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Hawthorne Studies
Amy Scholtes
Department of Business, Liberty University
BUSI610 Organizational Design and Structure
Professor Frank Nolan
October 8, 2023
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HAWTHORNE STUDIES AND ORGANIZATIOAL STRUCTURE AND DESIGN
I. Abstract……………………………………………………….................................3
II. Introduction………………………………………………………………………...4
III. Literature Review…………………………………………………………………..6
IV. Conclusion…………………………………………………………………………18
V. Recommendations…………………………………………………………………19
VI. References…………………………………………………………........................21
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Abstract
The Hawthorn Studies were designed to refers to a phenomena where employees improve or
modify their behavior in response to the knowledge their activities are being observed. This
study tested variable such as lighting, work breaks and pay incentives. Employees were also
interviewed and they were asked about any concerns they may have about the work
environment. This study was designed to explore how to increase worker productivity. It was set
to provide that productivity is not just based on physical conditions in the workplace, but also
the idea that management truly cares and their employees. Because of this study many changes
have been made throughout the workplace across the globe that include employee welfare as a
crucial aspect that drives company success and employee productivity. The Hawthorne studies
proved that job performance is very much linked to social factors. Employers now know that
they will get more production out of those employees who feel wanted and valued.
Keywords: Hawthorne Studies, productivity, behavior
During the 1920’s and 1930’s there was a groundbreaking study that was conducted by a man
named Elton Mayo that made a huge change in the development in the direction of
motivational and managerial theory. It began at the Hawthorn plant at the Western Electric
Company in Illinois, and put the focus on employee performance and how to improve it. All
theories before this were concentrated only on the machine and how the machine made or
broke a company. One of Hawthorne’s arguments was that employee performance is based on
their surroundings and coworkers. It stressed that employee’s performance is based on more
than just their skills and ability. In an early experiment, these studies looked at the physical
effect of things such as lighting and the result it had on productivity in the workplace and if
4
workers responds differently to these lights if the were bright in one instance and darker in
another instance. It turns out employees were more responsive to social factors – managers and
co-workers – more than the lighting itself and this is where the Hawthorne Studies were born.
Hawthorne discovered that what really motivated workers was not the environmental factors.
But the feeling that management actually cared for the employees and were interested in their
daily work. Another breakthrough that was revealed was that although money is an important
factor in the need to work, social factors are equally important.
The Hawthorn Studies in management was based on the modification of employee behavior.
When employees are being watched by management they will work harder, produce more
product, and be more motivated. When being watched an employee with show attributes they
most likely would not if they were not being watched by their superior.
You can see an example of this in the workplace today. For example, one study showed that
when medical staff knew that they were being watched, compliance of hand washing guidelines
increased to over 55% to when they were not being observed and watched!
The Hawthorn studies not only changed human behavior but it also changes how company
structure and design were affected, Throughout this paper you will be shown how productivity,
motivation, and other things like forming informal groups with companies have changed the
landscape of today’s work environment and how company’s function today.
5
Literature Review
The Hawthorne Effect
The Hawthorne effect refers to the behavioral changes of participants in studies conducted by
Elton Mayo based on the effect that participants know their every move at work is being
watched and observed. This led to the Hawthorne experiments that strongly linked social
factors to workgroup norms. This effect was discovered during the Hawthorne experiments that
were conducted back in the 1920’s and 1930’s. The thought at this time was that worker
productivity was a result of environmental issues like lighting, work breaks, and rest periods, but
these experiments would show that this is not the case. What the Hawthorne Effect really
showed was that what really mattered was that a boost in productivity was the result of the
interaction between employees and their superiors. The more care the superiors showed the
employees the better they performed. However, this is not to say that when employees are
being watched in their daily activities that they also do not perform more efficiently. So how
does all of this effect the organization and its structure and design? Well, the Hawthorne Effect
created a comfortable workplace for its employees meaning adding a comfortable and inviting
place for employees to work each day improves employee engagement and keeps them happy
in their employment. They will work to the best of their abilities and continue to bring financial
success to the company. This also means the organization will continue to profit and be
successful in running its operations. It is important to note that the atmosphere and the
business issues that employees were confronted with were not the same as what we are faced
with today. In today’s world we have a more social system, and management now realizes that
employee behavior has something to do with their productivity. Also, as a result of the
6
Hawthorne Effect today’s employees are far more sophisticated than they were when these
studies were first conducted. We can also see that human performance in the workplace is a
result of both social and environmental factors, and business leaders have begun to refocus on
the needs of its employees as wells as their attitudes and behaviors. As a result of all of this the
organizational structure and design has significantly changed in the modern world. The
Hawthorne Effect has changes the way leaders lead and make decisions in the modern world.
This effect has been described as refocusing the entire business strategy by changing all aspects
of human behavior in the organization and its structure. The bottom line to the company is that
a happy employee is likely to be a productive employee. Positive employees bring in more
money and business for the company so they remain successful. The Hawthorne Effect taught
business owners that no amount of lighting or break during the day were going to make an
employees work harder or make them love their job any more. It was the personal touch that
mattered to each employee, and by responding to that, each employee would give more of
themselves to their daily job. (Bernard, 2021).
Finally, the Hawthorne effect can still be seen in areas of our life today. Think about children in
a daycare. Do they act differently when they are being watched? Sure they do. Kids try to get
away with everything when no one is watching, but the second they know your eyes are on
them they are the perfect kid! And, if you constantly praise a child for doing their very best they
will always be more productive and want to do more for you. This is exactly what the
Hawthorne Effect tells us with happen. One more example of the Hawthorne Effect is briefly
mentioned above. A study was conducted in a hospital among medical staff and the frequency
of their hand washing habits. It was determined that when these medical doctors were being
7
observed they washed their hands 55% more often than when they were not being observed!
That is amazing.
Even doctors fall it to the Hawthorne Study results.
Hawthorne Studies and Motivation and Satisfaction
Job satisfaction is a widely studies concept when it comes to organizational behavior and
organizational structure and design. It is a key to job attitude and is linked to productivity and,
turnover, and absenteeism in the workplace. Many schools of thought say that the Hawthorne
Studies were the very first studies that considered job motivation and satisfaction. The core idea
is that the human element is the most valuable resource in any business. Without humans to
do the business you have nothing. Machines can only do so much. The Hawthorne Studies
showed that job satisfaction increased when workers were given more freedom and were left to
determine the conditions of their working environment. They also have more satisfaction when
they were able to set their own workplace standards of output. Also, after the studies were
conducted it was determined that job satisfaction was a result of feelings of worth and not
based on working conditions or the environment. This was huge when it came to how
organizations began to operate. They could adjust the lighting, make break rooms bigger, etc.
but mostly what workers wanted was to be appreciated and called out for the work they were
doing (Remijus et al, 2019).
When the Hawthorne Studies were conducted Mayo and his colleagues conducted additional
experiments on elements such as length of the workday, break times and incentive plans. The
results of these additional experiments showed changes in performance were tied to
psychological and social aspects of people’s behavior. The workers did not perform any better
8
because of the incentive plans they were given, or the shorter workdays they had. What did
happen though was surprising for the time. It seems that the people who participated in the
studies had developed a sense of pride in themselves and in their work. That pride led to
increased motivation. This led to the discovery that employees will perform better when they
are singled out and given some special attention. The benefit of these studies proved that if you
take care of the employee and provide for their social needs it will improve their motivation,
and this often does not require financial incentives. This is huge for the business structure and
design. There is no need adjust for financial resources or change the overall function of how the
company operates.
What came out of these studies is that management should always promote motivation and
encourage the works to work together as a team and form a bond. Managers should also create
an environment that is safe and open. By providing social motivation, physiological motivation,
and educational motivation management is creating an organizational structure where
everyone feels like they are important and this creates more motivation and a desire for
workers to increase productivity and develop a sense of pride (Feldman, 2023).
