Clear introduction of all of the following:
Name of the organisation
Products and services
Type of industry
Number of employees
Maslow's hierarchy of requirements outlines five levels of human wants which allow
individuals to feel fulfilled. It is commonly used in the workplace when deciding ways to
better encourage employees and meet their requirements. Understanding this psychological
notion can assist a manager in determining whether needs are met in the workplace and how
to better meet a necessity of a team requires. In this assignment, I will explain Maslow's
Hierarchy of Needs, how it applies to the workplace, and how to put it into practice.
Work motivation is crucial as it needs an individual to carry out a specific work in order to
satisfy his own desires (Santos-Vijande et al., 2021). According to Loan (2020), job
motivation has an advantageous effect on employee performance; the more highly motivated
employees are, the better their performance.
Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs is a motivational theory in psychology. This hierarchy,
commonly referred to as Maslow's Theory of Motivation, contains five levels of human
needs: physiological, safety, love and belonging, esteem, and self-actualization. Each level
includes particular requirements that allow an individual to feel fulfilled. The hierarchy often
appears as a pyramid to represent the need to finish lower-level jobs before heading on to the
next level. Without fulfillment on the base of the hierarchy, a person cannot develop because
they lack motivation.
The physiological demands in this hierarchy reflect the most basic requirements for humans.
Maslow started formulating his theory on physiological needs in the 1950s. He sought to
interpret human motivations and needs in a manner that facilitated an investigation into
human inventiveness and resourcefulness, aspects that he felt had not been adequately
addressed by preceding psychologists. Mcleod explained Maslow sought to comprehend the
factors in a person's life that led to happiness and enabled individuals to not just exist but
flourish. His investigation into physical needs laid the foundation for the investigation.
Employees need access to essential services and opportunities at work in order to feel as if
their most basic needs are being dealt with. For instance, a worker must have access to a
restroom, an adequate supply of drinking water, breaks for meals and snacks, and a
comfortable working environment including better increment and good pay. When applied to
the job, one of your physiological needs is a consistent income to support oneself and pay for
housing, food, utilities, and other necessities.
Safety needs can become the next important essentials when all physiological needs are
achieved and they are no longer regulate people’s thoughts and actions. These are things like
financial security, freedom from fear, stable health and anything that can lend our day-to-day
lives a level of predictability and security. Maslow argued that it’s this level of safety-seeking
that leads humans to prize systems that bring order to their existence, perhaps in the form of
law or religion. This was confirmed by Guzel and Barakazi (2018) that the activation for
safety needs begins when people already meet their physiological needs. This is proven
because people would like to meet the safety needs at the second level of Maslow’s hierarchy
of needs after they have done stocking up on their basic needs (Bozyigit, 2021). The next
level of the Employee Engagement Hierarchy of Needs is safety, which includes job security
and a safe work environment. Post-2020, your employees may have defined a new set of
safety needs, and they’re essential to meet if you want to improve employee retention and
engagement.
“Safety” to the modern worker refers not only to job security but also to a safe work
environment and an employer that encourages work-life balance. 74% of millennial workers
want paid family leave, and around half of workers say they’ll look for a remote position for
their next job. Employees need to feel supported and secure in their position in order to
become more engaged. t the second level of Maslow’s hierarchy, the needs start to become a
bit more complex. At this level, the needs for security and safety become primary.
People want control and order in their lives. Some of the basic security and safety needs
include financial security, health and wellness, as well as safety against accidents and injury.
Finding a job, obtaining health insurance and health care, contributing money to a savings
account, and moving to a safer neighborhood are all examples of actions motivated by
security and safety needs. An employee should feel that a workplace resources and personal
property are safe and protected. Ensuring a safe workplace may include providing ergonomic
office furniture that appropriately supports you and reduces the risk of injury, along with
securing the building to prevent possibly dangerous people from entering. Another aspect of
safety in the workplace pertains to feeling emotionally safe and supported. If an employee is
worried about losing his or her job due to layoffs or budget cuts, it is more challenging to
achieve motivation to move to the next level in the hierarchy and perform at ones’ highest
level. Unsteady futures also lead to decreased morale in the workplace.
The love and belonging level of Maslow’s hierarchy is slightly different in the workplace
than it is in other areas of a worker’s life. If one does not feel a sense of belonging, he or she
may not feel as engaged at work or as motivated to succeed. It is not always easy for
individuals to establish and form relationships at work. When the needs for the first two
stages have been met, people can focus more on love and self-belongingness needs (Bozyigit,
2021). It can be related with friendship, love, compassion, social acceptance and assistance
from others, and this feeling belongs towards people and their surroundings (Gouws, 1995;
Roos, 2005). Rewards can also provide a positive feeling of relief, pleasure, and satisfaction
that makes people enjoy the relationship (Permana et al., 2021). To increase the self-
belongingness of employees, organizations need to clarify employees’ works that belongs to
the organization, evolve mutual goals and values, as well as improve social interaction
between the employees and outsiders to make sure that employees are satisfied with their.
