Elton Mayo

Elton Mayo Juan Cruz Dominguez

His Life • George Elton Mayo (born in Australia) was a psychologist and sociologist. • Founder of the Human Relations Movement, and is known for his research including the Hawthorne Studies

His Beliefes • Workers cannot be treated in isolation • Monetary incentives and good working conditions are less important to the individual than the need to belong to a group • Informal groups formed at work have a strong influence on the behavior of those workers in a group.

The Studies • His studies were conducted at Western Electric Hawthorne in Chicago • There, he examined productivity and work conditions

Variable affecting Productivity • Wanted to test how monotony and fatigue affected job productivity • He used some variables such as rest breaks, work hours, temperature and humidity.

Condition and results • They were put into a piecework for 8 hours: Output went up • Two five-minutes rest periods were added:Output went up • Pauses were lengthened to ten minutes: Output went up sharply • Six five-minutes pauses were added, they complained: Output went fell slightly • Return to the two five-minutes pauses: Output went up • They were dismissed at 4.30 instead of 5.00: Output went up • They were dismissed at 4.00: Output remained the same

Conclusion • Work is a group activity • The need of recognition and self of bolonging is very important • A complain is not always an objective recital of facts • Workers effectiveness is affeced by social demand • Informal groups are very important • Group collaboration must be planned and developed.