What is Maslow’s hierarchy of needs?

A good leader is someone who knows the needs of his people who choose him as their leader. If a leader denies this fact that he can be more effective when he is playing the role of a leader being committed with the words he said and struggling for the needs of affiliated people otherwise if he leaves his people at the mercy of circumstances, he will become a boss.

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A boss is not more respectable to the people working under him. People will not work willingly and heartily but they work to get rid of the burden of the work their boss has put on their shoulders. As soon as they find a new opportunity, they will leave their boss. 

Abraham Maslow was a psychologist of America who described and elaborated the importance of the needs of people. He made deep observations and found the reasons behind the question of why people are fed up working for a company or a so-called leader. He finds the need as the most crucial reason behind that question.

An insight to Maslow’s hierarchy of needs:

Maslow’s hierarchy of needs described the importance of the needs of team members. He was at the point that 5 categories describe human behavior. He was of the point of view that people do their best when they are motivated and satisfied with their needs. He developed a 5-core hierarchy pyramid

  • Human basic needs
  • Peaceful and secure atmosphere’s need
  • Human’s social needs
  • Esteem needs
  • Ability to reach the potential (self-actualization)  

These 5 categories define the behavior of humans towards the society he is living in and towards the entity for whom they are working for to fulfill their needs.

1. Human basic needs

Humans are well aware of their biological need that should be fulfilled at any cost and it is the responsibility of the leader of that place who is taking responsibility for that particular area and confirming their betterment and promising to fulfill their basic needs like

  • Water
  • Food
  • Shelter
  • Breathing
  • Clothing
  • Sleep 

Every human needs the above-mentioned needs to be fulfilled as they are the sign of life. You may say that if any of these needs are not fulfilled, they feel the life too miserable and they do not have the right to live even. This may create hopelessness among the people. 

These basic needs should be provided to everyone, no matter to which class he/she belongs to but he should have sources to get these needs of life. 

People at work should have enough fresh air to breathe in, enough water to meet the need of thirst, enough food to beat their hunger and recollect the energy to do work, and enough rest during the full day working hours to boost up their body's energy. The owner of the working agency is responsible to make sure to fulfill all these basic and biological needs of humans.

It is a natural fact; people leave the entity that is not capable of fulfilling their basic needs of life as they find a better option. Fulfillment of these biological needs is necessary to maintain your team collaboration and to keep your team with you by developing trust. 

It is disgusting to work in a dark place where there is not enough light and air and workers have to work there for hours without water and food. The workers will not be at ease with this work and consider the owner such a cruel person who does not understand their needs. This type of working is hazardous for the health of the workers and their trust for you as well.

2. Peaceful and secure atmosphere’s 

The second category defined by Maslow’s hierarchy of needs is the security and safety surety. When the basic needs are fulfilled, the need for security arises. The need for security may be a living place or workplace. Security issues can be related to health, physical injury or damage, and the wealth to be stolen. 

People seeking the job prefer to work in a secure and healthy environment. They look for their insurance policies, health benefits, money-saving, time devotion, and the most important in the workplace that is nearer to the society they are living in, to avoid extra expenditure on transport. 

  • In different companies, different people are enjoying different designation with different responsibilities. 
  • There is a health security department in every reputable company that is under the observation of a person who is responsible for the health of all team members. 
  • He makes sure that drinking water is health-friendly, the rooms are airy, and the workers are enjoying good health by taking a monthly observation of their health by routine check-ups.

But sometimes, it is not in our control to keep us as secure as the other people are at their workplace due to the nature of job like some of us are performing duties in dangerous areas and do not have a feasible environment for our safety or some are working at such workplaces where they even do not find enough food easily. 

For such intense circumstances, the duty holders are prepared at a high level to deal with worse conditions at the workplace like the soldiers, as they are trained well to compete for every worse condition bravely by keeping them secure and ensuring the security of their country.

3. Human’s social needs

As we all are well aware of the fact that humans are social animals and they love to interact with different people having different roles like a man enjoys the roles of being a son, a brother, a husband, a father, an uncle, a cousin, a colleague, a friend, and sometimes a public figure. These all roles are the need of a human he wants to enjoy and being valued in every specific relation. 

Humans' nature demands love, affection, value, and bonding whatever the relation is either it is personal or professional. Love is exceptional in the case of personal life as we all know that it is associated with close relationships that may be father and children bonding, partners bonding or siblings bonding, etc.

But professionals need trust and value. Workers working in a company are looking for an environment that is to their benefit and a smooth working atmosphere where the words or suggestions or the duties are valued by the owner or manager of the company. Valuing the presence of teammates, you can develop a trust bond and fulfill the social needs of your teammates. 

4. Esteem needs

In Maslow’s hierarchy of needs esteem means respect, honor, or value. Here, the workers demand esteem from the workplace without being judged based on class. The demand of self-recognition based on their work secures their right to be respected as the citizen of the country and as the workers of the company. 

  • This is a unique and precious feeling when some feel confident, bright, and respected when your work is admired or valued.
  • The employees of team members feel something special when their work is recognized and valued by the other team members.
  • Workers feel they are flying higher as they have shared a contribution to your success or your company's success. 
  • People feel aesthetic recognition and feel prestige; this contributes to the fulfillment of their need for self-esteem that is mandatory to make the people motivated toward their work.

 For promoting the trend to fulfill the esteem needs of the workers, there is a great need to let them work in the form of group and the owner or the manager should also be the part of that team, asking each team member about the work, encouraging them by saying yes you can do it as you completed the previous tasks or helping them out when they feel low or facing any trouble in working. 

They will be self-motivated, you will not need to tell them work, work, and work, they will do it voluntarily instead of the fear of your anger.  

5. Ability to reach the potential (self-actualization)

The 5th and most modern category defined by Maslow is self-actualization. It is more complicated than all four categories as at this stage people are self-recognized and they know very well that what is their potential and how can they give their hundred percent beating all the circumstances. 

Maslow kept this category on the top of his hierarchy needs pyramid as it is the stage where the people become developed and groomed and they are ready to groom others by influencing them to share their success stories.

 Most of the people reject this theory of Maslow thinking is as typical talk and considering it low standard but it, not the fact, if you want to take hundred percent output from your team, you need to motivate them and the motivation comes from appreciation, giving value to others and letting them work in their style and build their recognition.

Conclusion

Maslow’s hierarchy of needs explains the different categories of needs of people that start from simple to complex; from basic needs to self-empowerment and self-actualization needs. This helps you to improve teamwork and build a trust level to reach a new success story.

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