- Organization Communication - Human Relation Theory -

NAME CLASS SUBJECT LECTURER DATE

: : : : :

Joel Kuan Han-Yu DMC093/2-4 Organization Communication Ms. Ean Lee 10 March 2011

Content
Content Introduction Works and Experiments Underlying assumption of classical and neo-human relation theory Application of Human Relation Theory Relevancy of Human Relation Theory in todays world Drawbacks of Human Relation Theory Conclusion Bibliography Appendix 1 2 3-5 6 78 9 10 11 12 13 - 14

Introduction
This is my first assignment for this subject. We are given a topic by random in chapter 2 and are asked to fully explain that subtopic in the chapter. I have been given the topic of Human Relation Theory. Elton Mayo is the founder of Human Relation Movement and also known for his research he did which is The Hawthorne Studies. He was born in 26 December 1880 and died on 7 September 1949 at the age of 69. He lectured at the University of Queensland from 1911 to 1923 before moving to University of Pennsylvania. He later continued his career at the Harvard Business School. He married Dorothea McConnel and had two daughters named Patricia and Gael. He conducted his Hawthorne studies in 1930s which shows the importance of group affecting the behavior of individual works. Mayos employee, Roethlisberger and Dickson, helped in conducting the practical experiments. He carried out a few method to conduct this experiment, these includes relay assembly, lighting illumination and interview process. He found out that the feel of importance, physical condition or financial incentives gives a little more motivation to the employees. The basic concept or the summary of Human Relation Theory is to understand the importance of employees feeling in their workplace. The motivation values are recognition, encouragement and rewards of individual contribution.

Works and Experiments

The first experiment Elton Mayo did is the Relay Assembly. This relay assembly is rather simple and straight forward. A group of 5 ladies were placed in a room to assemble telephones which consist of forty different parts. Each of the ladies was seated in a lone bench at their own station in the room. They are provided with the parts needed and as soon they complete assembling them, the ladies would drop them in a chute. The relay assemblies were tracked automatically by a moving paper tape which was punched with holes as soon as the telephone was dropped into the chute. This moving paper tape was used to track the production rate of each worker. This measuring technique was kept secret for two weeks. They had a supervisor in the experiment room which later on discussed changes with them at sometimes uses their suggestion. Researchers was unsure if this method increase the rate of production or decreased it because this method provided the workers with rest periods, shorter working hours, salary incentives and a smaller group in work. The researchers spent five years measuring the changes and impact towards the workers when different environment was introduced in the workplace. They were first given two 5 minutes break when some of the workers suggested it would be enough. Later on, the researcher increased the time to 10 minutes break twice. This in returned caused the productivity to increase but when the break time changed to six 5 minutes break, the production decreased as the workers dislike these interruptions. The second variable was to provide them with foods during break increased their productivity. The third variable was to shorten the day by 30 minutes increased the output value. Shortening it even more later on increased the output hourly but decreased in the overall output. The researchers hypothesized that the worker will increase output or productivity when they are given their own freedom like choosing their own coworker, working as a group, feel being treated special or even having a good supervisor. The second experiment conducted by Elton Mayo is the Interviewing Program. This interview program was assisted by Mayo assistant, Fritz Roethlisberger. This interview program is to extensively interview each employee to understand their family background, personal issue,
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personality and so on because Elton Mayo believes that these variables might play a role in employees attitude at work and also towards the supervisor. From 1928 to 1930, Mayo and Roethlisberger conducted more than twenty one thousand interviews and worked closely training other researchers. After some time of interviewing, their methodology or goal made a turn. This turn has caused the interview to be more likely a conversation interview rather than a question interview. This method of interview encourages the employees to openly voice out their comments, suggestion, thinking, emotion or any topic of his or her choice rather than answering a set of set questions. Therefore, the interviewer must be a listener rather than ask-er. The interview lasted an average of 30 minutes increased two times, three times or more over the period of interviewing. The time was extended because employees voiced out their emotion and released stressed as they could talk any topic they wished. In the records of the employees, hundreds and thousands of pages were committed to employees personal issue and details of their daily life. In the where computers were not so popular or even have the system to sort files; employees comments were sorted out individually according to their working condition, jobs, supervisor, issues and so on. The interview program worked tremendously because when the participants or employees was asked to voice out their suggestion, comments or just for a talk, they felt attended to and was taken into account that their ideas was heard. This in return created a positive atmosphere in the workplace and a sense of well being. The third experiment they conducted is light intensity versus the output of employees. The assumption of most theorist is when the light is bright enough, workers can see what they are doing or assembling. This concept or idea is very straight forward and easy to undertake. In this experiment, researcher intensifies the lights around the assembly line and as expected, the production output increased. However, to the surprise of the researcher, when they decrease the light intensity, the production output remain the same and did not decrease. Only significant decrease on output noticed is when the light was so dim that the workers complained they couldnt see what they were assembling. The conclusion for this experiment is that illumination is not the main factor of affecting the productivity of the workers.
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The final experiment was bank wiring. Bank wiring means that the researchers wired the whole office or assembly line to monitor the works in action. This method was to use to see if payment incentives worked. To their surprise, it did not increase the productivity output. This is because the workers had an assumption that this method was to boost their production in order to lay off some workers. This study was conducted in year 1931 to 1932 by Mayo and W. Lloyd Warner on a group of fourteen men in a telephone assembly line. They noticed that in the group, there were subgroups or cliques. These groups had their own informal rules. When the supervisor or boss asked about the production, they had their own answers even though its not true. Example question is why production is so slow or low.

