Human Relations Movement

Definition

The human relations movement was a shift in management philosophy that emphasized the importance of addressing the psychological and social needs of employees in order to improve productivity and job satisfaction. This approach contrasted with the earlier scientific management movement, which focused primarily on efficiency and technical aspects of work processes.

5 Must Know Facts For Your Next Test

1. The human relations movement emerged in the 1920s and 1930s as a reaction to the dehumanizing effects of scientific management and the industrial revolution.
2. Elton Mayo's Hawthorne studies demonstrated that employee productivity was influenced more by social factors and group dynamics than by physical working conditions.
3. The human relations movement emphasized the importance of addressing employees' psychological and social needs, such as a sense of belonging, recognition, and self-actualization.
4. Maslow's hierarchy of needs provided a theoretical framework for understanding the motivational drivers of employees, which was central to the human relations approach.
5. The human relations movement shifted the focus of management from purely technical and efficiency-driven concerns to the human aspects of the workplace, including communication, leadership, and group dynamics.

Review Questions

• Explain how the human relations movement differed from the earlier scientific management approach to management.
  • The human relations movement represented a shift away from the scientific management approach, which focused primarily on improving the efficiency of work processes through techniques like time and motion studies and standardization. In contrast, the human relations movement emphasized the importance of addressing the psychological and social needs of employees, such as their need for belonging, recognition, and self-actualization. This approach recognized that factors beyond just technical efficiency, such as group dynamics and employee motivation, were critical to improving productivity and job satisfaction.
• Describe the key insights from Elton Mayo's Hawthorne studies and how they contributed to the development of the human relations movement.
  • Elton Mayo's Hawthorne studies, conducted at the Western Electric Company in the 1920s and 1930s, provided important insights that challenged the prevailing scientific management approach. The studies found that employee productivity was influenced more by social factors and group dynamics than by physical working conditions. This suggested that addressing the psychological and social needs of employees, rather than just focusing on technical efficiency, could lead to improved performance. These findings were instrumental in the development of the human relations movement, which sought to shift the focus of management away from purely rational, efficiency-driven concerns and towards the human aspects of the workplace.
• Analyze how Maslow's hierarchy of needs theory contributed to the underlying principles of the human relations movement and its approach to employee motivation.
  • Maslow's hierarchy of needs theory, which posits that people are motivated by five basic needs (physiological, safety, belongingness, esteem, and self-actualization), was closely aligned with the core principles of the human relations movement. This theory provided a framework for understanding the diverse range of psychological and social needs that drive employee behavior and motivation. The human relations movement recognized that addressing these needs, beyond just providing adequate compensation and working conditions, was crucial for improving productivity, job satisfaction, and overall organizational effectiveness. By focusing on the higher-level needs for belongingness, esteem, and self-actualization, the human relations approach sought to create a more humanistic and empowering work environment that would unlock the full potential of employees.

Related terms

Scientific Management:

An early management approach developed by Frederick Taylor that focused on improving the efficiency of work processes through time and motion studies, division of labor, and standardization.

Elton Mayo: A key figure in the human relations movement, Elton Mayo conducted studies at the Hawthorne Works of the Western Electric Company that highlighted the importance of social factors and group dynamics in the workplace.

Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs:

A theory of motivation developed by Abraham Maslow that suggests people are driven by five basic needs, including physiological, safety, belongingness, esteem, and self-actualization.