Human Relation Theory

HUMAN RELATION THEORY:
The human relations theory, gives primacy to the human factor over institutional factors as
popularized by the traditional schools of public administration. As the name suggests, it is
a path-breaking theory in the discipline of public administration,which views organization
as a social system by elevating human behaviour as the basic unit of analysis. The
employees in human relations theory are treated as human beings, rather than mere
human appendage of machinery or work hands. The theory is based on a simple premise
that the ‘human problem requires a human solution’, since, happier workers are the secret
to a successful organization. The proponents of this theory have shown that in public
organization, attempts have been made to solve human problems with non-human data.
Unlike the traditional approach, which glorifies ‘Economic Man’, the human relations
theory enthrones the ‘Social Man’. This theory underscores four key elements of
organization, which the classical theorists seem to have overlooked. These are: (a)
organization is to be viewed as a social system; (b) workers are human beings with all
humanly attributes; (c) informal elements also play an important role in the overall
organizational output; and (d) organization has a social ethics, instead of individual ethics.
Thus, organisation to the worker is not only a place where he does his job and gets paid,
rather it is a major part of his social environment in which the worker finds his identity, his
social bearings, social norms and values, and his own standing and position in the overall
social settings. Thus, to the worker, the organisation is the most important part of his
social environment in which he finds himself embedded ( rooted).
Human relation theory was propounded (given) in late 1920s and 1930s by Elton Mayo, an
Australian born psychologist, industrial researcher, and organizational theorist, who
taught at Harvard, USA. His major works include The Human Problems of an Industrial
Civilization (1933), The Social Problems of an Industrial Civilization (1945), and The
Political Problem of Industrial Civilization (1947).
Four Hawthorne Experiments at the Hawthorne plant of Western electric

company, a subsidiary of AT&T Telephone Company near Chicago, in USA, Four set
of experiments were carried out Between 1924-32; they were led by Mayo, and
supported by Roethlisberger and Dickson.
1. THE GREAT ILLUMINATION EXPERIMENT:-

This experiment intends to assess the impact of the work environment on industrial
output. In the said experiment, two groups of female workers, who were engaged in
assembling telephone relays, were selected among the workers and placed into two
different test rooms to see the above correlations. The experiment continued over a
period of one-and-a-half years, where different elements of physical working
conditions like levels of illumination,room temperature, humidity, wage payments,
working hours, rest periods, and so on, were deliberately altered to evaluate the
impact on the productivity per se. Quite to the contrary of what was expected, the
female groups under study behaved quite unpredictably, proving the popular
hypothesis as wrong. Instead of responding favourably or unfavourably to the
incentive schemes and physical work environment or their removals, the groups
kept a steady growth rate and remained a puzzle for the researchers. This particular
experiment, as the research team claimed, had discarded the typical incentive-
driven growth hypothesis of the scientific management theory.
2. Human Attitude and Sentiments experiment (1928-31):

In another study conducted from 1928 to 1931, Mayo and his team started a study
of human attitudes and sentiments. The workers were asked to express freely their
likes and dislikes about their working conditions and the policies of the manage-
ment. After interviewing more than 21,000 workers, the team concluded that the
workers appreciated the method of collecting the information on the problems of
the company from them.They realized that they were allowed to express their views
freely and thought they had valuable comments to offer. The research team also
realized that they had acquired new skills in understanding and dealing with their
fellow beings. It was felt that in the absence of proper appreciation of the feelings
and sentiments of the workers, it was difficult to understand their real problems,
personal feelings, and sentiments derived from both an employee’s personal
history and his social situation at work. Overall the study of human attitudes and
sentiments helped both workers as well as the management.
3. The Bank Wiring Experiment (1931-32):-