Underlying assumption of classical and neo-human relation theory

Neo-human relation theory was theorized by Abraham Maslow. This theory focuses on the psychological needs of employees. Maslow created a pyramid chart or as know as hierarchy that shows the 5 employee needs that have to be fulfilled at their workplace. Hierarchy is rather simple, when a lower level need is accomplished or fulfilled, on than the employer have to move up one level to fulfill the next need. By using this method, a worker will be motivated constantly for the rest of their working period in a company. An example was given in tutor2u.net for better understanding. This example is a person who is dying of hunger will be motivated to achieve a basic wage in order to buy food before worrying about having a secure job contract or the respect of others. The drawback of this neo-human relation method is that different worker or employees have different needs. Moreover not all employees would move up the hierarchy at the same time. Therefore in order to motivate each and every worker or employee, the management or supervisor has to identify each individual workers needs and fulfill them separately. Between these two theories, there is one same objective to achieve is to increase productivity of each individual worker and in return will ensure higher profit for the company. Both theories use different method to motivate workers to continue working or work harder. The classical human relation theory focuses on the physical needs of the employees whereas, as mention in this page, the neo-human relation theory focuses on the psychological needs of the employees.

Application of Human Relation Theory

I have chosen a travel agent company called Belantara Holidays to do this topic of my assignment. There are many ways and form to apply this theory in many different companies but here is my way of application. The first thing I would do is to provide sufficient break time for the workers. In a travel agency, calls are coming in from all over the world. When someone is involved with the world, there would be time differences and sometimes calls might come in at night. In order to overcome this, workers should be given comfort in the office. Break time are provided with foods and beverages. The break time was chosen by themselves and can go for break at any given time, except they have a certain period and amount of break time. This method was applied in one of the experiment Elton Mayo and his team conducted which was the Relay Assembly. I do believe that if the employees were given their own freedom to choose what they want and when they want it would provide them with a stress release time when they need one. The second thing to apply in the workplace of Belantara Holidays is the lighting. Although Elton Mayo experiment came out negative of productivity output, I still believe that brighter lights in a work area would encourage better productivity. This is because light has an effect on our mood, the bright the light, the brighter our day equals a higher productivity. If the lights would to be dull and dim, it would cause the employees to feel tired and sleepy and causes them to lose concentration and willingness to continue work flow. The third method of application is the interview program. This interview program in Belantara Holidays would not be conducted as how Elton Mayo did in his experiment. In Belantara Holidays, the interview program would be conducted while having lunch, dinner, company trips or even outing. This is an informal way of interview but this method can lead the employees to have an understanding that the boss or employers are humans and have feeling towards them. This will also cause the employee to feel more special and connected to the company. I would definitely incorporate the bank wiring program. In these generations, internets are widely used and information is widely spread. Internets are provided to employees for
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working purposes but some employees might abuse the benefit and cause production to decrease. The method used to monitor these events are not as how Elton Mayo did in the past but in this new generation, every mouse click on a computer and every idle moment of the computer are logged and analyzed by an Artificial Intelligent computer and will alert the supervisor when there is any differences in the workers routine. Basically I would apply all the method in the Human Relation Theory that Elton Mayo conducted experiments with but in a much different way compared with how Elton Mayo did his.

