positive social interactions. As a company leader, it is important to foster a collaborative work environment and promote communication and teamwork.
4. Esteem needs: People need to be valued and respected by others and by themselves. As a leader, it is important to provide opportunities for personal and professional recognition and growth.
5. Self-realisation needs: This level refers to the desire to reach one's full personal and professional potential. As a leader, you must provide opportunities for skills development, innovation and leadership so that employees can reach their full potential.

In summary, the application of Maslow's pyramid to motivating employees in a new company involves meeting basic needs and moving towards higher needs as previous needs are met. As a leader, it is important to understand and encourage the personal and professional development of your employees to maintain a motivated and productive workforce.

Practical examples of the application of Maslow's pyramid in a new company

Maslow's Pyramid is a theory that explains human needs in five hierarchical levels, from the most basic to the highest needs. These levels are: physiological needs, safety, love and belonging, esteem and self-fulfilment.

The following are some examples of how Maslow's theory can be applied to motivate workers in a new company:

• Satisfying physiological needs: This includes providing a safe and healthy working environment, with access to food, water, fresh air and adequate rest. A concrete example could be the installation of a kitchen with healthy food options and a rest area.
• Meeting security needs: Workers need to feel safe in their workplace and be protected from physical, emotional and economic risks. This can be achieved by implementing a workplace safety programme, hiring staff trained to handle emergencies and ensuring a fair wage.
• Meeting the needs for love and belonging: Human beings need to feel that they are part of a group and to have positive social interactions. To meet this need, you can organise social activities outside of work, promote a company culture of collaboration and teamwork, and encourage communication and feedback.
• Meeting esteem needs: This includes the need to feel valued, respected and recognised by others. Professional development opportunities, public recognition and performance rewards can be offered.
• Satisfying self-fulfilment needs: This is the highest need and refers to personal fulfilment and satisfaction. To meet this need, opportunities for personal and professional growth can be provided, such as training and skills development, and empowering workers to make decisions and lead projects.

In conclusion, applying Maslow's theory to the motivation of workers in a new company can help create a positive and satisfying work environment for everyone. By meeting workers' needs, productivity, creativity and talent retention are encouraged.

Maslow is known as one of the founders of humanistic psychology, which brings together a current of psychology that is characterised by considering the human being in a global and complete way, also considering external aspects such as freedom, responsibility, self-realisation, etc. in its analysis. Its application in recent years has gone beyond the field of psychology and has fully entered the business world, mainly in the areas of marketing and human resources.

On this last point, human resources, the characteristics that guarantee a safe working environment such as PPE, correct environmental conditions, lighting, etc. In addition to the concern of managers for their workers, ensuring that staff have their basic needs covered and the promotion of training and professional development itineraries in organisations, including teleworking options and a high degree of freedom in taking initiatives, are aspects that have modified human resources management in recent years. 

The consideration of workers as an important part (stakeholder) in organisations and the attribution of responsibilities as well as the development of more horizontal companies are strategies increasingly used by companies. The active participation of your employees in the achievement of business objectives as an important pillar of your company as well as the transfer of the vision and values of the organisation by the entrepreneur are aspects where Maslow's "fringes" have "arrived".

Successful case of applying Maslow's pyramid to motivation

A success story in the application of Maslow's pyramid to motivate employees is that of the company Google. At Google, programmes have been created that take into account the needs of employees at each level of Maslow's pyramid.

Examples include:

• Physiological needs: Google offers its employees a canteen with free and healthy food, snacks and beverages available at all times.
• Security needs: Google has a health insurance programme for employees and their families, as well as a retirement programme and life insurance.
• Social needs: Google has a very inclusive company culture and encourages collaboration and teamwork. Social activities are held and employees are encouraged to interact and engage with their colleagues.
• Self-esteem needs: Google encourages creativity and innovation among its employees, and provides professional development and continuing education opportunities for employees to grow and advance their careers.
• Self-realisation needsGoogle encourages employees to work on innovative projects and develop new ideas. Creativity and innovation are encouraged, and resources and support are provided to help employees bring their projects to fruition.

These programmes have been very effective in motivating Google employees, and have helped the company attract and retain some of the best talent in the market.

CASE STUDY:

If you wanted to set up a company that provides services to other clients, to motivate your employees you would take into account:

• Physiological needs: In order to meet these needs, toilets and tables with chairs for work must be installed.
• Security needs: We must carry out all the protocols for occupational hazards. In addition to this, we must also install ergonomic furniture that protects the health of the employees.
• Social needs: This type of need is met by creating bonds of friendship through convivial gatherings or business lunches.
• Recognition needs: A good leader who motivates the staff and gives them the confidence they need allows the employee to feel recognised.
• Self-realisation needs: Awarding prizes to the most productive employees is one option in meeting this need.

Another of the business aspects where the hierarchy defined by Maslow "is used" is the methodology of selling or commercialising products or services: marketing. Nowadays, organisations adapt their "message" and its communication to the "step" of the pyramid and to the need they consider they can satisfy or cover. Also, The "filtering" of the institutional mode of action can be observed, giving priority to the development of improvements to public facilities: transport improvements, green and leisure areas, etc.

As an interesting detail, the order or "hierarchy" delimited in Maslow's Pyramid is also known as the "third force*" because, according to Maslow, our actions are determined by the need to satisfy the needs presented, which would explain many of the decisions we make in our lives.

Note*. The term "third force" is due to its location within what until that time (mid-20th century) had been the only psychology considered: behavioural psychology, made up of observable and quantifiable variables, and psychoanalysis, centred on the pathological aspect of the individual.

CLAYTON ALDERFER'S THEORY OF EXISTENCE, RELATIONSHIP AND GROWTH (ERG)

In addition to Maslow's Pyramid, there are other very useful ones, such as Clayton Alderfer's Existence, Relationship and Growth Theory (ERG), which is perhaps simpler and integrates social and cultural factors and is less rigid in the scale of needs. Alderfer considers human motivational factors within three categories in a progression from existence to growth and where all three 'parameters' can be worked together as motivating factors, with regression not infrequently occurring.

WE WOULD THEN HAVE:

• Existence: which encompasses the very survival and physiological well-being of the person: food, shelter, etc.
• The Relationship: as a reinforcement of the relevance of relationships with others as well as the achievement of a certain social recognition.
• Growth: which is "driven" by our yearning for personal development encompassing the search for respect and self-realisation.

In conclusion, we can consider that the motivation of your client and your employees is one of the most relevant factors for you to succeed in your new company. Their needs and preferences can justify a large part of their actions and as a good entrepreneur you have to "take advantage" and "stimulate" these preferences achieving a "symbiosis" with your staff that leads to a continuous improvement of their productivity through the development of your internal resources as well as adjusting your product or service to "cover" the needs of your customers.

"Most of us could be better than we really are". Abraham Maslow, 20th century American psychologist, founder and exponent of humanistic psychology.

What is one way to apply Maslow's Pyramid to employee motivation?

One way to apply Maslow's Pyramid in motivating workers is by identifying the needs of each individual and providing opportunities and resources to meet those needs. For example, if one employee has safety needs, a safe work environment and a fair wage can be provided. If another employee has self-fulfilment needs, opportunities for personal and professional development can be provided. By meeting these needs, greater employee motivation and commitment can be fostered.