Maslow

Industrial psychologist Abraham Maslow researched human motivation extensively and determined that needs drive motivation.

A. H Maslow’s hierarchy of basic human needs focused on the needs and behaviors of healthy, motivated people. In his hierarchy, Maslow determined that people have lower order needs that must be fulfilled before high order needs can be satisfied. Of course any basic need can be over-ridden temporarily in a moment, but on the day to day basis—these needs are constant and consistent.

Maslow's hierarchy of needs begins with the most basic necessities deemed "the physiological needs" in which the individual will seek out items like food and water, and must be able to perform basic functions such as breathing and sleeping. To be extremely or chronically hungry or thirsty… or be in sharp pain or gravely ill will skew your perspective on life and leave the world a seemingly unstable place.

Once physiological needs have been met, a person can move on to fulfilling the "the safety needs", where they will attempt to obtain a sense of security, physical comforts…employment, shelter, and personal property.

People will naturally gravitate to where they experience a sense of belonging - be it work, family, church, a civic organization, an athletic team or event, and even to gangs. People will strive for social acceptance wherever they find it.

The "esteem needs" this is where the individual will desire a sense of competence, recognition of achievement by peers, and respect from others. Fulfilling this need leads to feelings of self-confidence, worth, strength, capability and of being useful and necessary in the world.

"Self Actualization"

Once the first four levels of needs are met, an individual is primed for self actualization. Self actualization is the motive to realize all of one's potential, to become everything that one is capable of becoming. This is the level where the most personal growth takes place. People that have reached self-actualization are characterized by certain behaviors: They embrace reality and facts rather than denying truth. They are spontaneous. They are interested in solving problems. They are accepting of themselves and others.

Engaged employees are self actualizing employees. Engaged Employees tend to transcend their environment, growing and thriving within it rather than simply "coping" with it.

If you want to maximize the productive employment of your people, you must design and implement a strategy to move them from safety/security and sense of belonging to self actualization. In order to do that, you must build self esteem through appropriate use of recognition.