Hawthorne Studies and the Negatives
Throughout this review there has been positive aspects about the studies and how these
studies have changes the structure of a company for the good showing that productivity
increased and employee morale rose as a result of the Hawthorne Studies. However, there are
many criticisms and downfalls that have come out of these Studies. For example, in Busse’s
article criticizing the studies, he indicates that no matter what setting the lights were set at in
the warehouse where the experiment was conducted, productivity increased. He also accused
9
Elton of manipulating his own data by varying the times and lengths of the work breaks which
all resulted in an increase in worker output. Busse’s says as a result of this Elton and his studies
were not valid and the results cannot be accurately measured (Busse & Warner, 2017).
It should be noted that most of the people who disagree with Mayo’s findings and his research
are sociologists. They viewed changes during these years (1920’s – 1930’s) from a more
sociology view rather than an organizational view. This is probably why they were so critical of
Mayo at the time. Evidence suggests that some of the criticisms came from ideological
differences at the time and Elton himself. Daniel Bell was Mayo’s biggest enemy and criticized
him hard. He used the term “cow sociology” when referring to Mayo and his studies. Bell finds
fault with the studies because he believed that the workers in the study were manipulated to
increase production. Another criticisms was that Mayo was ignorant of the role of theory in
social research and relied on observations instead. This led to unclear findings that could not be
proved. Bell continued to believe that these studies crushed creativity among workers, and did
not allow for new or improved organizational processes. And finally, Bell believed that the
Hawthorne Studies too easily adopted management excuses for allowing the current state of
affairs to continue as is now allowing the organizational structure to continue and grow
(Muldoon, 2017).
Still, there are others that who do not agree with the Hawthorne Studies and its findings. Even
Mayo himself once said that the improvements in the performances upgraded because those
that participated in the experiments believed that the changes would improve their
performance and productivity, and as some the variables that were used in the experiment
many not have had the direct influence over the employee’s productivity. Others have called his
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experiences nothing but “Capital Bias.” They have called it this because it was designed in a way
that only benefits the owners or supervisors of the company where these experiments took
place. There is no benefit for the employee who participated in the experiments (Muldoon,
2017).
Overall, the view of many people is that these experiments were poorly designed and failed
to generate important variables into account and only benefited a few people.
Hawthorn Studies and Productivity
The basic theory of the Hawthorne effect is that individuals will improve or change their
behavior in response to the awareness that they are being observed. When a worker is being
watched they are much more likely to act and display attributes they think they should in front
of management. The more attention that is put in a worker the more production output they
give and the higher level of effort they provide. In one of the studies, engineers wanted to see
how the effects of lighting levels had on employee performance. The results determined that no
matter how little light the employees were exposed to employee performance increased. As
long as the employees were still being watched their productivity remained high. However,
once the experiment was canceled and there was no longer any employees being observed
during their shift, productivity declined to its original levels. No other stimuli affected the
employee productivity. How does this affect business structure and organization? For one, there
is comfort in the workplace. Adding comfort in the workplace is a great way to improve
employee engagement. Ensuring employers are comfortable and content will allow the
employees to work to the best of their abilities and help with facility design, break areas,
11
furnishings, etc. It helps to improve the whole structure of the company. When there is an
increase in productivity there is an increase in production, sales, and even team building among
its workers. This leads to great success for the company.
Out of productivity comes team building. Team building is huge when it comes to employee
happiness and productivity. During these Hawthorne Studies, team building was a result. The
study found that when employees found these comfort zones in the workplace they were able
to find friends and develop friendships. This lead to team building. Team building requires
having a carefully planned and thought our orientation process and a clear cut team charter.
This helps change and mold the company structure by reaching out to each employee and
letting them know, you as management, want to better understand their challenges in the
workplace and how things can be improved. The simple fact that you have reached out to them
offering support can boost productivity (2022).
Hawthorn Studies and Informal Groups
When organizations use the Hawthorn Studies their whole organizational design and
structure will change. An example of this is the creation of informal groups within the company.
These newly formed groups have their own social structure with leaders, goals, and bonds are
developed. Some of these groups are developed to protect them from management and they
have as much to do with how the organization runs as does the actual structure of the
organization itself. As a result of the Hawthorne studies, it was discovered that there is a group
lifestyle among workers, and this work group affects productivity in the workplace. The
Hawthorne Studies showed that the workplace is a social system and is made up of
independent parts that work together. Another finding was the relations that that are
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developed between managers and their employees will likely influence how the employees will
carry out and handled directives they are given. What all this means is that informal groups
created lead directly to the stability of the organization’s structure and consistency (Pera et al.,
2023).
Hawthorne Studies and Supervisory Structure
Another key element in Hawthorn Studies that affects the organizational structure is the
supervisory structure. Leadership became more enlightened and had a new understanding for
their employees as a result of these studies. The structure of the organization became more
harmonious and flowed more smoothly. The attitude of the employees changes remarkably.
There was more open communicate between the employees and management, and a caring
approach was adopted. Employees were no longer seen as just “workers” and products were
made faster, with better quality, and overall morale was increased. (Pennek). Furthermore, the
conclusions that resulted from these studies also stressed the importance of a clear and concise
management style as a major factor to productivity in the workplace as well as a more
humanistic approach as a way to satisfy the organization’s economic needs and the humanistic
social skills (Miller, 2022).
Hawthorne Studies and Performance
What makes workers perform better? Is it social or financial incentives? If we are to look at
the Hawthorne Studies they will tell us it is social incentives. Things began to change after World
War II and the management within organizations realized that money alone was not the driving
factor for employee productivity. This meant that management would need to change the
whole dynamic and structure of their companies. To do this they focused on Elton Mayo and the
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results of his studies. What these studies determined was that social and psychological factors
must be considered when it comes to productivity and performance of the employees. No
longer could employees be considered as part of the machine they worked on, but now their
performance needed to be considered as a part of them and how they created value to the
company. When doing this the entire landscape of the organization was changed and the
structure became more secure, there was higher morale and more financial security. All of this
was due to the Hawthorne Studies, and how they related to the increase performance of the
employees who were treated as more than just an extension to the machines they worked on
(Abuladze & Skorková, 2021).
What the studies also told us were that the social factors mattered most. The increase in
observation lead to the increase in performance. There does not have to be an intervention for
the performance of a worker to change. There is a sense of accountability and responsibility
that makes the employee want to perform better.
The Hawthorne Studies and their Lasting Effects
What do the Hawthorne Studies teach us about companies, their workers, and the lasting
legacy they leave behind? After all the experiments that were conducted back in the 1920’s and
1930’s, and after all the documentation and results that have survived through today what do
we know about the Hawthorne Studies and their lasting legacy. The amount of time that the
Hawthorne Effect can actually stay with an individual and thus a company really depends. It
depends on that individual. Some people will carry it around with them for years after being
watched and monitored. They will carry that around in other areas of their lives. Other people
will drop the façade the second they leave their work area. Researchers have found that it can
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be as short as ten minutes and last as long as six months! It can be easy to overcome when
employees, or those who are participating in an experiment, feel most at ease and comfortable.
If an employer can explain why this experiment is happening and make them understand why
they were selected for this experiment that will make it even easier. Helping them to feel like
part of the solution to a bigger problem always helps as well. Another way for people to not
have residual effects of the Hawthorne Studies is to not tell them they are in one to begin with!
This allows workers to go on about their daily business as if nothing is unusual and you can
conduct your experiments in secrecy. In this instance no one will have any lasting effects
(Weatherburn,
2022).
