Which statement about Hygiene Factors is true?

Which statement about Hygiene Factors is true?

• A. They prevent dissatisfaction but do not motivate; if bad, they upset you
• B. They create intrinsic motivation
• C. They guarantee happiness
• D. They have no effect

Answer: (A)

In Herzberg’s Two-Factor Theory, hygiene factors are the extrinsic elements of a job that, when they are at acceptable levels, prevent dissatisfaction but don’t create lasting motivation. This makes the statement true: they prevent dissatisfaction, and if any hygiene factor is bad, it tends to upset you. Examples include pay, working conditions, company policies, supervision, and relations with coworkers. The key point is that while good hygiene factors remove sources of dissatisfaction, they don’t by themselves boost motivation or lead to deeper, sustained engagement. True motivation comes from intrinsic factors—the work itself, achievement, recognition, responsibility, and advancement. That’s why the other ideas are not accurate: hygiene factors don’t generate intrinsic motivation, don’t guarantee happiness, and certainly do have an effect when they’re lacking or poor.

In Herzberg’s Two-Factor Theory, hygiene factors are the extrinsic elements of a job that, when they are at acceptable levels, prevent dissatisfaction but don’t create lasting motivation. This makes the statement true: they prevent dissatisfaction, and if any hygiene factor is bad, it tends to upset you. Examples include pay, working conditions, company policies, supervision, and relations with coworkers. The key point is that while good hygiene factors remove sources of dissatisfaction, they don’t by themselves boost motivation or lead to deeper, sustained engagement. True motivation comes from intrinsic factors—the work itself, achievement, recognition, responsibility, and advancement. That’s why the other ideas are not accurate: hygiene factors don’t generate intrinsic motivation, don’t guarantee happiness, and certainly do have an effect when they’re lacking or poor.