What Is The ERG Theory? The ERG Theory In A Nutshell

Q: What are the three needs according to ERG theory?

The three groups of needs comprising the ERG theory are: Existence – or the basic material requirements for living. Relatedness – or needs related to the maintenance of interpersonal relationships. Growth – or the need for personal development through meaningful or creative work.

The ERG theory was developed by American psychologist Clayton Alderfer between 1961 and 1978. The ERG theory is a motivational model based on Maslow’s hierarchy of needs. The ERG theory is based on an acronym of three groups of core needs: existence, relatedness, and growth.

Aspect	Description	Implications	Benefits	Drawbacks	Applications
Theory Overview	Existence, Relatedness, and Growth (ERG) theory is a psychological framework that categorizes human needs into three levels: Existence, Relatedness, and Growth. This theory was developed by Clayton Alderfer as an extension of Abraham Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs.	Offers a nuanced perspective on human needs and motivations, recognizing that individuals can pursue multiple needs simultaneously.	Acknowledges the complexity of human desires and motivations, accounting for variations in individual needs.	Simplifies the understanding of human needs compared to Maslow’s hierarchy.	Used in organizational psychology and management to analyze employee needs and motivation.
Existence Needs	Existence needs encompass the basic physiological and safety needs required for survival, such as food, shelter, safety, and health.	Addressing these needs is fundamental, as unmet existence needs can lead to dissatisfaction and stress.	Provides a foundation for well-being and security in both personal and work contexts.	Overemphasis on existence needs may neglect higher-level needs that contribute to personal and professional growth.	Applied in employee compensation, workplace safety, and basic benefits provision.
Relatedness Needs	Relatedness needs focus on social interactions, relationships, and a sense of belonging. These needs include forming connections with others, feeling accepted, and being part of a community or team.	Fulfilling relatedness needs can foster positive work relationships, collaboration, and a sense of belonging, enhancing employee satisfaction.	Promotes a supportive and inclusive work environment where employees feel valued and connected.	Excessive focus on relatedness needs without addressing existence and growth needs may hinder individual development.	Used to design team-building activities, encourage teamwork, and establish a positive workplace culture.
Growth Needs	Growth needs involve personal and professional development, achievement, and self-actualization. These needs revolve around the desire for personal growth, self-improvement, and realizing one’s full potential.	Supporting growth needs can lead to increased motivation, innovation, and job satisfaction among employees.	Drives continuous learning, creativity, and individual and organizational development.	Neglecting growth needs may result in stagnation, reduced innovation, and decreased job satisfaction.	Applied in performance management, leadership development, and career planning within organizations.
Satisfaction-Dissatisfaction Continuum	The ERG theory proposes that individuals can move back and forth along the three needs levels based on their experiences and the satisfaction or frustration of their needs. This dynamic nature acknowledges that unmet higher-level needs may lead individuals to focus on lower-level needs.	Recognizes that individuals’ needs and motivations are not fixed but can change based on circumstances and experiences.	Encourages organizations to create flexible and adaptive policies and practices to address changing employee needs.	Complexity in understanding and responding to shifting needs can pose challenges for organizations.	Used to explain shifts in employee motivation and guide tailored interventions to meet evolving needs.

Table of Contents

Understanding the ERG theory

The ERG theory was developed by American psychologist Clayton Alderfer between 1961 and 1978.

ERG theory is an extension of Maslow’s hierarchy of needs, which Alderfer refined in line with empirical research on motivation over seventeen years.

After concluding his research, Alderfer simplified Maslow’s five-level interpretation into a three-level hierarchy.

He also stipulated three fundamental differences to Maslow’s model:

Different levels of need could be pursued simultaneously, with no requirement for an individual to start from the bottom of Maslow’s pyramid and work their way up.
The order of needs were not fixed but instead varied from person to person.
The ERG theory also noted that if a higher level need remained unfulfilled, the individual could regress to a lower level need to increase satisfaction. This became known as the frustration-regression principle.

In the context of employee motivation, Alderfer suggested the frustration-regression principle negatively impacts motivation and personal growth.

As a result, the ERG theory has an important role to play in employee morale, productivity, and predicting sources of workplace conflict.

More broadly speaking, Alderfer’s work may also be useful to analyze different leadership styles or help employees transition through change.

The three groups of needs comprising the ERG theory

The ERG theory is based on an acronym of three groups of core needs. These are:

Existence

Or the basic material requirements for living. Maslow categorized these as physiological needs (food, water, shelter) and safety needs (health, employment, property).

When these needs are met in the workplace, they remove distractions and boost productivity.

