The Hawthorne Studies

The Hawthorne studies are named after a series of experiments that took place in USA
between (1924 -1932) at the Western Electric factory in Hawthorne, a suburb of
Chicago. They were by conducted by George Elton Mayo, Thomas North Whitehead
and Fritz Roethlisberger.

The Hawthorne studies were conducted in order to find out the role of human resource
in increasing the production of an organization , so the Human Relations Movement
began with the Hawthorne Experiments. These experiments can be divided into 4
parts in their chronological order,

1. Illumination Study/Experiments (1924-27)

These experiments were performed to find out the effect of different levels of
illumination (lighting) on productivity of labor. The brightness of the light was
increased and decreased to find out the effect on the productivity of the test group.
Results:
 Higher worker productivity and satisfaction at all light levels.
 Worker productivity was stopped as the light levels reached moonlight intensity.

Conclusions:
 Light intensity has no conclusive effect on output.
 Productivity has a psychological component.
 Concept of “Hawthorne Effect” was created

2. Relay Assembly Test Room Experiments (1927-1929)

Conducted by Elton Mayo, under these test two small groups of 6 female telephone
relay assemblers were selected. Each group was kept in separate rooms. From time to
time, changes were made in pay incentives, working hours, rest periods, lunch breaks,
etc.

Results:
 Higher Output & greater employee satisfaction in both the control rooms.

Conclusion:
 It was concluded that social relationship among workers, participation
in decision-making, etc. had a greater effect on productivity than working
conditions.
 Positive effects even with negative influences – workers’ output will increase as
a response to attention.
 Strong social bonds were created within the test group. Workers are influenced by
need for recognition, security and sense of belonging.
 It was also found the financial incentives alone cannot increase the
performance. Social and Psychological needs must also be satisfied in order to
increase productivity.
3. Mass Interviewing Programme (1928-1930)
21,000 employees were interviewed over a period of three years to find out reas ons for
increased productivity.

Conclusions:
 Good communication between the superiors and subordinates can improve the
relations and the productivity of the subordinates.
 Special attention and freedom to express their views will improve the
performance of the workers.
 Complaints were symptoms of deep-rooted disturbances.
 Productivity can be increased if workers are allowed to talk freely about matters
that are important to them.
 Workers are governed by experience obtained from both inside and outside the
company.
The social organization of the company represents a system of values from
which the worker derives satisfaction or dissatisfaction.
The social demands of the worker are influenced by social experience in
groups both inside and outside the work plant.
In a nutshell “SOCIAL GROUPS CREATED BIG IMPACT ON WORK”

4. Bank Wiring Room Observation Experiment (1932)

A group of 14 male workers in the bank wiring room were placed under observation
for 6 months. A worker's pay depended on the performance of the group as a whole.

Assumption:
The researchers thought that the efficient workers would put pressure on the less
efficient workers to complete the work.

Results:
Output was lower than what company had expected. Reasons for that were,
 Fear of unemployment & Fear of raising the standards
 Protection of slower workers
 Satisfaction on the part of management.

Conclusion:
It was found that the,
 Existence of well-established Performance Norms in the group.
 Group established its own standards of output.
 Social pressure was used, to achieve the standards of output.
 Social pressure was used to protect workers from managers who,
--Raise production standards --Cut pay rates. -- Challenge workplace norms.

The Hawthorne studies have had a remarkable impact on management in organizations

and how workers react to various situations. The research carried out at the Western
Electrics Hawthorne plant during the 1920’s and early 1930’s helped to initiate a whole
new approach to human behavior studies
The final result was “the organization of teamwork, that is of sustained cooperation
leads to success”