The term motivation is derived from the Latin word movere, meaning "to move." Motivation is the push of the mental forces to accomplish an action or goal willingly without being forced or told to do so. It is an unsatisfied need that drives human behavior to exert effort to reach the goals. For example we study because we are lack of knowledge; we work because we are lack of money. We will in turn be motivated by what we are lack of.
Motivation techniques in the past were very different from today. Many people are questioning on whether the motivation techniques of yesterday are still useful today. With a stable economy, high standard of living, and a low unemployment rate, it may seem that there are not many things that can motivate employees today. However, greediness is part of human nature. People always want more and never seem satisfied with what they have.
Nelson (1996) states that most motivational techniques are essentially the same as in previous years. Perhaps, however, basic physical needs do not have as much impact in motivating employees today. Other factors that have a tremendous impact are recognition, respect, involvement, advancement, and interesting and meaningful work. Although there are several theories on motivation, we are now looking at Abraham Maslow’s hierarchy of needs to acquire a better understanding of motivation.
The Hierarchy of Needs This diagram shows Maslow's hierarchy of needs, represented as a pyramid with the more primitive needs at the bottom
Abraham Maslow developed the hierarchy of needs theory. This theory is based on the assumption that individuals are motivated to satisfy their needs and within every individual there are five needs and they are related to each other in the form of a hierarchy. They are the Physiological needs, Safety needs, Love/Belonging needs, Esteem needs and Self actualization needs. Higher needs and lower needs have different properties, but both higher needs as