---
title: "Motivation and Herzberg's hygiene theory"
subject: "Organization and Management"
chapter: 8
key: "semester_7/organization_and_management:herzberg-hygiene"
source: https://www.bctengineer.com/q/semester_7/organization_and_management/herzberg-hygiene
site: BCT Engineering
---

# Motivation and Herzberg's hygiene theory

Organization and Management · Chapter 8: Motivation, Leadership and Entrepreneurship

- Asked in: 2073 Chaitra, 3+5 marks; year not given
- Video: [Frederick Herzberg's Two-Factor Theory of Motivation](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UB2wiubO0fM) — Alanis Business Academy
- Answer checked by Claude Opus 5.5 (high effort) on 2026-10-14
- Page: https://www.bctengineer.com/q/semester_7/organization_and_management/herzberg-hygiene
- Whole chapter: https://www.bctengineer.com/md/semester_7/organization_and_management/chapter-8

## Question

What do you understand by the term motivation? Explain Herzberg's Hygiene Maintenance Theory.

## Short answer

Motivation is the inner drive that stimulates goal-directed effort. Herzberg's hygiene-maintenance theory separates job factors: hygiene factors (salary, working conditions, security) prevent dissatisfaction; motivators (achievement, recognition, responsibility) create satisfaction. Managers must first ensure hygiene, then enrich jobs with motivators to truly motivate employees.

## Answer

#### Motivation
Motivation is the inner drive that stimulates a person to take action and continue it to achieve a goal. In organizations, it is the willingness of employees to put effort into achieving organizational goals while satisfying their own needs.

#### Herzberg's hygiene-maintenance (two-factor) theory
Frederick Herzberg (1959) interviewed 200 engineers and accountants and asked when they felt very good and very bad about their jobs. He concluded that job satisfaction and dissatisfaction are caused by two different sets of factors.

**1. Hygiene (maintenance) factors** (extrinsic, related to job context)
Company policy and administration, supervision, salary, working conditions, interpersonal relations, job security, status.
- If they are poor, employees are dissatisfied.
- If they are good, dissatisfaction is removed but employees are not necessarily motivated (they are "not dissatisfied").

**2. Motivators** (intrinsic, related to job content)
Achievement, recognition, the work itself, responsibility, advancement, personal growth.
- Their presence creates satisfaction and motivation.
- Their absence leads to "no satisfaction", not to dissatisfaction.

```text
Hygiene:    Dissatisfied <------> Not dissatisfied
Motivators: Not satisfied <-----> Satisfied
```

**Implications**
1. Provide good hygiene factors (fair pay, safe workplace, clear policy) first.
2. Then motivate through job enrichment: more responsibility, recognition, growth.
3. Do not assume that raising salary alone will motivate.

Example: A telecom engineer with good pay and safe conditions may still be unmotivated if work is routine; giving her a challenging project and recognition motivates her.

**Criticism:** the sample was small and only professionals; method bias (people credit themselves for success and blame others); salary can also motivate; ignores individual differences.

## Check yourself

The answer's key points as multiple-choice questions, with the correct option and why.

1. What did Herzberg conclude from his interviews?
   A. Satisfaction and dissatisfaction are opposite ends of one scale only
   B. Satisfaction and dissatisfaction are caused by two different sets of factors
   C. Only salary matters
   D. Only motivators matter
   Answer: B. He found two separate sets of factors: hygiene and motivators. (Key point: Basis of theory)

2. What results from the absence of motivators?
   A. Dissatisfaction
   B. Anger
   C. Strike
   D. No satisfaction, not dissatisfaction
   Answer: D. Absence of motivators leads to 'no satisfaction'. (Key point: Absence of motivators)

3. Hygiene factors are related to:
   A. Job content
   B. Job context (extrinsic)
   C. Achievement
   D. Growth
   Answer: B. Hygiene factors are extrinsic and relate to job context; motivators relate to job content. (Key point: Nature of factors)

4. What is the managerial implication?
   A. Raise salary only
   B. Ignore hygiene factors
   C. First provide good hygiene factors, then motivate through job enrichment
   D. Remove recognition
   Answer: C. Provide hygiene first, then use job enrichment, recognition and growth; salary alone will not motivate. (Key point: Implication)

## Related in Organization and Management

- [Human need and Herzberg's hygiene theory](https://www.bctengineer.com/question.md?key=semester_7%2Forganization_and_management%3Aherzberg-human-need) — Organization and Management, chapter 8, asked 2×

## Related in other subjects

- [Motivation and Herzberg theory](https://www.bctengineer.com/question.md?key=semester_8%2Fconstruction_management%3Amotivation-herzberg) — Construction Management, chapter 10, asked 4×
- [Motivation: Maslow's hierarchy and Herzberg's theory](https://www.bctengineer.com/question.md?key=semester_8%2Fconstruction_management%3Amotivation-maslow-herzberg) — Construction Management, chapter 10
- [Short note: Maslow's theory of motivation](https://www.bctengineer.com/question.md?key=semester_8%2Fconstruction_management%3Amaslow-theory-note) — Construction Management, chapter 10