Unveiling motivation: a comprehensive study of motivation and job satisfaction among employees at a Thai commercial bank

Abstract

This study investigates employee motivation and job satisfaction in a selected Thai commercial bank through the lens of Herzberg's Two-Factor theory. Primary objectives involve utilising Herzberg's theory to analyse factors influencing employee motivation and job satisfaction and dissect the nuanced relationships between them and their impact on bank employees. Samples consist of ten employees from the head office, business centre, and branch, from the age of 28 to 55. The sampled employees work in the support and administration, operations and customer services and related transactions. The paper uses a qualitative method to collect the data by conducting in-depth interviews with the samples and analyses the collected descriptive data by coding. The results show that, despite necessitating the existence of motivation on motivator factors, the employees find the provision of hygiene factors, viz. salary, supervision and interpersonal relationships, the most important motivators rather than the motivator factors, which to some extent proposes a counter-argument to the theory and contributes insights that deepen the understanding of employee motivation and job satisfaction within the banking context. The absence of hygiene factors leads to job dissatisfaction as well as lower motivation. The presence of motivator factors may not guarantee their increased motivation as long as they feel comfortable working in the current environment. It is imperative that managers apply this insightful information to institute practical recommendations by integrating motivator factors into the policies that support the presence of hygiene and motivator factors to create an environment conducive to high motivation and job satisfaction.