Main Content
Lesson 04: Understanding Philosophy and Styles
More on Theory X and Theory Y
Douglas McGregor asserted that meeting employees’ social needs was just as important, if not more important, than the economics of compensation. Although Theory X postulates that employees don’t care about organizational problems, Theory Y contends that employees are willing to help address organizational challenges because they are not only motivated to meet their security needs but also motivated to satisfy drives related to belonging, esteem, and achievement—which are higher on the pyramid of the hierarchy of needs identified by Abraham Maslow.
Fred Herzberg (1968) extended McGregor’s emphasis on the importance of work conditions in his Dual-Theory of Motivation. This theory posits that employees will be dissatisfied if the following hygiene factors (“dissatisfiers”) are absent or fall short of realistic expectations:
- company policy
- supervision
- relationship with boss
- work conditions
- salary
- relationship with peers
- security
Furthermore, Herzberg asserts that the key to increasing employee satisfaction involves enhancing the following motivating factors (“satisfiers”):
- achievement
- recognition
- work itself
- responsibility
- advancement
- growth
Herzberg, F. (1968). One more time: How do you motivate employees? Harvard Business Review, 46(1), 53–62.
Now, check your understanding of how McGregor's Theory X and Theory Y relate to Herzberg's Hygiene Factors and Motivating Factors. Click the link below to complete the McGregor and Herzberg Exercise.