Hawthorne Studies, its five parts, and the Organizational Structure
The Hawthorne Experiments can be divided into five parts. These five parts affect how an
organization is structured and how an organization runs effectively. The first experiment is he
Experiment on Illumination. These were undertaken to find out if lighting in the workplace
affected employee productivity. It was thought that if there was higher lighting transmitted in
the warehouse then the productivity of workers would increase, therefore production would
increase. To conduct this study, two groups of people were selected. One group was exposed to
a variety of light sources and illumination. The second group (control group) were subjected to
the same amount of light the entire time. When all was said and done, it was determine that
neither group was impacted by the light. Productivity remained the same. It was determined
that something else was at play with the productivity of these workers. Since no one was sure
what that was, a second experiment took place.
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The next experience was a study focused on Relay Assembly Experiment. This part of the
experiment focused on productivity and what effect fatigue had on workers after working so
many hours and taking rest periods. The job of relay assembly was chosen because it’s a fairly
easy task to do. Very repetitive, does not need machines, and the results can be easily
measured. In this experiment only women were involved. The study group contained all women
who had been at this line of work for quite some time and they average output was 500 gadgets
a day. At each stage of the experiment another change was introduced. For example, in stage
two the girls were paid according to their output. Productivity increased by 30%. This is a great
example of the Hawthorne Studies changing the organizational structure and output of a
company. During this second stage of the experiment, when the women knew they were going
to be paid more money for their work they increased their load which brought in more money
for the company and increased their productivity making them more profitable to the company
as well. Less turnover for underperforming employees and employees with greater morale.
The next stage of these experiment is the Mass Interviewing Program. This studies the human
relations and attitudes. This stage was designed to gain all the needed information through
interviewing over fifteen hundred employees to gage their attitudes about working conditions,
management, satisfaction and more. With this information they were able to design the next
experiment in the Hawthorne Studies.
The Bank Wiring Observation Room was the fourth step in these studies. This was done in an
effort to study how money can impact the productivity of workers. In the end, it was shown it
had very little impact at all. The workers in the Bank Wiring Observation Room were specifically
selected for this experiment. Each worker was given a specific task, but they were also asked to
16
collaborate with the group when needed. An observer as well as an interview were also
involved in this stage. What was discovered was a new organizational structure was forming.
The informal group and leadership were developing within this interest group. The leaders had
become so close with those workers that they had total faith in them, and the workers firmly
believed that the leader would protect them and their interests at all costs. The workers fully
supports the leaders, and the leaders found it hard to assert themselves over the workers even
if they disobeyed the rules. Such strong group formations have a huge impact on organizational
design and structure. Leaders are becoming resistant to change and afraid to exert their power
over their employees and employees see this as a way to overrun managers. This can lead to an
organization that is not run from the top-down or a place where leaders are in charge. The
last experiment phase is Personal Counseling. This stage was included because the earlier
studies did not provider a lot of good information regarding promoting employees. The purpose
of this experiment was to diagnose employee problems. An impartial agency was created and
they interviews both management and employees. Each department received a personnel
counselor and they could openly and freely communicate with them. This proved to be quite
successful and as a result there was a quite an improvement in supervisor and employee
relations.
As a result of all of these testing and studies the outcomes were clear. Co-workers are quite
social during their shifts and have high motivation when collaborating with one another and
work as a team. Physical conditions are not the driving force as compared to sense of belonging,
security and recognition while at work. The attitudes of workers are determined by social
17
factors and demands based on the environment they are in. And lastly, the formation of
informal groups greatly influence the morale they have while working (2014).
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Conclusion / Recommendations
The Hawthorne Studies were based on the fact that employees who are observed will work
harder, produce better products and even become better employees. When the employees felt
they are receiving positive attention from their supervisors they feel proud and morale rises
within them. The most important impact that these studies revealed was that people mattered
and they should be part of the planning process for organizations and not an afterthought.
Mangers began to listen to their employees and consider their ideas and this started the human
relations school of management. There are many people who still disagree with Mayo’s
experiment and its findings. It really is no doubt that the Hawthorn Studies did lay the
foundation for a better understanding of human relations in the workplace. Managers now
know how to be more effective leaders, how to respect their employees, and how to listen to
advice. The employees also are not afraid to ask questions and offer advice. The creation of
informal groups is also a result of these studies and they had a significant impact on the
organizational structure of businesses. The leadership style and structure was also changed due
to the Hawthorne Studies. Leaders are not so autocratic. Leaders do not necessary hold all the
power and rule with an iron fist anymore. In the past, leaders are the ones who make all the
decisions and separated themselves from their employees. When these studies were published,
it was determined that the new leadership style should be more of a servant leadership. More
leaders should serve from the heart. They should address the needs of their employees and
encourage growth. Management should want their employees to feel good coming to work, and
they even show compassion at time. This paper has shown that the Hawthorne Studies did
indeed, change the organizational structure of countless companies by showing that using the
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human touch and not just focusing on machines and robots is what makes a worker and a
company successful and profitable (Verasai,
2022).
Recommendations
There are many recommendations that can be introduced from this paper. We know that the
original experiment was intended to see if lighting, rest breaks and other environmental factors
could be used to increase productivity, and we also know that these factors are not what
motivated workers. Instead, social factors are what motivated employees to work harder and
perform better. My recommendations would be for the current and future management of
companies to continue to treat their employees with respect and show compassion. Employees
work better and will produce more product and money for the company if they know they are
making a diffidence and are truly valued. I do not believe that employees need to be watched
on their shifts; that is micromanagement and not healthy in the workplace, but I do recommend
a stop now and them by the manager to check in on the employee to see how things are going
and if the employee has any complaints and concerns. The manager being well aware of what is
happing in their business and with employees is key to a successful businesses. If the
Hawthorne Studies and the Hawthorne Effect has taught us anything it is that employees want
to be accepted and feel like they are part of a team and they enjoy collaboration with one
another. My recommendation is for the environment of an organization to be free of the
autocratic rule, and more of an employee involved decision making. However, I do not believe
that the management should roll over and give the power to the employees and have them
making all the important decisions. There still needs to be a top-down management system that
20
will ensure the company is making the best operational and financial decisions. The bottom line
is to keep employees motivated, happy and satisfied and the best way to do this is to offer an
environment where they feel important. In today’s society we are more social in the workplace
than ever before and if we follow recommendations like these – putting the right people on the
right teams, asking for feedback – companies have a great chance at becoming successful.
The Hawthorne effect refers to the behavioral changes of participants in studies conducted by
Elton Mayo based on the effect that participants know their every move at work is being
watched and observed. This led to the Hawthorne experiments that strongly linked social
factors to workgroup norms. This effect was discovered during the Hawthorne experiments that
were conducted back in the 1920’s and 1930’s. The thought at this time was that worker
productivity was a result of environmental issues like lighting, work breaks, and rest periods, but
these experiments would show that this is not the case. What the Hawthorne Effect really
showed was that what really mattered was that a boost in productivity was the result of the
interaction between employees and their superiors. The more care the superiors showed the
employees the better they performed. However, this is not to say that when employees are
being watched in their daily activities that they also do not perform more efficiently. So how
does all of this effect the organization and its structure and design? Well, the Hawthorne Effect
created a comfortable workplace for its employees meaning adding a comfortable and inviting
place for employees to work each day improves employee engagement and keeps them happy
in their employment. They will work to the best of their abilities and continue to bring financial
success to the company. This also means the organization will continue to profit and be
successful in running its operations. It is important to note that the atmosphere and the
21
business issues that employees were confronted with were not the same as what we are faced
with today. In today’s world we have a more social system, and management now realizes that
employee behavior has something to do with their productivity. Also, as a result of the
Hawthorne Effect today’s employees are far more sophisticated than they were when these
studies were first conducted. We can also see that human performance in the workplace is a
result of both social and environmental factors, and business leaders have begun to refocus on
the needs of its employees as wells as their attitudes and behaviors. As a result of all of this the
organizational structure and design has significantly changed in the modern world. The
Hawthorne Effect has changes the way leaders lead and make decisions in the modern world.
