Motivate Teams With Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs

Maslow’s hierarchy of needs can easily be adapted to work and careers. At a foundational level, you need health in order to be able to contribute and perform. It’s fundamentally why it’s not lip service to ensure people take time off, have healthcare benefits, have disability accommodations, and physical work environments that allow for physiological comfort and wellness. It’s also why living wages are critical. Our ability to nourish our bodies or treat illness or have adequate housing contribute *directly* to our physiology. Psychological safety rests on top of that. If physical health is compromised, so is mental health. If we don’t feel safe at a minimum and like we belong and are part of a community at best, no amount of brute force will make us productive or motivated or high-performing. So many managers, leaders and organizations focus far too much on the tip of the high-performance pyramid to squeeze every drop of productivity out of a team operationally while somehow fully ignoring, dismissing or refusing to make personnel changes to enable those foundational layers to be strong. No one wants to work for or with you if doing so feels like it compromises their well-being. And they may *have* to in a given moment in order to protect a livelihood, but when you create paychecks at the expense of people and careers, you’ll forever wonder why you bleed talent and yet somehow never produce the right results.

Ever built a house of cards?  One wrong move, and the whole thing collapses. Leadership is like that—only instead of cards,  you’re dealing with people. Back when I was an English teacher, I saw firsthand how learning stalled when students didn’t feel safe, supported, or seen. A student didn't get enough to eat?  ↳Forget Shakespeare. A student up all night because parents were yelling? ↳Nouns and verbs just don't matter.   A kid scared of what will be shared on SnapChat?  ↳Could care less about the symbolism of the A. Leadership isn't much different. A single dad who is trying to make ends meet?  ↳Forget staying late to cover for the team. An executive whose marriage is falling apart?  ↳Don't push any buttons.  Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs reshaped how I approached leadership—first in the classroom and later with teams. Here’s what I realized: 1. It all starts with the basics.  If your team doesn’t have what they need, forget high performance. Just like students struggling with unmet needs, teams stuck in survival mode can’t innovate. 2. Safety isn’t just physical—it’s psychological.  People need to know their job is secure, their voice matters, and their leader has their back. In teaching, I built trust by making mistakes okay. The same applies to teams. 3. Connection fuels motivation.  I watched burned-out students re-engage when they felt seen. The same happens in organizations—teams revive when genuine relationships replace transactional interactions. 4. Esteem is about more than performance. It is rooted in well-rounded relationships. Learning about my students' lives outside of the classroom gave me increased opportunities to praise their successes. 5. Self-actualization is where the magic happens. In both classrooms and companies, people perform at their best when they feel a sense of purpose. When their work matters, passion drives results. This hierarchy isn’t just theory—it’s a playbook for resilient leadership. When leaders align with human needs, teams trust more, collaborate better, and reach new levels of performance. Curious how you can apply this to your leadership journey? Let’s connect. ----- ♻️ Repost to share with your network 💡 Follow Julia LeFevre for more Leadership content 📢 DM or email me at julia@braverestoration for workshops, coaching and speaking

Lately, I've been thinking about what really creates employee engagement. According to Gallup, companies with highly engaged employees outperform their competitors by 147%. In my experience, virtually every good leader wants to drive employee engagement. However, desire is not the same thing as execution, and the trick lies in transforming engagement from a buzzword into reality. We tend to get so caught up in the day-to-day demands of work that it can be difficult to slow down and take a step back to objectively analyze culture. I have found that a five-level framework-inspired by Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs-can help any leader objectively review their engagement strategy. However, it's important to note that this framework is not just a short-term fix but rather a foundation for building a sustainable and thriving work culture. LEVEL 1 - Do I make enough money to live? The ability to support oneself is the foundation of engagement. It seems to me that people must be able to take care of their basic human needs (food, rent, health, etc.) before they can even begin to focus on being great at their jobs. LEVEL 2 - Am I safe here? (Physically, Emotionally, Financially) It is just about impossible to enjoy work—or be good at it—if you are constantly in fear. It's our job as leaders to remove conditions—or people—that create fear instead of safety. We're including finances again here because there is a fundamental difference between being able to scrape by and being comfortable enough to not be in constant fear about money. LEVEL 3 - Do I have friends here? Do I belong? We all have a need for social support. We're tribal. As leaders, we can't create friendships out of thin air, but we can create the circumstances for friendships to blossom, and we can honor the role of community in our team's success. LEVEL 4 - Am I good at my job? Am I recognized? Being good at one's job and receiving recognition validate an individual's competence and skills. It builds self-esteem and reinforces an individual's status and importance within the workplace community. Additionally, in a system where competence is linked to one's ability to stay employed, recognition also ties back to safety. LEVEL 5 - Do I understand and believe in our purpose? Is there a path forward for me? Do I have a measure of control and autonomy? There are three different paths of self-actualization at the top level - purpose, progress, and autonomy. An employee who sees-and feels-all three, along with the factors listed above, is likely to be highly engaged. When leaders actively prioritize employees' well-being, it sends a powerful message about the company's commitment to its workforce. Of course, all of this takes vision and work. A leader optimizing for the short term might view this process as a waste of time. A leader optimizing for the long term would know that time spent developing a culture of engagement is an investment with extraordinary returns. #culture

Why do some teams succeed while others struggle? Meeting employees’ core needs can make all the difference. Let me walk you through the Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs: Workplace Edition, which helps lay the foundation for success. 1. Physiological Needs - Salary & Benefits: Fair wages and timely paychecks ensure employees can meet essential needs like food, housing, and health. - Comfortable Work Environment: Safe, well-equipped spaces with facilities for breaks and meals contribute to well-being. 2. Safety Needs - Job Security: Clear expectations, transparency, and honest feedback reduce fears of job loss. - Safe Workplace: Uphold physical and psychological safety through health policies and anti-harassment standards. - Clear Policies & Structure: Transparent policies and defined roles create a secure work framework. 3. Social Needs (Belongingness) - Team Building & Inclusion: Foster a culture of teamwork, inclusion, and trust. - Open Communication: Regular one-on-ones and team meetings encourage connection. - Recognition of Individuality: Valuing each team member’s unique input builds a sense of belonging. 4. Esteem Needs - Recognition & Appreciation: Regular acknowledgment of achievements boosts morale and self-worth. - Opportunities for Growth: Assign challenging projects or provide training that develops skills and confidence. - Empowerment & Trust: Show confidence in employees’ abilities by granting autonomy. 5. Self-Actualization Needs - Encouragement for Innovation: Support creative ideas and allow for calculated risks. - Professional Development: Invest in ongoing education, mentorship, and growth opportunities. - Purpose & Contribution: Align work with broader goals and social impact for a fulfilling sense of purpose. Why does this matter? Meeting these needs builds a motivated, engaged, and high-performing team, creating a thriving workplace for everyone involved. 💭 What stands out to you? Or, what would you add? __ Follow me, Gabriela, for more!