Relatedness

Or needs related to the maintenance of interpersonal relationships.

These needs align with Maslow’s third and fourth levels which encompass friendship, family, intimacy and gaining the respect of others.

In a work environment, relatedness is a need to have satisfactory or mutually beneficial relationships with colleagues, superiors, or subordinates.

Growth

Or the need for personal development through meaningful or creative work.

This is an intrinsic desire for most people and has obvious benefits in workplace and non-workplace settings.

Growth is related to Maslow’s upper level which contains self-esteem, self-confidence, discovery, morality, and achievement.

It’s also important to note that each of the three groups has been studied extensively since the ERG theory was released.

With their effectiveness verified several times over, the most successful organisations will be those that create an environment where all three levels are available to every employee at all times.

Drawbacks of Using the ERG Theory:

While the ERG Theory offers insights into human motivation, it has some limitations and potential drawbacks:

1. Subjectivity:

The theory relies on subjective assessments of individual needs and their prioritization, making it challenging to apply universally.

2. Overlapping Categories:

Needs within the ERG categories can overlap, and individuals may have multiple needs simultaneously, making it complex to analyze and address.

3. Limited Empirical Support:

Compared to Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs, the ERG Theory has received relatively less empirical validation.

4. Incomplete Explanation:

The theory does not account for all aspects of motivation, such as intrinsic motivation, individual differences, or cultural factors.

5. Lack of Practical Guidance:

It provides a framework for understanding motivation but may not offer practical guidance for motivating employees in specific organizational contexts.

When to Use the ERG Theory:

The ERG Theory is valuable in various organizational and motivational scenarios:

1. Employee Motivation:

Use the theory to assess and enhance employee motivation by understanding their needs and preferences.

2. Leadership and Management:

Incorporate the theory into leadership and management practices to tailor motivational strategies to individual and team needs.

3. Job Design:

Apply the theory when designing jobs and tasks to align with employees’ motivation and needs.

4. Conflict Resolution:

Utilize the theory in conflict resolution by recognizing and addressing underlying needs and motivations.

How to Use the ERG Theory:

Implementing the ERG Theory effectively involves several key steps:

1. Needs Assessment:

Assess the needs and priorities of individuals or teams within the organization, considering the three ERG categories.

2. Individualized Approach:

Recognize that individuals may have varying needs and preferences, requiring a customized motivational approach.

3. Create a Supportive Environment:

Design work environments and organizational cultures that foster the fulfillment of ERG needs.

4. Communication and Feedback:

Encourage open communication and provide feedback to understand and address employee needs effectively.

5. Monitor Progress:

Continuously monitor the satisfaction of ERG needs and make adjustments as necessary to maintain motivation.

6. Training and Development:

Offer training and development opportunities that align with employees’ growth needs.

What to Expect from Implementing the ERG Theory:

Implementing the ERG Theory can lead to several outcomes and benefits:

1. Improved Motivation:

Understanding and addressing employees’ ERG needs can result in increased motivation and job satisfaction.

2. Tailored Approach:

A customized motivational approach can lead to more effective leadership and management practices.

3. Enhanced Job Design:

Jobs and tasks designed to align with ERG needs can lead to greater engagement and productivity.

4. Conflict Resolution:

Using the theory in conflict resolution can lead to more effective and satisfying outcomes for parties involved.

5. Employee Growth:

An emphasis on growth needs can contribute to employees’ personal and professional development.

6. Organizational Performance:

Improved employee motivation and satisfaction can positively impact organizational performance and success.

In conclusion, the ERG Theory offers a valuable framework for understanding and addressing human motivation in the workplace. While it has its drawbacks and complexities, understanding when to use it and how to apply it effectively can lead to improved motivation, tailored motivational approaches, enhanced job design, and conflict resolution. By following the steps outlined in the theory and recognizing its potential benefits and drawbacks, organizations can leverage the ERG Theory to enhance their motivational strategies and achieve better outcomes in various organizational contexts.

ERG theory examples

To conclude, we will share two representative examples of how ERG theory can be used to assist employees and organizations.

Start-up entrepreneur

The life of a start-up entrepreneur (and indeed the start-up itself) is almost exactly aligned with the key components of ERG theory.

In the early days of the venture, the entrepreneur and business endeavor to meet basic needs.

For the individual, this may be a living salary that pays the bills.

For the business, its needs are raw materials, electricity, and a physical or online presence to conduct operations.

With these important needs in place, the start-up can establish a presence in the market, develop relationships with suppliers, and collaborate with other institutions to innovate and increase sales.

