George Elton Mayo, an Australian psychologist, sociologist, and organization theorist, was born on December 26th, 1880 in Adelaide. He later moved to the United States in the 1920s where he taught at Harvard Business School from 1926 to 1947 as a professor of industrial research. Mayo is well-known for founding the Human Relations Movement and his significant contributions to studies such as the Hawthorne Studies. Additionally, he wrote the book The Human Problems of an Industrialized Civilization (1933).
The Hawthorne Studies of the 1930s revealed the significant impact of groups on individual behavior in the workplace. Mayo’s colleagues, Roethlisberger and Dickson, conducted practical experiments that allowed them to draw conclusions about managerial behavior. Through various investigations, Mayo explored methods to enhance productivity, such as altering lighting conditions. Surprisingly, he discovered that job satisfaction largely depended on the informal social structure within the work group.
The establishment of norms of cooperation and increased productivity is driven by a sense of importance rather than by physical conditions or financial rewards. The formation of work groups among individuals can be advantageous for the organization, as noted by management. It was determined that the performance of individuals in their work is influenced by social factors as well as the nature of their job. There is a potential conflict within organizations due to the opposing perspectives of workers, driven by sentiment, and managers, focused on cost and efficiency.
Often referred to as the human relations movement, the behavioral management theory focuses on the human aspect of work. It emphasizes the importance of understanding human behavior in the workplace, including motivation, conflict, expectations, and group dynamics, in order to enhance productivity. The theorists associated with this approach regard employees as individuals, resources, and valuable assets that should be nurtured and engaged with, rather than treating them as mere machines as was previously done.
Elton Mayo’s contributions were part of the Hawthorne studies, a series of experiments conducted at the Hawthorne Works of the Western Electric Company in Chicago from 1924 to 1932. The experiments rigorously applied classical management theory but ultimately exposed its limitations. One group of engineers conducted the first study, examining the link between lighting levels and worker productivity.
Researchers made a surprising discovery when they found that productivity of workers increased with lower lighting levels. However, this trend reversed when employees could no longer see their tasks, leading to a decline in performance. Some years later, a new set of experiments took place, this time under the supervision of Harvard researchers Mayo and F. J. Roethlisberger. The study involved five women working in a bank wiring room who were given special privileges, including the freedom to leave their workstations without permission, take breaks, receive free lunches, and experience different pay levels and workdays.
According to Mayo and Roethlisberger, an experiment showed a significant increase in productivity. They determined that the increase was due to the supervisory arrangement rather than changes in lighting or other worker benefits. The experimenters took on the role of primary supervisors, which resulted in heightened motivation and productivity due to their intense interest in the workers.
The experimenters themselves became a part of the study and had an influence on the results. This led to the creation of the term Hawthorne effect, which refers to the special attention researchers give to subjects in a study and how it affects the findings. The Hawthorne studies concluded that human relations and the social needs of workers are important factors in business management. This understanding of human motivation has significantly impacted theories and practices in management.
