Herzberg Motivation Theory - How Hygienic is Your Change Management Initiative?

Frederick Herzberg's Hygiene Theory [also known as Two Factor Theory] concludes that certain factors - "motivators" - in the workplace result in job satisfaction; factors such as challenging work, recognition, and responsibility. However there are other factors that if absent, lead to dissatisfaction and de-motivation; factors such as status, work environment, location, job security, salary and benefits. These things do not motivate and are called "Hygiene" factors because, like hygiene, their presence will not make you healthier, but absence can cause health deterioration.

Practical application of Herzberg Motivation Theory to change management

(1) The planning of a change initiative

At the planning stage of a change initiative, Hygiene theory will influence the stakeholder mapping and analysis process and it will help to shape the the communication strategy. It focuses change leaders on the impacts of these 2 dimensions of human needs - motivators and dissatisfiers.

(2) The communication skills of leadership

There will be difficult business circumstances and especially where job losses are involved and where significant change to business practises are involved - that neither sets of needs are going to met particularly well, or even at all.

People are flexible and will adjust and accept this - at least for a while - is if it is communicated honestly and accurately.

It is my view that the framing or positioning of a situation by the change leader is extremely important - especially in knowing how to focus and present a communication about a difficult situation with lots of dissatisfiers in such a way that it does address motivation factors needs at the earliest opportunity.

I say this because in my view, people will be more likely to tolerate difficult circumstances if they are led well and in such a way that their aspirational and higher motivational needs are addressed.

(3) Judgement call and reframing

In my view, a key change leadership skill is knowing how to make the "judgement call" on how and when to communicate to people news that in terms of Herzburg motivation theory is going to dissatisfy them and demotivate them.

And - here's the key to this I feel - having the capacity to "reframe" the situation fairly quickly in such a way that people's motivation needs [or at least some of them] are addressed.