Revisiting the Hackman and Oldham Job Characteristics Model and Herzberg’s Two Factor Theory: Propositions on How to Make Job Enrichment Effective in Today’s Organizations

Abstract

In the increasingly competitive business landscape of today’s world, human resource management ought to optimize on the organization’s most important resource, the human resource, to maintain competitiveness. Such is possible through continually building into the motivation and job satisfaction of employees. While attaining both motivation and job satisfaction would ordinarily require different approaches, one of the most fundamental of approaches is through job enrichment interventions. This paper thus sequentially argues from propositions of two widely acclaimed theories viz the job characteristics model and the Herzberg’s two factor theory that the creation of good work environments, regularly enhancing employee’s skills and applying inspirational motivation and individual consideration could lead to success of job enrichment interventions, thereby leading to enhanced employee motivation, enhanced job satisfaction, and enhanced organizational performance.