Though the Maslow Needs Hierarchy is apparent in several areas of life, in none of these is it more prevalent than in the business world. With the many and varied stages of life that different people are in, there is a much greater concern about the possibility of conflict in business. While the manager of a department may have achieved the stage of self-actualization and has a family, his/her entry level worker may only be at the cusp of securing their first apartment.
The enormous difference amid workers of various stages of Maslow's hierarchy of needs is most readily shown via the previous example. The anxiety level of someone who is only just making do, exhibiting problems with their physiological as well as security needs is of major concern. Someone undergoing that much stress could have their work begin to suffer.
The reverse is also true. Employees with sufficient shelter, food, clothing, and so on for themselves and their families will more often than not do better work than their co-workers suffering from a lack thereof. The workplace can sometimes be a monotonous place, but the peace of mind to focus on it means that employees will be more productive and capable.
The best type of employee to hire should be found through a vigorous interview process; those with the most stable life environment are the best workers to have. During the hiring process, recall the Maslow theory that notes the best employees should be in the self-actualization and esteem stages; these people usually focus on others' needs while completing their work tasks.
Esteem stage employees benefit businesses because their main desire is to gain attention and respect from those around them. They gain this attention and respect by providing quality work and maintaining excellent relationships with other employees. Their competitive drive allows them to excel at their jobs and any kind of workplace competition increases quality performance and workplace cohesion.
Employees that have reached the self-actualization stage are generally very useful employees as well. They tend to stay focused on the job in front of them, and they also have a greater sense of their self-worth, and thus tend to be of a more calm demeanor. They also tend to have overcome the majority of the minor struggles in life, making them more stable. Another aspect of what makes these employees more valuable is that they are at the peak of the pyramid, so even if they had a backslide, they would still remain higher than those who haven't reached these levels, and they would remain a confident and efficient worker.
The Maslow pyramid theory is useful in many areas of life, but serves the business world best. Savvy employers realize that having staff who are more focused, more competent, and more efficient ensure ultimate success. This success can be secured by hiring employees who demonstrate the traits enabled by the top tier of Maslow's hierarchy.
Daiv Russell is a management and marketing consultant with Envision Web Promotion. Read more
Small Business Management Articles, learn about
Abraham Harold Maslow and
the Maslow pyramid of needs.
