Are you planning to set up a company of yours? If yes, then investment, infrastructure, human resource are known things to you. But, there's something that you cannot tend to overlook. The implementation of recommendations by a psychological study can work wonders for your company. If you are a student of Organizational Behaviour or Industrial Psychology, then you know that the topic, which is going to be discussed is Hawthorne Studies and to those who are aliens to the topic, make sure you read the story to know how to increase the productivity from your employees!
An Australian Psychologist, George Elton Mayo between 1927 and 1932 conducted an experiment as to know how work environment can effect the productivity (the quality and quantity of work). He conducted four experiments on the same subject, which are collectively referred to as Hawthorne Studies. Today, Hawthorne Studies is one of the principal subjects to any student of Industrial Psychology as these simple experiments show how employees' thinking can effect the work and how employers can get good results from their workers. So, want to know what Hawthorne Studies recommend?
The following are the outstanding findings and suggestions of Hawthorne Studies and Elton Mayo:
• Variable affects the productivity: Mayo found out that monotony affect the job regularly and to control them he suggested the company to follow certain variables. These variables include rest pauses, work hours, humidity and environment.
• The work rhythm affects due to frequent rest pauses.
• Work productivity increases if there are rest pauses for ten minutes.
• The employee would, however, take a rest pause mentally if a rest pause is cancelled.
• Employees with less work hours give quality output compared to employees who work for longer hours.
• The output will shoot up to sky if the employees are provided lunch.
• Employees should not be isolated but should be asked to work in a team.
• Job morale (the sense of being accepted) is most important without which an employee cannot give his best.
• Sufficient light should be provided in the rooms where employees work in order to see a better output.
Most of the successful companies adhere to the suggestions given by Elton Mayo and that's the reason why people will always bee-line to join such companies. However, new entrepreneurs may tend to think that conventional work atmosphere with too many restrictions would increase the productivity, which is more or less a notion. So, don't fall in that notion and corner your company. Implement the suggestions made by Elton Mayo and take your company to number one position.
(AW Phani)
