Step 1: Restating the core logic:
Maslow's central idea is 'a satisfied need is not a motivator' — once a lower need is reasonably fulfilled, it no longer drives behaviour, and attention automatically shifts upward to the next unmet need.
Step 2: Pyramid structure explained with workplace examples:
At the base sit physiological needs (salary enough to live on); above that, safety needs (job security, provident fund); then social needs (friendly colleagues, teamwork); then esteem needs (promotion, public recognition); and at the apex, self-actualisation (a job that lets an employee use their full talent and creativity).
Step 3: Managerial takeaway:
Because different employees may sit at different levels of this hierarchy at the same time, effective motivation requires managers to diagnose which need is currently unmet for each employee rather than applying one uniform incentive to everyone.
Final Answer:
Maslow arranged human needs into a five-tier pyramid (physiological to self-actualisation); only an unmet need motivates behaviour, so managers must match rewards to each employee's current need level.