Herzberg’s Two-Factor Theory (Motivation–Hygiene Theory)

To understand what motivates us and what doesn’t motivate us at work…

Herzberg’s Two-Factor Theory, also known as the Motivation-Hygiene Theory, is a foundational idea in workplace psychology. Developed by psychologist Frederick Herzberg in the 1950s, the theory explains that what makes people happy at work is not the same as what makes them unhappy. In other words: fixing problems won’t automatically motivate your team — real motivation comes from deeper, more meaningful factors.

Herzberg divided workplace influences into two distinct categories: hygiene factors and motivators.

Hygiene factors are about the work environment. When missing, they cause dissatisfaction — but even when present, they don’t necessarily motivate. They include working conditions, salary, company policies, job security, managerial style, and company culture.

Motivators are about the work itself. They drive motivation, performance, and satisfaction when present. They include recognition, responsibility, achievement, growth, and meaningful work.

Based on the above, there can be four combinations of hygiene and motivation. When both are high, the employee is satisfied and motivated. When hygiene is good but motivation is low, the employee is fine but naturally isn’t motivated. When hygiene is low but motivation is high, the employee is passionate about work but is simultaneously disengaged due to the conditions. Lastly, when both hygiene and motivation are low, the employee is unhappy and is likely to resign.

How Can Employers and Managers Use This?

Herzberg’s theory isn’t just academic, it’s also very practical. Here’s how managers can apply it to make their teams happier:

Try to improve hygiene factors first: You can do this by ensuring fair pay, good work conditions, and reasonable policies. This creates a pleasant work environment to do work in. Then, once the hygiene factors are out of the way, you can boost motivation by enriching the job itself. Let employees own projects, recognize their achievements, and align tasks with their personal goals.

But don’t stop there…

Talk to your team: Not all motivators are universal. Ask what excites them and where they want to grow.

Design roles with autonomy: Give people decision-making power — even small choices can improve satisfaction.

Final Thought

Herzberg’s big idea is this: Satisfaction isn’t the opposite of dissatisfaction. Satisfaction and dissatisfaction are driven by different things. If you want people to do more than show up, you’ll need more than perks and paychecks. You’ll need purpose…