Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs in the Workplace
At a Glance
Discipline
- Social sciences
- Psychology
Instructional Level
- College & CEGEP
Course
- Workplace Psychology
Tasks in Workflow
Social Plane(s)
- Group
Type of Tasks
- Analyzing
Technical Details
Useful Technologies
- In-person: projector for PPT slides; whiteboards for student presentations / virtual sharing platforms (Padlet, Miro, etc.)
Class size
- Small (20-49)
Time
- Single class period (< 90 mins)
Inclusivity & Accessibility
- Variety of action & expression
Instructional Purpose
- Application & knowledge building
Overview
The goal of this activity is to explore Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs in the workplace.
Industrial/organizational psychology offers valuable insights into workplace dynamics, and so this activity will help students identify the needs that motivate workplace behavior/thoughts/emotions.
In groups of 3-4, students analyze work-related statements and organize them into categories that, eventually, will reflect Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs. By organizing items into categories and creating names for these categories, students engage in inquiry-based learning.
Instructional Objectives
Students will be able to:
- Define each component of Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs
- Apply each component to a workplace-related statement
- Optional: Create a personal hierachy of needs
Workflow & Materials
Activity Workflow
Contributor's Notes
- Engages students in a variety of settings (individual, small group, large group)
- Encourages students to apply theory to authentic situations
- Stimluates creativity and critical thinking
- Some students might be shy to share their hierachy with the class – they can record their presentation or post it on a shared platform (e.g., Padlet)
- Some might find it difficult differentiating between Social and Esteem needs – it might be advisable to spend some extra time discussing the differences between these two categories “when presenting Maslow’s theory”
- As with most group work, random group assignment may reduce off-task behaviors
- Time-permitting, you can have a discussion about the relative importance of each need in Maslow’s hierarchy and whether such a hierarchy even exists
Applied Strategies
Published: 24/01/2024
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