Companies that host social activities and offer more opportunities for relationship-building
outside the office tend to have higher rates of employee engagement than organizations that
don’t focus on these aspects of a work-life balance. When you feel like you belong and fit in
within your workplace and your team, it is easier to feel motivated to work hard and achieve
good results. True “belonging” means the employees are empowered to embrace their unique
qualities and feel comfortable being themselves at work. That is important because not
feeling like they belong is a top three reason employees are quitting in the ongoing Great
Resignation.
When employees feel a sense of belonging at work, they feel seen and heard and establish a
stronger emotional connection to colleagues and shared goals. Belonging is proven to
improve employee engagement and lead to better business outcomes. Research shows that a
high sense of belonging can increase performance by up to 56 percent. It can even reduce the
number of sick days your employees take by an incredible 75 percent. The social needs in
Maslow’s hierarchy include love, acceptance, and belonging. At this level, the need for
emotional relationships drives human behavior. Some of the things that satisfy this need
include family relationships, friendships, romantic attachments, community groups, social
groups, and religious organizations.
In order to avoid loneliness, depression, and anxiety, it is important for people to feel loved
and accepted by others. Personal relationships with friends, family, and lovers play an
important role, as involvement in groups—such as religious groups, sports teams, book clubs,
and other group activities.
Esteem needs are the fourth level in Maslow’s hierarchy and include self-worth,
accomplishment, and respect. It is also considered the belief that a worker is contributing to a
higher goal and that the contributions he or she has made are recognized. Maslow divided
esteem needs into two types: (i) self-respect (dignity, achievement, mastery, independence)
and (ii) the craving for recognition or admiration from others. The main difference is that a
person's reputation can be good or bad, while their prestige is usually associated with a high
social standing. Esteem is the normal human need to feel accepted and appreciated by others.
Individuals frequently pursue a career or pastime in order to receive acknowledgment,
providing them with a feeling of worth or significance. Low confidence or feelings of
inadequacy could arise from disturbances at this particular level within the hierarchy. Maslow
suggested that the desire for recognition or esteem is crucial for young people and comes
before genuine self-worth or honor. In the workplace, it is important to feel that one is
growing, advancing and achieving results, and that those around the worker identify those
results. When a worker have confidence in himself and his abilities, as well as receive
positive feedback and encouragement, a worker is more likely to succeed. An employee’s
esteem ultimately impacts their overall engagement as well. Offering regular recognition and
appreciation for the tasks employees are doing can positively impact esteem, even when an
employee is struggling. If feedback only comes in the form of an annual review, employee
esteem may suffer.
The highest need in Maslow's hierarchy is the need for self-actualization, which has the
potential to be the most transformative. Self-actualization, or a greater sense of fulfillment,
goes beyond the needs that came before. In the words of Maslow, self-actualization means
"achieving everything one is capable of achieving." Our need for a higher purpose in our
actions, a feeling of success and fulfillment in our job, and the link we feel to a deeper
significance that goes beyond us. It is also the desire to discover your true identity and be true
to yourself - a journey that often requires years to complete. One effective method to help
employees feel self-actualized is to emphasize the importance of the tasks they are working
on. As a person, knowing yourself is the initial stage to self-fulfillment - what drives you on a
personal level? What methods do you use to manage stress? The needs for self-actualization
are only activated when all previous needs have been satisfied. Maslow defines self-
actualization as the desire for individuals to fulfill their potential by doing what they were
meant to do. "A musician needs to play music, an artist needs to create paintings, and a poet
needs to write." These needs manifest as signs of agitation. The individual is experiencing
unease, stress, a sense of deficiency, essentially, agitation. If someone is experiencing hunger,
feeling unsafe, unloved or rejected, or lacking self-worth, it is clear what is causing their
restlessness. Sometimes it is unclear what an individual desires when self-actualization is
necessary. The theory discussed can be used to enhance employee performance by focusing
on the roles of organizational culture and human resource management, despite any criticism
or limitations. Although some studies have backed Maslow's theory, others have failed to
confirm the concept of a hierarchal needs structure influenced by Western culture, which may
not be applicable in all situations.
Reflecting on the traditional motivation theory is a helpful way to recall human behavior and
what keeps individuals driven. While Maslow's theory is not the ultimate answer in
motivation research, it still provides a helpful explanation of how failing to meet our
fundamental needs can hinder productivity in the long run.
The key to having a motivated workforce is prioritizing our needs. It is not useful to promote
workplace football if basic safety needs are not met first. Reflecting on the fundamental
needs of your workplace and checking if any have been neglected is worth doing.
All business leaders need to have an understanding of various levels of strategy. The strategy
for a multi-national company will vary from that of a startup as strategies take on different
forms. Nevertheless, the principles endure. Examining the current strategy levels and how
they can be implemented by an organization will help us understand how strategies evolve.
The main point of this assignment is that strategy applies to all individuals. You can be
strategic in your business at any size, not just when it grows to a certain point. Know your
business's position in order to create a strategy that aligns and evolves with your company.
This assignment will explore the variations in strategy levels within an organization and offer
guidance on implementing these distinct levels of strategy within one's own organization.
Strategists commonly identify three levels of strategy: corporate, business, and functional.