With their basic needs covered, the start-up founder can start to create a professional network and hire the best talent to share their immense workload.

In the third and final growth stage, the start-up founder is supported by a team of subordinates who attend to less critical needs.

This frees them up to fulfil their potential in areas where they can make the most impact. For the business, growth tends to be characterized by market leadership, better margins, and increased size.

Unmotivated employee

The ERG theory can also be used to tackle the problem of unmotivated employees. For better or worse, many employees earn a salary that covers basic survival needs such as food and shelter but little else.

Those who are worried about paying their mortgage each month tend to be less interested in socializing with others since it is too expensive to do so.

However, a lack of socialization causes a deficiency in the second basic need of relatedness.

This may result in the employee feeling excluded from social circles at work which then causes a decrease in collaboration, motivation, and productivity.

To enable the employee to meet the needs of relatedness and growth, the business could look at more inclusive work practices and, if their performance merits it, a promotion or salary increase.

Businesses are now also turning to companies such as Nudge that provide financial literacy training to increase the well-being of employees.

Alternatively, the business could ask the employee whether they would be open to moving into another position or department.

Finding themselves in a role that better suits their unique skillset, they may become more motivated to engage with other employees and work productively toward organizational goals.

Career choices

In the final example, consider an employee who wants to determine the best career choice for their needs and skills.

The individual starts with existence-related needs to first determine how much money they require to cover their expenses.

Based on this information, industries with average salaries in the desired range can be identified.

In terms of relatedness, the person thinks about their social needs and whether they are introverted or extroverted.

They also look for employers with desirable workplace cultures where managers and subordinates work collaboratively.

Lastly, the potential for career development and opportunities to advance within the company is assessed.

Since the individual works best under pressure where every day is different from the next, they look for dynamic businesses with ambitious mission statements and objectives.

Subordinate management

In the context of management, ERG theory reminds leaders that the subordinates over which they have control are not motivated by the same things.

In a hierarchical organization, for example, those near the top are more likely to be motivated by needs that relate to self-actualization or personal development.

Those at lower levels are more concerned with earning a wage to meet basic existential needs such as food and shelter.

Management must also remember the need for a subordinate to satisfy multiple needs simultaneously.

Leaders who only focus on one employee need at a time will be unable to motivate their staff.

When certain needs remain unfulfilled in the workplace, there is a risk that the individual reverts to a lower level they deem easier to satisfy.

From earlier, we know this process as the frustration-regression principle. But how can leaders recognize it in the workplace?

The employee who feels stunted or unmotivated in their career may choose to socialize more frequently with co-workers at the expense of productivity.

They may also (intentionally or otherwise) sabotage harmonious relationships with their superiors and other co-workers.

When management recognizes these important early warning signs, they can step in and take corrective action before it is too late.

Writer for a local news website

Carol, a senior editor, has been unemployed for some time after the major online publication she wrote for went bankrupt.

One day, she is offered an entry-level position as a copy assistant at a small community news website.

Desperate to put food on the table and meet her rent repayments, Carol accepts the offer with the hope that her experience will quickly see her promoted to a more senior role.

With her basic needs satisfied by her salary, Carol turns her attention to relatedness-based needs.

To fit in and build rapport with her co-workers, Carol, an editor herself, naturally gravitates toward the other editors at the company.

Twelve months later

Fast forward twelve months and Carol is still in the same role, with most of her day spent tediously checking news stories for factual inconsistencies.

When she has a moment or two free, she peruses job boards for freelance writer positions and makes it a habit to send at least one cold pitch per week to a relevant publication.

Carol’s natural tendency to seek out meaningful or creative projects is an attempt to satisfy her growth-related needs.

Two more months pass and Carol is frustrated at her lack of success.

Many publications are not hiring because of the prevailing economic climate, while others are operating in skeleton mode over the holiday period.

Carol then regresses to satisfying relatedness-based needs and can routinely be found chatting with staff in the editorial department.

Back in the copy room, Carol realizes that she will never become an editor at the community news website.

The company’s budget is too small to promote her, and the editors it does have on the payroll are comfortable in their roles and not likely to move on any time soon.

Soon after, however, one of the editors lets her know of an unadvertised editor role at a city newspaper.

Since the pair have become good friends, the colleague in question is happy to recommend Carol for the role.

After a brief and relatively informal interview, Carol discovered that the position would fulfill her growth-based needs and accepted without hesitation.

