Impact of Hawthorne Experiments on Worker Motivation

HAWTHORNE EXPERIMENTS ELTON MAYO Elton Mayo s team conducted a number of experiments involving six female workers. These experiments are often referred to as the Hawthorne experiments or Hawthorne studies as they took place at The Hawthorne Works of the Western Electric Company in Chicago.

Experiment Details Over the course of five years, Mayo s team altered the female worker s working conditions and monitored how the change in working conditions affected the workers morale and productivity. The changes in working conditions included changes in working hours, rest brakes, lighting, humidity, and temperature. The changes were explained to the workers prior to implementation.

Results At the end of the five year period, the female worker s working conditions, reverted back to the conditions before the experiment began. Unexpectedly the workers morale and productivity rose to levels higher than before and during the experiments. The combination of results during and after the experiment (i.e. the increase in the workers productivity when they were returned to their original working conditions) led Mayo to conclude that workers were motivated by psychological conditions more than physical working condition.

Hawthorne Experiment Conclusions After analyzing the results from the Hawthorne experiments Mayo concluded that workers were motivated by more than self interest and the following had an impact too which is discussed in different slides:

Psychological Contract There is an unwritten understanding between the worker and employer regarding what is expected from them; Mayo called this the psychological contract.

Interest in Workers A worker s motivation can be increased by showing an interest in them. Mayo classified studying the workers (through the experiments) as showing an interest in the workers.

Work is a Group Activity Work is a group activity, team work can increase a worker s motivation as it allows people to form strong working relationships and increases trust between the workers. Work groups are created formally by the employer but also occur informally. Both informal and formal groups should be used to increase productivity as informal groups influence the worker s habits and attitudes.

Social Aspect of Work Workers are motivated by the social aspect of work, as demonstrated by the female workers socializing during and outside work and the subsequent increase in motivation.

Recognize Workers Workers are motivated by recognition, security and a sense of belonging.

Communication The communication between workers and management influences workers morale and productivity. Workers are motivated through a good working relationship with management.

Overall Conclusion 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. Advocates of the "Hawthorne Effect" will state that the Hawthorne experiment results show that motivation can be improved through improving working relationships and social interaction.

The Rise of Industrial Sociology

What is Industrialism An economic and social system based on the development of large scale industries and marked by the production of large quantities of manufactured goods and there is concentration of employment in urban factories. A system of social and economic organization based on highly mechanized industry.

Characteristics of Industrialism Division of labor Cultural Rationalization Use of scientific method for problem-solution Factory system and mechanization Bureaucracy and administration by rules

Scientific Management Frederick Winslow Taylor (1856-1915) also called the father of Scientific Management. He, in his 1911 book The Principles Of Scientific Management laid down the fundamental principles of large scale manufacturing industries. He was one of the first persons to study the behavior and performance of people at work place.

Basically, he was a manufacturing manager later on became consultant and taught other managers how to apply his scientific management techniques. believed that by increasing specialization and the division of labor, the production process will be more efficient.

4 Principles To Increase Efficiency Study the way workers perform their tasks, gather all the informal job knowledge that workers possess and experiment with ways of improving how tasks are performed. Codify the new methods of performing tasks into written rules and standard operating procedures. Carefully select workers who possess skills and abilities that match the needs of the task, and train them to perform the task according to the established rules and procedures. Establish a fair or acceptable level of performance for a task, and then develop a pay system that provides a reward for performing above the acceptable level. 1. 2. 3. 4.

Scientific Management Theory Seeks to improve an organization s efficiency by systematically improving the efficiency of task completion. In simple words, it is just an application of science to management.

Principles of scientific management Science not the rule of thumb: scientific investigation should be used for taking managerial decisions instead of basing on opinion or thumb rule. Cooperation between employers and employees: Harmonious relationship between employees and employers. Cooperation of employees that managers can ensure that work is carried in accordance with standards.

Division of work/ responsibility: The responsibility of workers and management should be properly divided and communicated so that they can perform them in an effective way and should be rewarded for the same. Mental revolution: To Taylor, the workers and managers should have a complete new outlook; a mental revolution in respect to their mutual relations. Workers should be considered as a part of Organization. Employers shouldn t treat workers as mere wage earners

His principles of management The four principles of management. 1. The development of a true science. 2. The scientific selection of the workman. 3. The scientific education and development of the workman. 4. Intimate and friendly cooperation between the management and the men.

Taylor created planning departments, staffed them with engineers, and gave them the responsibility to: 1. Develop scientific methods for doing work. 2. Establish goals for productivity. 3. Establish systems of rewards for meeting the goals. 4. Train the personnel in how to use the methods and thereby meet the goals.

Criticism for scientific management The main argument against Taylor is his reductionist approach to work dehumanizes the worker. The allocation of work "specifying not only what is to be done but how it is to done and the exact time allowed for doing it" is seen as leaving no scope for the individual worker to excel or think. The belief that increased output would lead to less workers. Inefficiencies within the management control system such as poorly designed incentive schemes and hourly pay rates not linked to productivity.