This effect has been described as refocusing the entire business strategy by changing all aspects
of human behavior in the organization and its structure. The bottom line to the company is that
a happy employee is likely to be a productive employee. Positive employees bring in more
money and business for the company so they remain successful. The Hawthorne Effect taught
business owners that no amount of lighting or break during the day were going to make an
employees work harder or make them love their job any more. It was the personal touch that
mattered to each employee, and by responding to that, each employee would give more of
themselves to their daily job. (Bernard, 2021).
Finally, the Hawthorne effect can still be seen in areas of our life today. Think about children in
a daycare. Do they act differently when they are being watched? Sure they do. Kids try to get
away with everything when no one is watching, but the second they know your eyes are on
them they are the perfect kid! And, if you constantly praise a child for doing their very best they
will always be more productive and want to do more for you. This is exactly what the
22
Hawthorne Effect tells us with happen. One more example of the Hawthorne Effect is briefly
mentioned above. A study was conducted in a hospital among medical staff and the frequency
of their hand washing habits. It was determined that when these medical doctors were being
observed they washed their hands 55% more often than when they were not being observed!
That is amazing.
Even doctors fall it to the Hawthorne Study results.
Hawthorne Studies and Motivation and Satisfaction
Job satisfaction is a widely studies concept when it comes to organizational behavior and
organizational structure and design. It is a key to job attitude and is linked to productivity and,
turnover, and absenteeism in the workplace. Many schools of thought say that the Hawthorne
Studies were the very first studies that considered job motivation and satisfaction. The core idea
is that the human element is the most valuable resource in any business. Without humans to
do the business you have nothing. Machines can only do so much. The Hawthorne Studies
showed that job satisfaction increased when workers were given more freedom and were left to
determine the conditions of their working environment. They also have more satisfaction when
they were able to set their own workplace standards of output. Also, after the studies were
conducted it was determined that job satisfaction was a result of feelings of worth and not
based on working conditions or the environment. This was huge when it came to how
organizations began to operate. They could adjust the lighting, make break rooms bigger, etc.
but mostly what workers wanted was to be appreciated and called out for the work they were
doing (Remijus et al, 2019).
23
When the Hawthorne Studies were conducted Mayo and his colleagues conducted additional
experiments on elements such as length of the workday, break times and incentive plans. The
results of these additional experiments showed changes in performance were tied to
psychological and social aspects of people’s behavior. The workers did not perform any better
because of the incentive plans they were given, or the shorter workdays they had. What did
happen though was surprising for the time. It seems that the people who participated in the
studies had developed a sense of pride in themselves and in their work. That pride led to
increased motivation. This led to the discovery that employees will perform better when they
are singled out and given some special attention. The benefit of these studies proved that if you
take care of the employee and provide for their social needs it will improve their motivation,
and this often does not require financial incentives. This is huge for the business structure and
design. There is no need adjust for financial resources or change the overall function of how the
company operates.
What came out of these studies is that management should always promote motivation and
encourage the works to work together as a team and form a bond. Managers should also create
an environment that is safe and open. By providing social motivation, physiological motivation,
and educational motivation management is creating an organizational structure where
everyone feels like they are important and this creates more motivation and a desire for
workers to increase productivity and develop a sense of pride (Feldman, 2023).
Hawthorne Studies and the Negatives
Throughout this review there has been positive aspects about the studies and how these
studies have changes the structure of a company for the good showing that productivity
24
increased and employee morale rose as a result of the Hawthorne Studies. However, there are
many criticisms and downfalls that have come out of these Studies. For example, in Busse’s
article criticizing the studies, he indicates that no matter what setting the lights were set at in
the warehouse where the experiment was conducted, productivity increased. He also accused
Elton of manipulating his own data by varying the times and lengths of the work breaks which
all resulted in an increase in worker output. Busse’s says as a result of this Elton and his studies
were not valid and the results cannot be accurately measured (Busse & Warner, 2017).
It should be noted that most of the people who disagree with Mayo’s findings and his research
are sociologists. They viewed changes during these years (1920’s – 1930’s) from a more
sociology view rather than an organizational view. This is probably why they were so critical of
Mayo at the time. Evidence suggests that some of the criticisms came from ideological
differences at the time and Elton himself. Daniel Bell was Mayo’s biggest enemy and criticized
him hard. He used the term “cow sociology” when referring to Mayo and his studies. Bell finds
fault with the studies because he believed that the workers in the study were manipulated to
increase production. Another criticisms was that Mayo was ignorant of the role of theory in
social research and relied on observations instead. This led to unclear findings that could not be
proved. Bell continued to believe that these studies crushed creativity among workers, and did
not allow for new or improved organizational processes. And finally, Bell believed that the
Hawthorne Studies too easily adopted management excuses for allowing the current state of
affairs to continue as is now allowing the organizational structure to continue and grow
(Muldoon, 2017).
25
Still, there are others that who do not agree with the Hawthorne Studies and its findings. Even
Mayo himself once said that the improvements in the performances upgraded because those
that participated in the experiments believed that the changes would improve their
performance and productivity, and as some the variables that were used in the experiment
many not have had the direct influence over the employee’s productivity. Others have called his
experiences nothing but “Capital Bias.” They have called it this because it was designed in a way
that only benefits the owners or supervisors of the company where these experiments took
place. There is no benefit for the employee who participated in the experiments (Muldoon,
2017).
Overall, the view of many people is that these experiments were poorly designed and failed
to generate important variables into account and only benefited a few people.
Hawthorn Studies and Productivity
The basic theory of the Hawthorne effect is that individuals will improve or change their
behavior in response to the awareness that they are being observed. When a worker is being
watched they are much more likely to act and display attributes they think they should in front
of management. The more attention that is put in a worker the more production output they
give and the higher level of effort they provide. In one of the studies, engineers wanted to see
how the effects of lighting levels had on employee performance. The results determined that no
matter how little light the employees were exposed to employee performance increased. As
long as the employees were still being watched their productivity remained high. However,
once the experiment was canceled and there was no longer any employees being observed
26
during their shift, productivity declined to its original levels. No other stimuli affected the
employee productivity. How does this affect business structure and organization? For one, there
is comfort in the workplace. Adding comfort in the workplace is a great way to improve
employee engagement. Ensuring employers are comfortable and content will allow the
employees to work to the best of their abilities and help with facility design, break areas,
furnishings, etc. It helps to improve the whole structure of the company. When there is an
increase in productivity there is an increase in production, sales, and even team building among
its workers. This leads to great success for the company.
Out of productivity comes team building. Team building is huge when it comes to employee
happiness and productivity. During these Hawthorne Studies, team building was a result. The
study found that when employees found these comfort zones in the workplace they were able
to find friends and develop friendships. This lead to team building. Team building requires
having a carefully planned and thought our orientation process and a clear cut team charter.
This helps change and mold the company structure by reaching out to each employee and
letting them know, you as management, want to better understand their challenges in the
workplace and how things can be improved. The simple fact that you have reached out to them
offering support can boost productivity (2022).
Hawthorn Studies and Informal Groups
When organizations use the Hawthorn Studies their whole organizational design and
structure will change. An example of this is the creation of informal groups within the company.
