In his 1960 book, The Human Side of the Enterprise, Douglas McGregor proposed two theories with which you can see how to motivate people in enterprises. The scientist called them “Theory X” and “Theory Y”.
Douglas McGregor in his writings argued that the role of management is to take into account the human factor in managing production. Based on this, the scientist was able to determine the basic principles of managing people at the enterprise. It is worth considering in more detail the data of McGregor's theory of motivation.
History and Key Points
The first theory that McGregor proposed was Theory X. Initially, the scientist claimed that personnel are people who do not want to be responsible for their work, and they can be influenced through fear, threats or financial leverage.
After some time, Douglas McGregor concluded that such an approach to management is not effective, since such an understanding of the human nature is not true. Therefore, over time, “Theory Y” appeared, according to which he represented the staff in the role of hardworking people who are ready to bear responsibility for their activities and work honestly for the benefit of the organization.
However, it is important to understand that these areas are not mutually exclusive, but only complementary. Based on these findings, in his theory of motivation, McGregor proposed ways to manage personnel related to both the first and second groups.
"Theory X": definition and essence
Essentially, Theory X assumes that people work only for money and personal security. Based on this statement, McGregor compiled the following portrait of the average employee of the enterprise:
- a man does not like work and tries to avoid it;
- the employee has no ambitions, does not want any responsibility and will rather follow someone more authoritative than lead the team behind him;
- he is self-centered and therefore does not care about organizational goals;
- a person resists any changes, but at the same time he is trusting and not particularly smart.
According to Theory X, personnel management approaches can vary from hard to soft. The first is based on coercion, hidden threats, strict supervision and control. A soft approach is to show tolerance and hope that in return employees will show their best when asked about it. However, none of these extremes is optimal when managing an organization.
A tough approach leads to hostility, deliberately low labor productivity and the need for staff to join informal groups. A mild approach leads to ever-increasing staff demands for more rewards in exchange for ever-decreasing performance. The optimal management approach according to Theory X is likely to be somewhere between these so-called extremes.
"Theory Y"
The following general assumptions are included here:
- for a person, work can be as natural as play or relaxation;
- people will be focused on achieving their work goals if they are devoted to them;
- people will be committed to their goals if their rewards meet higher needs, such as self-realization.
- most people can cope with responsibility, using in labor because of their ingenuity.
According to these assumptions, it is possible to coordinate personal goals with the goals of the organization, using the employee’s own aspirations to accomplish tasks as a motivator.
MacGregor emphasized that Theory Y does not imply a soft approach. He acknowledged that some people may not have been able to reach the required level of labor maturity, and therefore may need more stringent controls that can weaken as the employee develops.
The relationship of theories of motivation Douglas McGregor and the hierarchy of needs
In his work, the scientist used the experience of other founders of the science of management. Based on the hierarchy of needs of A. Maslow, in his theory of motivation, McGregor determined that a satisfied need no longer stimulates a person to do something. In accordance with the idea of McGregor, the company encourages a person to fulfill his labor duties through money and other benefits that will help meet the lower needs of the employee. But once these needs are met, the source of motivation is lost.
In his theory of motivation, McGregor came to the conclusion that the management style, which is based on “Theory X”, actually impedes the satisfaction of the needs of a person of a higher level. Therefore, the only way workers can resort to is to try to satisfy their higher level needs in their work by earning more cash compensation. Although money may not be the most effective way of self-realization, in the environment of “Theory X” this, as a rule, may be the only way.
People use work to satisfy their lower needs, but at the same time seek to satisfy higher ones in their free time. But it is precisely when satisfying higher needs in the workplace that an employee can be much more productive and more useful for the company.
Conclusion
The concept, which was laid down in D. McGregor’s theory of motivation, made it clear to many managers how to manage people. In general, the work of this scientist became the starting point for many other theorists in the field of personnel management.
Theories X and Y are a reflection of extreme patterns of behavior of employees of the enterprise. Therefore, the scientist, ultimately, brought them together into one - "Theory XY", which suggests that the organization can work, as "complete idlers", and "creative and gifted workers." Therefore, as McGregor himself noted, theories of motivation X and Y should be used by the leader in a complex, but not separately.