Job stress has become a growing concern among managers and supervisors in organizations. This is because of the adverse effects on both employees and the company. According to Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs and Herzberg’s Two-Factor Theory, stress at workplaces is an excellent de-motivator, and every employee reacts differently to work pressure (McLeod, 2020). Reduced work morale hurts the organization’s bottom line profits since it impacts customer satisfaction and employee turnover.
One of the workplace stressors is excessive workload, especially when a colleague is absent and their duties have to be delegated to other workers. To meet the deadlines, many employees have to work over-time. Another stressor is when one feels that they are not commensurate well based on their age, level of education, and experience. Such a situation causes them to start looking for a new job.
A review of both Maslow’s Hierarchy of Need and Herzberg’s Two-Factor Theory shows that employees need to be motivated at their workplace to perform optimally. Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs comprises a five-tier model of human needs, depicted in hierarchical levels within a pyramid. The second level after physiological measurement is safety which encompasses job security (McLeod, 2020). Herzberg’s Motivation Theory model argues that organizations could adjust motivators and hygiene factors to increase employee productivity (“Herzberg’s motivation theory,” n.d.). The two theories, therefore, advocate for organizations to improve employee motivation.
The first situation that leads to workplace stressors is when employees are not offered decent salaries, which means they do not have enough to meet their basic needs like buying food and paying rent. Secondly, when employees or their dependents, like their children, become ill, workers without medical coverage from their companies become stressed. In addition, when employees work for long hours without rest, this too generates stress.
Giving employees decent pay will enable them to achieve level one requirement as stated in Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs. In addition, employees should not be overloaded with duties until they do not have the adequate time to sleep and rest. Also, organizations that offer medical coverage meet the motivator factor in Herzberg’s theory. This, in turn motivates the workers since they get job satisfaction. A stress-reduction strategy for the lack of decent pay would be the introduction of incentives and allowances, giving employees holiday packages and also offering medical covers.
References
Herzberg’s motivation theory – two factor theory. (n.d.). Expert Program Management. Web.
McLeod, S. (2020). Maslow’s hierarchy of needs. Simply Psychology. Web.