These newly formed groups have their own social structure with leaders, goals, and bonds are
developed. Some of these groups are developed to protect them from management and they
27
have as much to do with how the organization runs as does the actual structure of the
organization itself. As a result of the Hawthorne studies, it was discovered that there is a group
lifestyle among workers, and this work group affects productivity in the workplace. The
Hawthorne Studies showed that the workplace is a social system and is made up of
independent parts that work together. Another finding was the relations that that are
developed between managers and their employees will likely influence how the employees will
carry out and handled directives they are given. What all this means is that informal groups
created lead directly to the stability of the organization’s structure and consistency (Pera et al.,
2023).
Hawthorne Studies and Supervisory Structure
Another key element in Hawthorn Studies that affects the organizational structure is the
supervisory structure. Leadership became more enlightened and had a new understanding for
their employees as a result of these studies. The structure of the organization became more
harmonious and flowed more smoothly. The attitude of the employees changes remarkably.
There was more open communicate between the employees and management, and a caring
approach was adopted. Employees were no longer seen as just “workers” and products were
made faster, with better quality, and overall morale was increased. (Pennek). Furthermore, the
conclusions that resulted from these studies also stressed the importance of a clear and concise
management style as a major factor to productivity in the workplace as well as a more
humanistic approach as a way to satisfy the organization’s economic needs and the humanistic
social skills (Miller, 2022).
28
Hawthorne Studies and Performance
What makes workers perform better? Is it social or financial incentives? If we are to look at
the Hawthorne Studies they will tell us it is social incentives. Things began to change after World
War II and the management within organizations realized that money alone was not the driving
factor for employee productivity. This meant that management would need to change the
whole dynamic and structure of their companies. To do this they focused on Elton Mayo and the
results of his studies. What these studies determined was that social and psychological factors
must be considered when it comes to productivity and performance of the employees. No
longer could employees be considered as part of the machine they worked on, but now their
performance needed to be considered as a part of them and how they created value to the
company. When doing this the entire landscape of the organization was changed and the
structure became more secure, there was higher morale and more financial security. All of this
was due to the Hawthorne Studies, and how they related to the increase performance of the
employees who were treated as more than just an extension to the machines they worked on
(Abuladze & Skorková, 2021).
What the studies also told us were that the social factors mattered most. The increase in
observation lead to the increase in performance. There does not have to be an intervention for
the performance of a worker to change. There is a sense of accountability and responsibility
that makes the employee want to perform better.
The Hawthorne Studies and their Lasting Effects
What do the Hawthorne Studies teach us about companies, their workers, and the lasting
legacy they leave behind? After all the experiments that were conducted back in the 1920’s and
29
1930’s, and after all the documentation and results that have survived through today what do
we know about the Hawthorne Studies and their lasting legacy. The amount of time that the
Hawthorne Effect can actually stay with an individual and thus a company really depends. It
depends on that individual. Some people will carry it around with them for years after being
watched and monitored. They will carry that around in other areas of their lives. Other people
will drop the façade the second they leave their work area. Researchers have found that it can
be as short as ten minutes and last as long as six months! It can be easy to overcome when
employees, or those who are participating in an experiment, feel most at ease and comfortable.
If an employer can explain why this experiment is happening and make them understand why
they were selected for this experiment that will make it even easier. Helping them to feel like
part of the solution to a bigger problem always helps as well. Another way for people to not
have residual effects of the Hawthorne Studies is to not tell them they are in one to begin with!
This allows workers to go on about their daily business as if nothing is unusual and you can
conduct your experiments in secrecy. In this instance no one will have any lasting effects
(Weatherburn,
2022).
Hawthorne Studies, its five parts, and the Organizational Structure
The Hawthorne Experiments can be divided into five parts. These five parts affect how an
organization is structured and how an organization runs effectively. The first experiment is he
Experiment on Illumination. These were undertaken to find out if lighting in the workplace
affected employee productivity. It was thought that if there was higher lighting transmitted in
the warehouse then the productivity of workers would increase, therefore production would
30
increase. To conduct this study, two groups of people were selected. One group was exposed to
a variety of light sources and illumination. The second group (control group) were subjected to
the same amount of light the entire time. When all was said and done, it was determine that
neither group was impacted by the light. Productivity remained the same. It was determined
that something else was at play with the productivity of these workers. Since no one was sure
what that was, a second experiment took place.
The next experience was a study focused on Relay Assembly Experiment. This part of the
experiment focused on productivity and what effect fatigue had on workers after working so
many hours and taking rest periods. The job of relay assembly was chosen because it’s a fairly
easy task to do. Very repetitive, does not need machines, and the results can be easily
measured. In this experiment only women were involved. The study group contained all women
who had been at this line of work for quite some time and they average output was 500 gadgets
a day. At each stage of the experiment another change was introduced. For example, in stage
two the girls were paid according to their output. Productivity increased by 30%. This is a great
example of the Hawthorne Studies changing the organizational structure and output of a
company. During this second stage of the experiment, when the women knew they were going
to be paid more money for their work they increased their load which brought in more money
for the company and increased their productivity making them more profitable to the company
as well. Less turnover for underperforming employees and employees with greater morale.
The next stage of these experiment is the Mass Interviewing Program. This studies the human
relations and attitudes. This stage was designed to gain all the needed information through
interviewing over fifteen hundred employees to gage their attitudes about working conditions,
31
management, satisfaction and more. With this information they were able to design the next
experiment in the Hawthorne Studies.
The Bank Wiring Observation Room was the fourth step in these studies. This was done in an
effort to study how money can impact the productivity of workers. In the end, it was shown it
had very little impact at all. The workers in the Bank Wiring Observation Room were specifically
selected for this experiment. Each worker was given a specific task, but they were also asked to
collaborate with the group when needed. An observer as well as an interview were also
involved in this stage. What was discovered was a new organizational structure was forming.
The informal group and leadership were developing within this interest group. The leaders had
become so close with those workers that they had total faith in them, and the workers firmly
believed that the leader would protect them and their interests at all costs. The workers fully
supports the leaders, and the leaders found it hard to assert themselves over the workers even
if they disobeyed the rules. Such strong group formations have a huge impact on organizational
design and structure. Leaders are becoming resistant to change and afraid to exert their power
over their employees and employees see this as a way to overrun managers. This can lead to an
organization that is not run from the top-down or a place where leaders are in charge. The
last experiment phase is Personal Counseling. This stage was included because the earlier
studies did not provider a lot of good information regarding promoting employees. The purpose
of this experiment was to diagnose employee problems. An impartial agency was created and
they interviews both management and employees. Each department received a personnel
counselor and they could openly and freely communicate with them. This proved to be quite
32
successful and as a result there was a quite an improvement in supervisor and employee
relations.
As a result of all of these testing and studies the outcomes were clear. Co-workers are quite
social during their shifts and have high motivation when collaborating with one another and
work as a team. Physical conditions are not the driving force as compared to sense of belonging,
security and recognition while at work. The attitudes of workers are determined by social
factors and demands based on the environment they are in. And lastly, the formation of
informal groups greatly influence the morale they have while working (2014).
33
Conclusion / Recommendations
The Hawthorne Studies were based on the fact that employees who are observed will work
harder, produce better products and even become better employees. When the employees felt
they are receiving positive attention from their supervisors they feel proud and morale rises
within them. The most important impact that these studies revealed was that people mattered
and they should be part of the planning process for organizations and not an afterthought.
