Fred Herzberg, was an internationally respected professor of
management. With his death, I wonder if another
voice that so eloquently combines the virtues of scholar, practitioner
and ethicist in the world of management is able to meet his standards.
As a young American soldier, and one of the early liberators at
Dachau concentration camp Herzberg's task was to ensure that health
care and other provisions were provided for the hundreds of survivors.
These, and other experiences, accumulated through a life time of
practice, were key to Herzberg's understanding of how organizations
might function. Well he knew that the old autocratic form of
managing that ignores the employee is entirely inappropriate in this
vastly competitive world.
Management styles on the whole are attempting to be more team
directed but organizations continue to worry that their best minds are
being lured away or that labour disruption is only a contract away.
The response too often is to add yet more perks rather than address
the harder issue of employee satisfaction and engagement as Herzberg
suggested.
What's lacking? According to Herzberg, the missing piece is the
employee whose skills and intellectual contributions are left untapped
and thus, are less committed to their work or the success of the
organization.
It then becomes easier to seek out greener pastures elsewhere, or
demand greater wage and benefit packages to compensate for
mundane, uninspiring working conditions.
Too often in order to avoid this, organizations are resorting to bandaid
solutions with a slew of incentive programs. These range from
bonuses for production and attendance, to share incentives, exercise
rooms, special dinners, shopping trips, coupons, special events, golf
weeks, raffles and conferences.
The business book market offers a wide buffet of solutions with hugely
seductive claims. And yet, none thinks to explore what researchers
have been pushing organizations to address for decades --- the
inherent intrinsic motivation of individuals.
In its most basic form, intrinsic motivation allows us simply to enjoy
our work. Studies demonstrate we are more apt to persevere, work
harder and produce higher quality work when our levels of intrinsic
motivation have been triggered. The result is real progress without
resorting to excessive bells and whistles. It's both simple and cost
effective.
Yet, not every task or job can be interesting. But, if the work
environment becomes directed toward creating a place for intrinsic
motivation, each intrinsically motivated individual will find ways to
make often surprising contributions.
Here Herzberg was adamant -- motivation is internally derived when
an individual is seen and responded to as capable. Most of us are
intrinsically motivated to some degree, the priority should be in
ensuring that such enthusiasm is not stultified by inappropriate
managing procedures. And to create an intrinsically motivated
environment, hiring practices need to shift to include questions that
draw these qualities out of candidates. More than this though, is the
importance of committing to a new work environment at every level in
the organization.
Herzberg had this unique capacity to combine integrity with real nuts
and bolts reality. And surely, addressing issues of motivation at a
profound level is far more cost effective than that blind scramble to
invent yet more perks to cajole employees to stay or simply to remain
silent.
By drawing on the intellectual resources of employees already in the
workplace, and assuring new hires meet this challenge, the
organization is likely to find itself a steady leader in productivity,
quality, and human resources. Herzberg would be proud.
