Maslow’s famous hierarchy of needs was both right and wrong at the same time. On the one hand, it recognized that people have many desires in addition to basic bodily needs such as water, food, and shelter. On the other hand, it assumed a fixed hierarchy where psychological needs—such as belonging and self-esteem—became relevant only after basic physical and safety needs were met. However, modern research has shown that these needs exist in parallel and that a person’s well-being can be enhanced—for example, by good social relationships—even if their basic physical and safety needs are not completely fulfilled.
It is no longer a surprise that people seek more from their employers than just a paycheck and a safe place to work. A preponderance of evidence suggests that “good work” also means satisfying employees’ psychological needs.
Authors: Brooke Weddle, Tera Allas
Source: McKinsey Quarterly
Subjects: Organizational Behavior, Personality / Behavior
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