However, they lack a crucial component necessary for effective strategy implementation:
operational level strategy. This assignment covers the fundamentals of the four levels of
strategic management, but if a manager wants to explore a particular level further, I have
separate 4 answers for each one available.
Picture 1 : Levels of Strategy taken from https://www.cascade.app/blog/strategy-levels
The corporate strategy is the top-level strategy within a company. It establishes the general
course of the organization and the broad concepts for achieving it. Typically, these strategies
are developed by senior executives like the CEO and upper management. In general, this
group is chosen because they possess a strong comprehension of the company and the
necessary strategic business expertise to guide the organization effectively.
A corporate strategy is typically more expansive than the other levels of strategy. Plans at this
stage are more abstract and forward-thinking compared to the lower levels. Typically, they
cover a duration of 3 to 5 years. In the strategic plan of the company, you are essentially
outlining the areas where your organization should be involved. This overarching strategy
provides a foundation for creating business unit strategies and functional strategies, as well as
detailed operational plans. These tactics will influence the subsequent choices made by
employees at every level. Hence, all decisions within the organization must align with the
corporate objectives of the strategy.
The second level of the strategy hierarchy is known as the business level strategy. Lying
beneath the overarching corporate strategy, the business strategy serves as a pathway to reach
the objectives of individual business divisions within the company. Each business unit’s
strategy will aim to achieve a competitive edge in its specific market by focusing on
objectives and strategic initiatives.
Organizations adopt various business level strategies based on the competitive advantage
they aim to achieve. Organizations are confronted with important choices, such as
implementing a growth strategy, differentiation strategy, or embracing a cost leadership
approach. Each business area must make a strategic decision and define the approach they’ll
choose to get closer to their goals.
A major bank exemplifies an entity that offers various services across diverse sectors.
Some examples include retail banking, investment management, and an insurance company
among others. Each business unit has unique objectives and a specific strategy to accomplish
them.
Business-level strategies should be developed by vice presidents and business unit heads,
whether global or regional. Nevertheless, it is recommended to involve additional middle
managers in every department. Having managers from each unit involved in the strategy
process brings two primary advantages:
It boosts support and participation. Managers who have been given the opportunity to
participate in the development of the strategy feel involved in the decision-making process.
As a result, they are more inclined to embrace the strategy and actively participate in its
implementation.
It enhances possession. Workers who have the chance to participate in creating the strategy
are more inclined to take responsibility for finishing it.
This level of strategy determines the approach for various functional areas or departments, as
shown in the previous image of the bank strategy levels example. These functions may
involve the marketing department, finance, supply chain, manufacturing, human resources,
and other areas.
The main goal of functional strategy is to coordinate the actions of different departments
with the overall goals and strategic objectives established at higher levels, such as corporate
and business strategy. Functional strategies are characterized by their relatively limited scope.
They are created to tackle the specific obstacles and advantages in every functional domain.
All of your strategies for finance, marketing, and human resources must have purposes and
duties to accomplish. Increasing the likelihood of success is achieved by having a clear
functional strategy that is in line with the overall corporate strategy. These tactics consist of
allocating resources, setting able to be gauged objectives, and give emphasis to continual
enhancement, all while in view of individual functions.
A great start is to have a clear functional strategy for every department. However, be cautious
of isolating different functional areas in their own strategies as this can lead to being ‘silo’ed.
Two critical factors to consider for an effective functional strategy are:
Collaboration across functions: The real magic occurs when various departments work
together. Encouraging teamwork among these departments leads to new ideas and positive
interactions. Alignment of strategies: Guaranteeing that the strategic objectives of individual
functional areas are in perfect sync with the overarching corporate strategy is key to
achieving success.
Most companies only reach the first three levels of strategy, yet it is the fourth level that is
crucial for achieving successful implementation. The corporate, business, and functional
strategies provide the basis, but it's the operational strategy that executes all plans effectively.
Operational level strategy is positioned at the bottom of the strategic hierarchy and is
concerned with the daily tasks and tactics required to operate the business, oversee processes,
and successfully introduce changes. It involves making sure plans are turned into practical
actions and outcomes, embodying the hands-on component of strategy. Put simply, this is the
plan that will guide employees' daily tasks and ensure your organization stays on track.
Its main focus is on immediate goals and carrying out plans in a practical manner, outlining
the precise actions, processes, and tasks required to achieve organizational objectives. The
functioning strategy includes PMOs, team leaders, individual contributors, and team
members, and is crucial for the successful execution of larger strategies.
Tactical Implementation: Operational plans concentrate on carrying out specific actions to
reach business goals, providing a precise plan for implementation. Short-Term Emphasis:
Aimed at short-term objectives and may involve activities on a quarterly, monthly, or daily
basis. Resource Utilization involves allocating resources at a specific level, such as managing
workforce, budget, and technology for particular projects and initiatives. Project
Management: Project management is frequently used in operational strategies to organize
teams and adhere to time and budget limits. Feedback and Adjustment: They integrate
feedback loops to make changes when conditions vary. Immediate Impact: Achieving success
at the operational level plays a crucial role in reaching wider business and corporate
objectives, acting as a key element in strategy implementation.
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