Mangers began to listen to their employees and consider their ideas and this started the human
relations school of management. There are many people who still disagree with Mayo’s
experiment and its findings. It really is no doubt that the Hawthorn Studies did lay the
foundation for a better understanding of human relations in the workplace. Managers now
know how to be more effective leaders, how to respect their employees, and how to listen to
advice. The employees also are not afraid to ask questions and offer advice. The creation of
informal groups is also a result of these studies and they had a significant impact on the
organizational structure of businesses. The leadership style and structure was also changed due
to the Hawthorne Studies. Leaders are not so autocratic. Leaders do not necessary hold all the
power and rule with an iron fist anymore. In the past, leaders are the ones who make all the
decisions and separated themselves from their employees. When these studies were published,
it was determined that the new leadership style should be more of a servant leadership. More
leaders should serve from the heart. They should address the needs of their employees and
encourage growth. Management should want their employees to feel good coming to work, and
they even show compassion at time. This paper has shown that the Hawthorne Studies did
indeed, change the organizational structure of countless companies by showing that using the
34
human touch and not just focusing on machines and robots is what makes a worker and a
company successful and profitable (Verasai,
2022).
Recommendations
There are many recommendations that can be introduced from this paper. We know that the
original experiment was intended to see if lighting, rest breaks and other environmental factors
could be used to increase productivity, and we also know that these factors are not what
motivated workers. Instead, social factors are what motivated employees to work harder and
perform better. My recommendations would be for the current and future management of
companies to continue to treat their employees with respect and show compassion. Employees
work better and will produce more product and money for the company if they know they are
making a diffidence and are truly valued. I do not believe that employees need to be watched
on their shifts; that is micromanagement and not healthy in the workplace, but I do recommend
a stop now and them by the manager to check in on the employee to see how things are going
and if the employee has any complaints and concerns. The manager being well aware of what is
happing in their business and with employees is key to a successful businesses. If the
Hawthorne Studies and the Hawthorne Effect has taught us anything it is that employees want
to be accepted and feel like they are part of a team and they enjoy collaboration with one
another. My recommendation is for the environment of an organization to be free of the
autocratic rule, and more of an employee involved decision making. However, I do not believe
that the management should roll over and give the power to the employees and have them
making all the important decisions. There still needs to be a top-down management system that
35
will ensure the company is making the best operational and financial decisions. The bottom line
is to keep employees motivated, happy and satisfied and the best way to do this is to offer an
environment where they feel important. In today’s society we are more social in the workplace
than ever before and if we follow recommendations like these – putting the right people on the
right teams, asking for feedback – companies have a great chance at becoming successful. The
Hawthorne effect refers to the behavioral changes of participants in studies conducted by Elton
Mayo based on the effect that participants know their every move at work is being watched and
observed. This led to the Hawthorne experiments that strongly linked social factors to
workgroup norms. This effect was discovered during the Hawthorne experiments that were
conducted back in the 1920’s and 1930’s. The thought at this time was that worker productivity
was a result of environmental issues like lighting, work breaks, and rest periods, but these
experiments would show that this is not the case. What the Hawthorne Effect really showed
was that what really mattered was that a boost in productivity was the result of the interaction
between employees and their superiors. The more care the superiors showed the employees
the better they performed. However, this is not to say that when employees are being watched
in their daily activities that they also do not perform more efficiently. So how does all of this
effect the organization and its structure and design? Well, the Hawthorne Effect created a
comfortable workplace for its employees meaning adding a comfortable and inviting place for
employees to work each day improves employee engagement and keeps them happy in their
employment. They will work to the best of their abilities and continue to bring financial success
to the company. This also means the organization will continue to profit and be successful in
running its operations. It is important to note that the atmosphere and the business issues
36
that employees were confronted with were not the same as what we are faced with today. In
today’s world we have a more social system, and management now realizes that employee
behavior has something to do with their productivity. Also, as a result of the Hawthorne Effect
today’s employees are far more sophisticated than they were when these studies were first
conducted. We can also see that human performance in the workplace is a result of both social
and environmental factors, and business leaders have begun to refocus on the needs of its
employees as wells as their attitudes and behaviors. As a result of all of this the organizational
structure and design has significantly changed in the modern world. The Hawthorne Effect has
changes the way leaders lead and make decisions in the modern world. This effect has been
described as refocusing the entire business strategy by changing all aspects of human behavior
in the organization and its structure. The bottom line to the company is that a happy employee
is likely to be a productive employee. Positive employees bring in more money and business for
the company so they remain successful. The Hawthorne Effect taught business owners that no
amount of lighting or break during the day were going to make an employees work harder or
make them love their job any more. It was the personal touch that mattered to each employee,
and by responding to that, each employee would give more of themselves to their daily job.
(Bernard, 2021).
Finally, the Hawthorne effect can still be seen in areas of our life today. Think about children in
a daycare. Do they act differently when they are being watched? Sure they do. Kids try to get
away with everything when no one is watching, but the second they know your eyes are on
them they are the perfect kid! And, if you constantly praise a child for doing their very best they
will always be more productive and want to do more for you. This is exactly what the
37
Hawthorne Effect tells us with happen. One more example of the Hawthorne Effect is briefly
mentioned above. A study was conducted in a hospital among medical staff and the frequency
of their hand washing habits. It was determined that when these medical doctors were being
observed they washed their hands 55% more often than when they were not being observed!
That is amazing.
Even doctors fall it to the Hawthorne Study results.
Hawthorne Studies and Motivation and Satisfaction
Job satisfaction is a widely studies concept when it comes to organizational behavior and
organizational structure and design. It is a key to job attitude and is linked to productivity and,
turnover, and absenteeism in the workplace. Many schools of thought say that the Hawthorne
Studies were the very first studies that considered job motivation and satisfaction. The core idea
is that the human element is the most valuable resource in any business. Without humans to
do the business you have nothing. Machines can only do so much. The Hawthorne Studies
showed that job satisfaction increased when workers were given more freedom and were left to
determine the conditions of their working environment. They also have more satisfaction when
they were able to set their own workplace standards of output. Also, after the studies were
conducted it was determined that job satisfaction was a result of feelings of worth and not
based on working conditions or the environment. This was huge when it came to how
organizations began to operate. They could adjust the lighting, make break rooms bigger, etc.
but mostly what workers wanted was to be appreciated and called out for the work they were
doing (Remijus et al, 2019).
38
When the Hawthorne Studies were conducted Mayo and his colleagues conducted additional
experiments on elements such as length of the workday, break times and incentive plans. The
results of these additional experiments showed changes in performance were tied to
psychological and social aspects of people’s behavior. The workers did not perform any better
because of the incentive plans they were given, or the shorter workdays they had. What did
happen though was surprising for the time. It seems that the people who participated in the
studies had developed a sense of pride in themselves and in their work. That pride led to
increased motivation. This led to the discovery that employees will perform better when they
are singled out and given some special attention. The benefit of these studies proved that if you
take care of the employee and provide for their social needs it will improve their motivation,
and this often does not require financial incentives. This is huge for the business structure and
design. There is no need adjust for financial resources or change the overall function of how the
company operates.
What came out of these studies is that management should always promote motivation and
encourage the works to work together as a team and form a bond. Managers should also create
an environment that is safe and open. By providing social motivation, physiological motivation,
and educational motivation management is creating an organizational structure where
everyone feels like they are important and this creates more motivation and a desire for
workers to increase productivity and develop a sense of pride (Feldman, 2023).
Hawthorne Studies and the Negatives
Throughout this review there has been positive aspects about the studies and how these
studies have changes the structure of a company for the good showing that productivity
39
increased and employee morale rose as a result of the Hawthorne Studies. However, there are
many criticisms and downfalls that have come out of these Studies. For example, in Busse’s
article criticizing the studies, he indicates that no matter what setting the lights were set at in
the warehouse where the experiment was conducted, productivity increased. He also accused
Elton of manipulating his own data by varying the times and lengths of the work breaks which
all resulted in an increase in worker output. Busse’s says as a result of this Elton and his studies
were not valid and the results cannot be accurately measured (Busse & Warner, 2017).
