The Hawthorne Experiment: Unraveling Work Productivity, Team Dynamics, and Human Relations Impact on Management Theory

You would not say who did it because you wouldn’t want your classmate to be kicked out of school. So, your interest is to say that you do not know hoping that they don’t change the exam answers. Although the Hawthorne effect tends to be an ideal contributor to organizational management, it contains a few flaws which such a study is criticized upon. Having the experiments being conducted in controlled environments, lack of validity may exist as the workers knew they were observed hence produced better performances. The human aspect in the Hawthorne experiments was given too much importance were it alone cannot improve production as other factors are a must. Group decision making might also evolve in a flaw as on occasions individual decision making is vital as it might be the way to prevent failures within a system.

thoughts on “Elton Mayo’s Hawthorne Experiment and It’s Contributions to Management”

• Almost as significant during the relay assembly tests was the introduction of a team of academics from the Harvard Business School into the experiments.
• The findings of this study have greatly influenced how we think about the relationship between workers and their environment.
• In the second phase, different lighting levels were set for the experimental and control groups.
• Bunch brain research assumes a significant part in any business association.
• The basic idea was to vary and record levels of illumination in a test room with the expectation that as lighting was increased, productivity would too.

For instance, positive changes in the social environment and good relationships between workers significantly enhanced their performance. Not only did productivity increase when lighting was increased, but it also increased when lighting was decreased. This unexpected finding prompted further investigations into the psychological and social factors that influence worker motivation and performance.

• What seemed like a straightforward goal—to identify factors influencing work productivity—yielded results that far exceeded expectations and unveiled a new chapter in understanding the psychology of the workplace.
• Between 1924 and 1932, a series of experiments were carried out on the employees at the facility.
• Surprisingly, their productivity remained high regardless of the light intensity.
• During the fourth phase, the focus shifted to two female workers who operated under varying lighting conditions.
• The position or status of worker in the company is a reference from which the worker assigns meaning and value to the events, objects and features of his environment such as hours of work, wages, etc.

✔ 2. Relay Assembly Test Room Experiment

They performed equally well under both standard lighting of 60 lux and dim lighting of 20 lux. This astonished the researchers and added a new dimension to the understanding of this relationship. During the course of interviews, it was discovered that workers’ behaviour was being influenced by group behaviour. However, this conclusion was not very satisfactory and, therefore, researches decided to conduct another series of experiments.

The Legacy of the Hawthorne Effect in Organizational Behavior

The women were employed in assembling relays or electromagnetic switches used in switching telephone calls automatically. The entire process was highly labor intensive and the speed of assembly had an obvious effect on productivity. Consequently, this approach was supplanted by a roundabout method, where the questioner essentially paid attention to what the workers needed to say. In this trial, a little homogeneous work-gathering of six young ladies was established. These young ladies were amicable to one another and were approached to work in an extremely casual environment under the management of a scientist. These studies mark the starting point of the field of Organizational Behaviour.

The initial tests were sponsored by the National Research Council (NRC) of the National Academy of Sciences. In 1927, a research team from Harvard Business School was invited to join the studies after the illumination test drew unanticipated results. The Hawthorne Effect refers to the phenomenon where individuals change or improve an aspect of their behavior in response to their awareness of being observed. The Hawthorne Effect, named after the studies that uncovered it, refers to the phenomenon where individuals modify their behavior simply because they are being observed. Productivity increases as a result of improved working conditions in the organisation. Human and social motivation can play even a greater role than mere monitory incentives in moving or motivating and managing employee group.

It was assumed that these positive factors were there because of the various factors being adjusted and making them more confident. At this time, the the experiment hewthrone experiment was conducted by researchers decided to revert to an original position, that is, no rest and other benefits. Since there was more freedom of work, they developed a sense of responsibility and self-discipline. The relationship between supervisor and workers became close and friendly. During the first phase of the experiment, lighting levels were systematically adjusted in three different manufacturing departments, with various groups of workers. The researchers expected that lower light levels would reduce employee productivity.

When the intensity of illumination decreased, the production continued to increase in both the groups. Enlightenment tests were embraced to discover how fluctuating levels of brightening ( a measure of light at the work environment, a physical element) influenced the efficiency. The speculation was that with higher brightening, efficiency would increment.

Hawthorne Experiment

The Hawthorne Studies were conducted by a team of researchers from Harvard Business School, including Elton Mayo, Fritz Roethlisberger, and William J. Dickson. Elton Mayo, considered the father of the Hawthorne Studies, played a crucial role in shaping the research and interpreting the findings. It was expected that highly efficient workers would bring pressure on less efficient workers to increase output and take advantage of group incentive plan. However, the strategy did not work and workers established their own standard of output and this was enforced vigorously by various methods of social pressure.

The second and third each developed out of the preceding series of tests. Both workers’ and supervisors’ comments would aid in the development of personnel policies and supervisory training, including the subsequent implementation of a routine counseling program for employees. The Hawthorne Experiments showed that worker productivity is not only affected by physical work environment, but also by social and psychological factors although financial incentives were considered critical by workers. The traditional view of how to motivate employees is that you offer monetary rewards (pay increases, bonuses etc) for work completion. However the Hawthorne experiments may suggest that motivation is more complicated than that.

To explore this, the Western Electric Company hired researchers, led by Elton Mayo, to conduct a series of experiments. As each change was introduced, absenteeism decreased, morale increased, and less supervision was required. It was assumed that these positive factors were there because of the various factors being adjusted and making them more positive. At this time, the researchers decided to revert back to original position, that is, no rest and other benefits. Illumination experiments were undertaken to find out how varying levels of illumination (amount of light at the workplace, a physical factor) affected the productivity. The hypothesis was that with higher illumination, productivity will increase.

This underscores that individual characteristics of employees may take a back seat to more critical factors influencing productivity. Recent studies have shown that a team can significantly impact employee productivity. Specifically, a survey of more than twenty thousand factory workers revealed that productivity depends not only on individual talents and abilities but also on the quality of the team those employees are part of.

Research has repeatedly shown that an employee’s sense of belonging to a workgroup is crucial to their job performance and productivity. Effective leaders not only manage processes but also nurture a healthy social environment within the organization. Managers who can inspire and support their teams contribute to a positive workplace atmosphere, benefiting everyone involved. In the second phase, different lighting levels were set for the experimental and control groups. Nonetheless, both groups experienced productivity growth, with no significant difference observed between them. For instance, in the experimental group subjected to 70 lux and the control group with 40 lux, both saw a 10% increase in productivity.

The studies highlighted the importance of considering the human element within organizations and recognizing the impact of social interactions and group dynamics on productivity and job satisfaction. The studies highlighted the importance of worker attitudes, group dynamics, and social interactions in influencing employee performance. This shift in perspective paved the way for a greater emphasis on creating supportive and collaborative work environments that prioritize employee well-being and engagement.