Additional Case Studies

Sales Team Performance:

Existence (E): Sales representatives are motivated by their base salary, which covers their basic living expenses.
Relatedness (R): Building a strong team dynamic, where salespeople collaborate and share success stories, fulfills relatedness needs.
Growth (G): Providing opportunities for skill development, such as advanced sales training or leadership roles, addresses growth needs.

Technology Startup Founder:

Existence (E): As a startup founder, covering personal living expenses and funding initial development are basic needs.
Relatedness (R): Networking and building relationships with industry peers and potential investors fulfills relatedness needs.
Growth (G): Pursuing innovation, improving product offerings, and scaling the startup align with growth needs.

IT Help Desk Technician:

Existence (E): Salary and job security satisfy basic existence needs for IT help desk technicians.
Relatedness (R): Collaborating with team members and assisting colleagues with technical issues fulfills relatedness needs.
Growth (G): Opportunities for advanced technical training and career progression address growth needs.

Customer Support Agent:

Existence (E): A stable income ensures customer support agents can cover their daily expenses.
Relatedness (R): Building rapport with customers and colleagues fulfills relatedness needs.
Growth (G): Opportunities for skill development, promotions to team lead roles, and handling more complex customer issues address growth needs.

Supply Chain Manager:

Existence (E): A competitive salary and job stability satisfy basic existence needs for supply chain managers.
Relatedness (R): Collaborating with suppliers, logistics teams, and colleagues fulfills relatedness needs.
Growth (G): Initiatives to optimize supply chain processes, professional development, and leadership opportunities address growth needs.

Product Development Team Leader:

Existence (E): Earning a competitive salary ensures product development team leaders can cover their living expenses.
Relatedness (R): Building a cohesive team, fostering collaboration, and aligning team goals fulfill relatedness needs.
Growth (G): Encouraging innovation, skill enhancement, and career advancement opportunities address growth needs.

Remote Freelancer:

Existence (E): Income from freelancing supports basic living expenses for remote freelancers.
Relatedness (R): Networking with fellow freelancers, clients, and industry peers fulfills relatedness needs.
Growth (G): Pursuing challenging projects, expanding skillsets, and aiming for higher-paying gigs addresses growth needs.

Project Manager in a Large Corporation:

Existence (E): A competitive salary ensures project managers can meet their financial needs.
Relatedness (R): Building relationships with cross-functional teams, stakeholders, and colleagues fulfills relatedness needs.
Growth (G): Opportunities for professional development, taking on larger projects, and advancing in the organization address growth needs.

Marketing Specialist in an Agency:

Existence (E): A stable income from the agency covers the basic living expenses of marketing specialists.
Relatedness (R): Collaborating with clients, team members, and creative professionals fulfills relatedness needs.
Growth (G): Opportunities for acquiring new marketing skills, managing larger campaigns, and advancing in the agency address growth needs.

Data Scientist in a Tech Company:

Existence (E): A competitive salary ensures data scientists can cover their basic living expenses.
Relatedness (R): Collaborating with cross-functional teams, sharing insights, and participating in data-driven projects fulfills relatedness needs.
Growth (G): Opportunities for learning advanced data analysis techniques, contributing to high-impact projects, and advancing in the field address growth needs.

Key takeaways

The ERG theory is a motivational model developed by American psychologist Clayton Alderfer and is the result of seventeen years of empirical research.
The ERG theory was developed in the context of employee motivation, but it may also have applications in change management, conflict resolution, and leadership style influence.
The ERG theory is based on three core needs: existence, relatedness, and growth. For maximum organizational effectiveness, each need must be available to every employee at all times.

ERG Theory Highlights:

Development and Background: The ERG theory was developed by Clayton Alderfer, an American psychologist, between 1961 and 1978. It’s an extension of Maslow’s hierarchy of needs, refined over seventeen years of research on motivation.
Three-Group Classification: The ERG theory categorizes needs into three groups: Existence, Relatedness, and Growth.
Simplification of Maslow’s Model: Alderfer simplified Maslow’s five-level hierarchy into a three-level structure. He emphasized that needs can be pursued simultaneously, their order varies among individuals, and unfulfilled higher-level needs might lead to regression to lower-level needs.
Frustration-Regression Principle: This principle in the ERG theory suggests that unmet higher-level needs can lead to a regression to lower-level needs, affecting motivation and personal growth.
Application in Employee Motivation: The ERG theory plays a crucial role in understanding employee morale, productivity, and workplace conflicts. It highlights the importance of fulfilling diverse needs for motivation.
Existence Needs: These are basic material requirements for survival, including physiological and safety needs. Meeting these needs removes distractions and enhances productivity.
Relatedness Needs: These pertain to interpersonal relationships and align with friendship, family, and respect. Fulfilling relatedness needs promotes healthy workplace relationships and collaboration.
Growth Needs: These focus on personal development through meaningful work, self-esteem, and achievement. Meeting growth needs benefits both individuals and organizations.
Start-Up Entrepreneur Example: The start-up entrepreneur’s journey aligns with the ERG theory, progressing from fulfilling basic needs to relatedness and growth as the venture evolves.
Unmotivated Employee Example: The ERG theory can address unmotivated employees by addressing their needs, like relatedness and growth, to improve engagement and productivity.
Career Choices Example: Individuals can use the ERG theory to assess career choices based on their needs for existence, relatedness, and growth.
Subordinate Management: ERG theory underscores that different employees are motivated by different needs. Management must recognize and address varied needs to avoid frustration-regression cycles.
Writer for a Local News Website Example: The example of Carol, the writer, illustrates how individuals’ needs shift over time in their career choices based on existence, relatedness, and growth.
Maximizing Organizational Effectiveness: Organizations must create an environment where all three levels of needs are available to every employee for maximum effectiveness.

Related Frameworks And Theories	Description	When to Apply
ERG Theory	The ERG Theory, proposed by Clayton Alderfer, categorizes human needs into three groups: Existence, Relatedness, and Growth. This theory suggests that individuals may pursue needs from multiple categories simultaneously.	When analyzing employee motivation, designing reward systems, or addressing employee satisfaction within organizations.
Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs	Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs categorizes human needs into five levels: physiological, safety, love/belonging, esteem, and self-actualization. It suggests that individuals prioritize fulfilling lower-level needs before higher-level ones.	When developing employee engagement programs, designing leadership development initiatives, or assessing organizational culture.
Two-Factor Theory (Herzberg)	Herzberg’s Two-Factor Theory distinguishes between motivator factors (e.g., recognition, growth opportunities) and hygiene factors (e.g., salary, working conditions) to understand employee satisfaction and dissatisfaction.	When conducting employee satisfaction surveys, designing job enrichment programs, or implementing performance management systems.
Expectancy Theory	Expectancy Theory suggests that individuals are motivated to perform when they believe their efforts will lead to desired outcomes (expectancy), those outcomes are desirable (valence), and they can achieve them (instrumentality).	When designing incentive programs, setting performance goals, or providing career development opportunities for employees.
Goal-Setting Theory	Goal-Setting Theory asserts that specific and challenging goals lead to higher performance when individuals receive feedback, are committed to goals, and possess the necessary knowledge and skills to achieve them.	When establishing performance objectives, conducting performance appraisals, or promoting employee development initiatives.
Equity Theory	Equity Theory proposes that individuals compare their inputs and outcomes to those of others, and perceive fairness based on the ratio of their contributions to the rewards they receive in comparison to others.	When assessing perceptions of fairness in compensation systems, managing employee relations, or addressing workplace conflicts.
Social Exchange Theory	Social Exchange Theory suggests that individuals engage in relationships and exchanges based on the expectation of mutual benefit, balancing the costs and rewards of their interactions with others.	When analyzing employee-employer relationships, designing employee retention strategies, or promoting organizational citizenship behaviors.
Self-Determination Theory	Self-Determination Theory posits that individuals are intrinsically motivated when they experience autonomy, competence, and relatedness in their work, fostering engagement and satisfaction.	When designing job roles, providing employee autonomy, or fostering team collaboration within organizations.
Cognitive Evaluation Theory	Cognitive Evaluation Theory extends Self-Determination Theory by suggesting that extrinsic rewards and controls may either support or undermine intrinsic motivation, depending on their perceived locus of causality.	When designing reward systems, implementing performance-based incentives, or fostering employee engagement in the workplace.
Theory of Motivating Potential	The Theory of Motivating Potential, also known as the Job Characteristics Model, identifies five core job characteristics—skill variety, task identity, task significance, autonomy, and feedback—that contribute to intrinsic motivation and job satisfaction.	When redesigning job roles, improving work processes, or enhancing employee job satisfaction and performance in organizations.

What are the three needs according to ERG theory?

The three groups of needs comprising the ERG theory are:

Existence – or the basic material requirements for living.
Relatedness – or needs related to the maintenance of interpersonal relationships.
Growth – or the need for personal development through meaningful or creative work.

What is the purpose of ERG theory?

The ERG theory was developed in the context of employee motivation; it’s based on three core needs: existence, relatedness, and growth. For maximum organizational effectiveness, each need must be available to every employee at all times.