1. Hawthorne
Studies
PRESENTED BY:
KHAN

2. Introduction
 The study is a chain of social and
psychological experiments
 It was carried out by Mayo and
Roethlisberger

3. • The study was a
collaboration between the
company and a group of
graduates from Harvard
University.
Mayo was the chief
planner.

4. Hawthorne Effect
 When people have awareness that
someone is observing their behavior, they
modify it.
 A kind of reactivity in which people under
observation alter their behavior.

5. Four Phases of Hawthorne Experiments
First Phase:
Sequence of Illumination
tests from 1924 to 1927
Second Phase:
Experiments focused on
relay assembly department
Third Phase:
Interveiw with the employees
Fourth Phase:
Bank wiring test room
Hawthorne Studies

6. Phase1-Illumination Experiments
 Productivity…by the alterations in
lighting conditions.
 To observe variation in productivity with
decreasing or increasing illumination.

7. Continued…
Two groups were selected:
i. Experimental group ii. The control group
 The findings of these experiments showed no significant
difference in the productivity of both groups.
 Increased productivity was caused from the consideration
received by the group, not by lighting conditions.

8. Phase 2: Relay Assembly Test Room
Experiments
 Second study was to explain the impact of varied job
conditions.
 Initially, six women were selected and they were placed
under the observation of researcher.

9. Phase-2
 These women were treated differently from normal employees
 consultations and agreements
 freedom to talk to each other
 free meal
 rest breaks
 As expected, rise in productivity was observed by researcher.

10. Continued…
 These women established an association and trust and
needed no supervision.
 Increased productivity is somewhat linked to the cheerful,
open and friendly atmosphere for work.
 Afterwards, hours of the work for the day and week were
shortened which gave similar outcomes.

11. Continued…
 Conversely, previous physical working environment brought
back by removing all advancements , the outcome surprisingly
remained the same.
 Increased productivity wasn’t due to reduced fatigue, but it was due
to the increased opportunities for social and mental attitudes
towards work.
 This result was credited to the group dynamics.

12. Phase 3: The Interviewing Program
 To determine the impacts of supervision, attitudes of the workers,
salaries, increments and insurance policies over 21,000 interviews
were conducted.
 In the initial phase, direct questioning was employed which
generalized simple yes/ no answers where root of matter could not
be assessed.

13. Continued…
 As suggested by Mayo, interview method was then
modified to non-directive interviewing where interviewer
was asked to listen to instead of talking or advising.
 The interview programme gave valuable insights about
the human behaviour in the company.

14. Continued…
 Similarly, performance of the workers had also been improved.
This was the purpose behind introducing supervision training to
assist the observers to be able of paying attention and
recognizing the issue of workers.
 During the course of interviews, it was discovered that worker’s
behaviour was being influenced by group behavior.

15. Phase 4: The Bank-Wiring Observation
Room Study.
 Fourth study was conducted to explore the central reasons which
limit the workers’ productivity in social groups.
 To work in physical working conditions, a group of fourteen males
was selected.
 The observer was held responsible for the behavior and
communications of the employee only.

16. Continued…
 Researchers began to recognize that productivity of workers
was impacted by an informal group norm.
 It was not permissible for these workers to perform greater
than the group norms. They would be treated badly and
detached by the group if they did more.

17. Continued…
These findings revealed that the group pressure is
more influential factor for the productivity of workers
as compared to incentives.

18. Implications of Hawthorne
Studies
THE SINGLE MOST SIGNIFICANT PART OF
EMPIRICAL INDUSTRIAL SOCIAL SCIENCE EVER
UNDERTAKEN IS THE HAWTHORNE STUDIES.

19. Implications of Hawthorne Studies
1.Theoretical Contribution of
Hawthorne Studies
 The essential changes in organizational
behavior were introduced.
 The results show that people work not to
get monetary reward only but also to
satisfy their social needs .
 It means workers’ psychological and social
needs should be considered with careful
attention.
2.Contribution to the practical
society
 The rates of organizational productivity
improved.
 The managers must consider the study
conducted by Mayo to know human
behaviour.
 The study introduced personnel
counselling program.

20. Conclusions of the Study
General Conclusions drawn from the Hawthorne effect studies:
 Individuals and their aptitudes are not perfect to expect their job
performance, the production is highly impacted by social factors.
 The way individuals carry out the commands is based on the relation
managers develop with their workers.
 There are certain norms of work-group which effect productivity.

21. Continued…
 The organization and workplace is a social system, the Hawthorne studies viewed
workplace a social platform made up of interdependent individuals.
 Moreover, it was proved that money is not a mere motivator for the workers, but
many other elements.
 The quality of the productivity of workers is affected by the “human relations
between supervisor and employee”.

22. Manager’s Role in the light
of Hawthorne Studies
HAWTHORNE RESEARCHERS
REVEALED THAT EMPLOYEES
WILL WORK MORE EFFICIENTLY
IF THEY ARE TREATED WITH
ADMIRATION, REWARDED
PROPERLY, AND THEIR
THINKING AND GROUP
DYNAMICS ARE RECOGNIZED.

23. Hence, managers are required to let the workers
have fun environment to create a “ win-win
situation” among the workers and managers both,
because
“A HAPPY WORKER IS A
PRODUCTIVE WORKER” .