It should be noted that most of the people who disagree with Mayo’s findings and his research
are sociologists. They viewed changes during these years (1920’s – 1930’s) from a more
sociology view rather than an organizational view. This is probably why they were so critical of
Mayo at the time. Evidence suggests that some of the criticisms came from ideological
differences at the time and Elton himself. Daniel Bell was Mayo’s biggest enemy and criticized
him hard. He used the term “cow sociology” when referring to Mayo and his studies. Bell finds
fault with the studies because he believed that the workers in the study were manipulated to
increase production. Another criticisms was that Mayo was ignorant of the role of theory in
social research and relied on observations instead. This led to unclear findings that could not be
proved. Bell continued to believe that these studies crushed creativity among workers, and did
not allow for new or improved organizational processes. And finally, Bell believed that the
Hawthorne Studies too easily adopted management excuses for allowing the current state of
affairs to continue as is now allowing the organizational structure to continue and grow
(Muldoon, 2017).
40
Still, there are others that who do not agree with the Hawthorne Studies and its findings. Even
Mayo himself once said that the improvements in the performances upgraded because those
that participated in the experiments believed that the changes would improve their
performance and productivity, and as some the variables that were used in the experiment
many not have had the direct influence over the employee’s productivity. Others have called his
experiences nothing but “Capital Bias.” They have called it this because it was designed in a way
that only benefits the owners or supervisors of the company where these experiments took
place. There is no benefit for the employee who participated in the experiments (Muldoon,
2017).
Overall, the view of many people is that these experiments were poorly designed and failed
to generate important variables into account and only benefited a few people.
Hawthorn Studies and Productivity
The basic theory of the Hawthorne effect is that individuals will improve or change their
behavior in response to the awareness that they are being observed. When a worker is being
watched they are much more likely to act and display attributes they think they should in front
of management. The more attention that is put in a worker the more production output they
give and the higher level of effort they provide. In one of the studies, engineers wanted to see
how the effects of lighting levels had on employee performance. The results determined that no
matter how little light the employees were exposed to employee performance increased. As
long as the employees were still being watched their productivity remained high. However,
once the experiment was canceled and there was no longer any employees being observed
41
during their shift, productivity declined to its original levels. No other stimuli affected the
employee productivity. How does this affect business structure and organization? For one, there
is comfort in the workplace. Adding comfort in the workplace is a great way to improve
employee engagement. Ensuring employers are comfortable and content will allow the
employees to work to the best of their abilities and help with facility design, break areas,
furnishings, etc. It helps to improve the whole structure of the company. When there is an
increase in productivity there is an increase in production, sales, and even team building among
its workers. This leads to great success for the company.
Out of productivity comes team building. Team building is huge when it comes to employee
happiness and productivity. During these Hawthorne Studies, team building was a result. The
study found that when employees found these comfort zones in the workplace they were able
to find friends and develop friendships. This lead to team building. Team building requires
having a carefully planned and thought our orientation process and a clear cut team charter.
This helps change and mold the company structure by reaching out to each employee and
letting them know, you as management, want to better understand their challenges in the
workplace and how things can be improved. The simple fact that you have reached out to them
offering support can boost productivity (2022).
Hawthorn Studies and Informal Groups
When organizations use the Hawthorn Studies their whole organizational design and
structure will change. An example of this is the creation of informal groups within the company.
These newly formed groups have their own social structure with leaders, goals, and bonds are
developed. Some of these groups are developed to protect them from management and they
42
have as much to do with how the organization runs as does the actual structure of the
organization itself. As a result of the Hawthorne studies, it was discovered that there is a group
lifestyle among workers, and this work group affects productivity in the workplace. The
Hawthorne Studies showed that the workplace is a social system and is made up of
independent parts that work together. Another finding was the relations that that are
developed between managers and their employees will likely influence how the employees will
carry out and handled directives they are given. What all this means is that informal groups
created lead directly to the stability of the organization’s structure and consistency (Pera et al.,
2023).
Hawthorne Studies and Supervisory Structure
Another key element in Hawthorn Studies that affects the organizational structure is the
supervisory structure. Leadership became more enlightened and had a new understanding for
their employees as a result of these studies. The structure of the organization became more
harmonious and flowed more smoothly. The attitude of the employees changes remarkably.
There was more open communicate between the employees and management, and a caring
approach was adopted. Employees were no longer seen as just “workers” and products were
made faster, with better quality, and overall morale was increased. (Pennek). Furthermore, the
conclusions that resulted from these studies also stressed the importance of a clear and concise
management style as a major factor to productivity in the workplace as well as a more
humanistic approach as a way to satisfy the organization’s economic needs and the humanistic
social skills (Miller, 2022).
43
Hawthorne Studies and Performance
What makes workers perform better? Is it social or financial incentives? If we are to look at
the Hawthorne Studies they will tell us it is social incentives. Things began to change after World
War II and the management within organizations realized that money alone was not the driving
factor for employee productivity. This meant that management would need to change the
whole dynamic and structure of their companies. To do this they focused on Elton Mayo and the
results of his studies. What these studies determined was that social and psychological factors
must be considered when it comes to productivity and performance of the employees. No
longer could employees be considered as part of the machine they worked on, but now their
performance needed to be considered as a part of them and how they created value to the
company. When doing this the entire landscape of the organization was changed and the
structure became more secure, there was higher morale and more financial security. All of this
was due to the Hawthorne Studies, and how they related to the increase performance of the
employees who were treated as more than just an extension to the machines they worked on
(Abuladze & Skorková, 2021).
What the studies also told us were that the social factors mattered most. The increase in
observation lead to the increase in performance. There does not have to be an intervention for
the performance of a worker to change. There is a sense of accountability and responsibility
that makes the employee want to perform better.
The Hawthorne Studies and their Lasting Effects
What do the Hawthorne Studies teach us about companies, their workers, and the lasting
legacy they leave behind? After all the experiments that were conducted back in the 1920’s and
44
1930’s, and after all the documentation and results that have survived through today what do
we know about the Hawthorne Studies and their lasting legacy. The amount of time that the
Hawthorne Effect can actually stay with an individual and thus a company really depends. It
depends on that individual. Some people will carry it around with them for years after being
watched and monitored. They will carry that around in other areas of their lives. Other people
will drop the façade the second they leave their work area. Researchers have found that it can
be as short as ten minutes and last as long as six months! It can be easy to overcome when
employees, or those who are participating in an experiment, feel most at ease and comfortable.
If an employer can explain why this experiment is happening and make them understand why
they were selected for this experiment that will make it even easier. Helping them to feel like
part of the solution to a bigger problem always helps as well. Another way for people to not
have residual effects of the Hawthorne Studies is to not tell them they are in one to begin with!
This allows workers to go on about their daily business as if nothing is unusual and you can
conduct your experiments in secrecy. In this instance no one will have any lasting effects
(Weatherburn,
2022).
Hawthorne Studies, its five parts, and the Organizational Structure
The Hawthorne Experiments can be divided into five parts. These five parts affect how an
organization is structured and how an organization runs effectively. The first experiment is he
Experiment on Illumination. These were undertaken to find out if lighting in the workplace
affected employee productivity. It was thought that if there was higher lighting transmitted in
the warehouse then the productivity of workers would increase, therefore production would
45
increase. To conduct this study, two groups of people were selected. One group was exposed to
a variety of light sources and illumination. The second group (control group) were subjected to
the same amount of light the entire time. When all was said and done, it was determine that
neither group was impacted by the light. Productivity remained the same. It was determined
that something else was at play with the productivity of these workers. Since no one was sure
what that was, a second experiment took place.