Relevancy of Human Relation Theory in todays world

In this new age world where many methods of management are introduced and used; many ways of monitoring programs, many methods to motivate employees, I believe that they are all based on the Human Relation Theory. In this world we are living in now, it is still important to follow the human relation theory. 1 year ago or 100 years ago, we are still human, our feelings are the same and we still need our glamour-time or being treated as someone special; we want to be noticed and the centre of attraction. For example, we can see that in many assembly lines or factories, offices or shops, they light up the area brightly because it is a way to make human feel lively and awake. The second example we can see which is from the human relation theory is company giving annual dinner, bonuses, special benefits, bosses interacting with employees as friends and so on. These actions are to motivate the employees to look towards a goal and make them feel pampered or special when they completed a task as targeted.

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Drawbacks of Human Relation Theory

Everything we do, every idea we spring up with and every theory we theorize has its own distinct advantages and disadvantages. Same goes to Human Relation Theory. Although this theory is to motivate employees to work harder in order to increase the productivity output, it can also gives a wrong impression where workers work only to gain the reward but not to help the company grow. This is a major drawback when company employees are giving all they got to hit the company target but failed to do so, the company couldnt afford to reward these staffs. This could really harm the mood or feeling of the employees towards the company. Another drawback of this theory is some companies are trying to manipulate the staffs by giving false praise in order to increase productivity. This would cause the employees to feel praised but in a wrong way. This method is unethical by the manager or company. The next drawback is some employees might feel that they are being bribe to increase production. Some employees want to do it their own way and not being forced with rewards or praises; they just want to pass their days and get their basic wages. This human relation theory can cause these people to feel that they are being bribe to do their work or push them to work harder.

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Conclusion
Human Relation Theory is a widely used theory up till today. I believe that if human relation theory was not theorize, the work environment we have now would be chaos and have no universal way of realizing the importance of relationship, feelings and understandings towards employees. I have learnt a lot in this assignment and of cause it is one of the hardest assignments Ive done. There were no assignment in the past that required us to write up to 2000 words but I am glad I hit the target of 2000 plus words in this assignment. I have never knew that just motivating employees to work as taken Elton Mayo years to find out. I will be looking forward to some other theory that is similar to this Human Relation Theory and to learn more about it.

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Bibliography
Elton Mayo, Retrieved March 10, 2011 from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elton_Mayo Hawthorne effect, Retrieved March 10, 2011 from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hawthorne_Studies The Hawthorne Effect - Mayo Studies in Employee Motivation, Retrieved March 10, 2011 from http://www.envisionsoftware.com/articles/Hawthorne_Effect.html Human Relation, Retrieved March 10, 2011 from http://www.answers.com/topic/humanrelations A New Vision, Retrieved March 10, 2011 from http://www.library.hbs.edu/hc/hawthorne/anewvision.html#e Motivation Theory, Retrieved March 10, 2011 from
http://tutor2u.net/business/gcse/people_motivation_theories.htm

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Appendix

From http://www.vectorstudy.com/management_gurus/elton_mayo.htm Retrieved, March 10, 2011

From http://tutor2u.net/business/gcse/people_motivation_theories.htm Retrieved, March 10, 2011

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From http://www.library.hbs.edu/hc/hawthorne/03.html#three Retrieved March 10, 2011

From http://www.library.hbs.edu/hc/hawthorne/06.html#six Retrieved Match 10, 2011

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