This experiment was to observe a group behavior of workers and determine the
effect of informal group norms on productivity. Teams of 14 male workers doing
soldiering, wiring, and fixing terminals were studied without them being aware of it.
It may be noted that earlier three experiments were known to the workers under
observation. Workers were getting bonus/incentive according to group
performance. Despite this, groups performed below target. Members producing
more or less and those who revealed group’s information to management were
socially outcasted. The study found out that the supervisors have set a target but
the workers were not working as per the targets set by the supervisor. Rather, they
produced less than the target fixed by the supervisor. Very interestingly, the
productivity of all the workers was similar. The group itself has set a target which is
below the supervisor’s target. One who produced more than the targets was called
as Ratebuster and one who produced less than the designated target was called as
Chiseller. Also, the one who disclosed secrets to the management was called as
Squealer. They all were ridiculed by the group. From the experiment, Mayo
concluded that there was an informal organization present in every formal
organization. The performance in the group is affected by group norms which is part
of the informal organization.
POSITIVE DIMENSION OF THIS THEORY:-

The essence of the human relations theory can be summarized as follows. First, the
human relation theory, unlike the machine model of organization, views
organization in its holistic social perspective. Second, in human relations theory,
workers are being treated as human beings with all humanly attributes. Instead of
viewing workers as homogenous cogs in the machine, human relations theory put
emphasis on the uniqueness of each worker. The human relations theory believes
that each worker carries with him his culture, attitude, belief, and way of life. Third,
another important attribute of human relations theory is the identification of
informal groups, which play a huge role in the overall organizational output. Unlike
the exclusive structural bias of the classical organization theory, the human
relations theory for the first time has identified the impact of informal groups on
motivation and productivity. Fourth, the human relation theory lays emphasis
on social ethics, instead of individual ethics.
CRITICISM:-
Sweeping conclusion based on imperfect and somewhat failed Hawthornean
experiments, which was full of pitfalls. Excess focus on individual’s social settings,
inter-personal relation, and hence, undermined economic, structural, and
ecological aspects at workplace. Paternalistic attitude of management. Mangers
were expected to guide workers in their social and inter-personal relations. This
might undermine individual autonomy of the workers. Utopic idea of conflict free
workplace and fully satisfied labour, which is neither possible nor very healthy.
Some amount of conflict between workers and management may be good for
workers. Became tool to manipulate worker’s behaviour at work place to obtain
higher productivity without economic incentives. No consideration for labour
unions and its social role in worker’s life.
CONCLUSION:-
Elton Mayo propounded the human relation theory in response to the scientific
management approach of Taylor in which the organisation was considered as
assemblage of rational workers who behaved as ‘economic man’.’. Till then it was
believed that by getting the job done in best possible way ( the science of work),
improving working condition, and economic incentives, labour productivity can be
increased. Social and human relation angle were neglected by the scientific
management principles. Elton Mayo attempted to understand the organisation as a
social system and workers as a ‘social man’. Worker was not only an employee of
the organisation but represented socially embedded individual. Organisation was a
part his social environment. Human relation approach was an improvement over
the scientific management theory. It actually supplemented and filled the gaps left
over by the scientific management principle. Despite such useful propositions and
many positive aspects, the human relation theory of Elton Mayo was also criticized
on many grounds. Many criticized Hawthorne experiment for being unscientific.
Many also pointed out that since the workers were aware that they are being
observed, they behaved in a particular manner which made the conclusion less
authentic. Also, the experiment considered limited aspects of human behaviour
and that too only in one organisation. Hawthorne experiments gave confusing data
and statistics. For example, in the great illumination and relay assembly test room
experiments, the performance of both the test and control group continued to
increase despite deteriorating working conditions. But Mayo used the almost failed
experiments and confusing data sets to highlight the social and human relation
aspects and their impact on workers’ motivation and productivity. Despite such
criticism, it supplemented scientific management approach and filled the gape left
by it. It brought the focus to the social and human relation aspect in the
organisational setting. It gave a new outlook and tool to the managers and
administrators to deal with the workers and get best output from them

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HUMAN RELATION THEORY:

Four Hawthorne Experiments at the Hawthorne plant of Western electric

1. THE GREAT ILLUMINATION EXPERIMENT:-

2. Human Attitude and Sentiments experiment (1928-31):

3. The Bank Wiring Experiment (1931-32):-

POSITIVE DIMENSION OF THIS THEORY:-

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