What for people work and why

Have you ever asked yourself what for do you work? I asked myself so many times. For me to work is a habit and a compulsion. May be in the Maslow's theory at times I feel - I am still standing on the first rung of the ladder trying to meet the basic requirements or stretching the separation line a bit further to classify that they all are my basic needs. Parallely at times I feel that - I have climbed all the five steps including the self actualisation stage as well. Am confused - hye na?

However I was told in another context by Ms. Renuka Mahaveer- an Industrial psychologist, that Maslow's Theory was too linear. If she is correct may be I have to compare my analogy with some other yardstick. So where is the yardstick? To compare with whom and to compare with what? So I started probing people. I asked all of my pals to answer this question. What is so great to answer that? Meera is a writer and she asked me what work - my domestic or about writing? A different window opened for me with her question. I never probed about work in those areas.

But typically what for people work? Is it not difficult to answer? That is the reason I first inquired you also to ask that question yourself. If you are working only for money and this answer satisfies you - you are not the person am addressing for. (If at all if somebody is reading this blog - I wonder?) I do believe that majority of us all are not working either for bread alone or purely for money. So what for?

Almost from the stone age people are working. Working for bread, working for comforts and working for luxuries and working for fun as well. But in the good olden days through mother nature - all the basic requirements are met, and still a person kept on working to improve the quality of life. So we came out from caves and started to live with all these modern facilities. So what made them to work in the days where no 'ESOPS' are there. I was told by so many that MOTIVATION makes a person to work. A good answer. So here comes the next question.

What is this motivation? Am not asking for the dictionary meaning alone. Because for different people motivation is defined in different ways. For some motivation is reward, for some it is financial satisfaction for some it is social recognisation and for some it is a black hole - all actions or efforts drain out. May be for me motivation is a gray area. Why so? Because am not sure what I want and what motivates me from time to time. Am greedy and "Ye Dil mange more.." theory always surfaces in my work area and as well as with my attitude.

Right from the days of modern civilization, industrial revolution so many theories are proposed by many of industrial psychologists or human nature observers. The father of scientific Management FW Talyor to William Ouchi and carrot and stick principle to Theories X,Y - modern days ESOPs, sharing of profits and win - win situations etc. How affective they all are? So am asking all of you to respond. Another angle is that majority of all these theories are talking about work at industries and service sectors only . What about domestic work? Work of home makers, poets, self employed? Who is going to answer? Am looking forward…

May be this is a starting point ... With a lateral thinking and getting views from all of you let me start correct my views or consolidate.

Some of the theories and suggested literature to read on motivation, inspiration and human behavior:

1.The Hawthrone's series of experiments (Elton Mayo, F Roethlisberger and William J Dickson) and the paradox of results

2.Abraham Maslow's hierarchical theory of motivation.

3.Douglas Macgregor's Theory X and theory Y.

4. Dr. Rensis Likert's management systems and styles

5.David Mcclelland Motivation theory.

6.Frederick Herzberg's motivation and hygiene factors.

7."Games People Play" a book by Eric Berne.

8."I am OK - You're OK" a book by Thomas Adams

9."The Monk who sold his Ferrari" a book by Robin Sharma