The next experience was a study focused on Relay Assembly Experiment. This part of the
experiment focused on productivity and what effect fatigue had on workers after working so
many hours and taking rest periods. The job of relay assembly was chosen because it’s a fairly
easy task to do. Very repetitive, does not need machines, and the results can be easily
measured. In this experiment only women were involved. The study group contained all women
who had been at this line of work for quite some time and they average output was 500 gadgets
a day. At each stage of the experiment another change was introduced. For example, in stage
two the girls were paid according to their output. Productivity increased by 30%. This is a great
example of the Hawthorne Studies changing the organizational structure and output of a
company. During this second stage of the experiment, when the women knew they were going
to be paid more money for their work they increased their load which brought in more money
for the company and increased their productivity making them more profitable to the company
as well. Less turnover for underperforming employees and employees with greater morale.
The next stage of these experiment is the Mass Interviewing Program. This studies the human
relations and attitudes. This stage was designed to gain all the needed information through
interviewing over fifteen hundred employees to gage their attitudes about working conditions,
46
management, satisfaction and more. With this information they were able to design the next
experiment in the Hawthorne Studies.
The Bank Wiring Observation Room was the fourth step in these studies. This was done in an
effort to study how money can impact the productivity of workers. In the end, it was shown it
had very little impact at all. The workers in the Bank Wiring Observation Room were specifically
selected for this experiment. Each worker was given a specific task, but they were also asked to
collaborate with the group when needed. An observer as well as an interview were also
involved in this stage. What was discovered was a new organizational structure was forming.
The informal group and leadership were developing within this interest group. The leaders had
become so close with those workers that they had total faith in them, and the workers firmly
believed that the leader would protect them and their interests at all costs. The workers fully
supports the leaders, and the leaders found it hard to assert themselves over the workers even
if they disobeyed the rules. Such strong group formations have a huge impact on organizational
design and structure. Leaders are becoming resistant to change and afraid to exert their power
over their employees and employees see this as a way to overrun managers. This can lead to an
organization that is not run from the top-down or a place where leaders are in charge. The
last experiment phase is Personal Counseling. This stage was included because the earlier
studies did not provider a lot of good information regarding promoting employees. The purpose
of this experiment was to diagnose employee problems. An impartial agency was created and
they interviews both management and employees. Each department received a personnel
counselor and they could openly and freely communicate with them. This proved to be quite
47
successful and as a result there was a quite an improvement in supervisor and employee
relations.
As a result of all of these testing and studies the outcomes were clear. Co-workers are quite
social during their shifts and have high motivation when collaborating with one another and
work as a team. Physical conditions are not the driving force as compared to sense of belonging,
security and recognition while at work. The attitudes of workers are determined by social
factors and demands based on the environment they are in. And lastly, the formation of
informal groups greatly influence the morale they have while working (2014).
48
Conclusion / Recommendations
The Hawthorne Studies were based on the fact that employees who are observed will work
harder, produce better products and even become better employees. When the employees felt
they are receiving positive attention from their supervisors they feel proud and morale rises
within them. The most important impact that these studies revealed was that people mattered
and they should be part of the planning process for organizations and not an afterthought.
Mangers began to listen to their employees and consider their ideas and this started the human
relations school of management. There are many people who still disagree with Mayo’s
experiment and its findings. It really is no doubt that the Hawthorn Studies did lay the
foundation for a better understanding of human relations in the workplace. Managers now
know how to be more effective leaders, how to respect their employees, and how to listen to
advice. The employees also are not afraid to ask questions and offer advice. The creation of
informal groups is also a result of these studies and they had a significant impact on the
organizational structure of businesses. The leadership style and structure was also changed due
to the Hawthorne Studies. Leaders are not so autocratic. Leaders do not necessary hold all the
power and rule with an iron fist anymore. In the past, leaders are the ones who make all the
decisions and separated themselves from their employees. When these studies were published,
it was determined that the new leadership style should be more of a servant leadership. More
leaders should serve from the heart. They should address the needs of their employees and
encourage growth. Management should want their employees to feel good coming to work, and
they even show compassion at time. This paper has shown that the Hawthorne Studies did
indeed, change the organizational structure of countless companies by showing that using the
49
human touch and not just focusing on machines and robots is what makes a worker and a
company successful and profitable (Verasai,
2022).
Recommendations
There are many recommendations that can be introduced from this paper. We know that the
original experiment was intended to see if lighting, rest breaks and other environmental factors
could be used to increase productivity, and we also know that these factors are not what
motivated workers. Instead, social factors are what motivated employees to work harder and
perform better. My recommendations would be for the current and future management of
companies to continue to treat their employees with respect and show compassion. Employees
work better and will produce more product and money for the company if they know they are
making a diffidence and are truly valued. I do not believe that employees need to be watched
on their shifts; that is micromanagement and not healthy in the workplace, but I do recommend
a stop now and them by the manager to check in on the employee to see how things are going
and if the employee has any complaints and concerns. The manager being well aware of what is
happing in their business and with employees is key to a successful businesses. If the
Hawthorne Studies and the Hawthorne Effect has taught us anything it is that employees want
to be accepted and feel like they are part of a team and they enjoy collaboration with one
another. My recommendation is for the environment of an organization to be free of the
autocratic rule, and more of an employee involved decision making. However, I do not believe
that the management should roll over and give the power to the employees and have them
making all the important decisions. There still needs to be a top-down management system that
50
will ensure the company is making the best operational and financial decisions. The bottom line
is to keep employees motivated, happy and satisfied and the best way to do this is to offer an
environment where they feel important. In today’s society we are more social in the workplace
than ever before and if we follow recommendations like these – putting the right people on the
right teams, asking for feedback – companies have a great chance at becoming successful. The
Hawthorne effect refers to the behavioral changes of participants in studies conducted by Elton
Mayo based on the effect that participants know their every move at work is being watched and
observed. This led to the Hawthorne experiments that strongly linked social factors to
workgroup norms. This effect was discovered during the Hawthorne experiments that were
conducted back in the 1920’s and 1930’s. The thought at this time was that worker productivity
was a result of environmental issues like lighting, work breaks, and rest periods, but these
experiments would show that this is not the case. What the Hawthorne Effect really showed
was that what really mattered was that a boost in productivity was the result of the interaction
between employees and their superiors. The more care the superiors showed the employees
the better they performed. However, this is not to say that when employees are being watched
in their daily activities that they also do not perform more efficiently. So how does all of this
effect the organization and its structure and design? Well, the Hawthorne Effect created a
comfortable workplace for its employees meaning adding a comfortable and inviting place for
employees to work each day improves employee engagement and keeps them happy in their
employment. They will work to the best of their abilities and continue to bring financial success
to the company. This also means the organization will continue to profit and be successful in
running its operations. It is important to note that the atmosphere and the business issues
51
that employees were confronted with were not the same as what we are faced with today. In
today’s world we have a more social system, and management now realizes that employee
behavior has something to do with their productivity. Also, as a result of the Hawthorne Effect
today’s employees are far more sophisticated than they were when these studies were first
conducted. We can also see that human performance in the workplace is a result of both social
and environmental factors, and business leaders have begun to refocus on the needs of its
employees as wells as their attitudes and behaviors. As a result of all of this the organizational
structure and design has significantly changed in the modern world. The Hawthorne Effect has
changes the way leaders lead and make decisions in the modern world. This effect has been
described as refocusing the entire business strategy by changing all aspects of human behavior
in the organization and its structure. The bottom line to the company is that a happy employee
is likely to be a productive employee. Positive employees bring in more money and business for
the company so they remain successful. The Hawthorne Effect taught business owners that no
amount of lighting or break during the day were going to make an employees work harder or
make them love their job any more. It was the personal touch that mattered to each employee,
and by responding to that, each employee would give more of themselves to their daily job.
(Bernard, 2021).
Finally, the Hawthorne effect can still be seen in areas of our life today. Think about children in
a daycare. Do they act differently when they are being watched? Sure they do. Kids try to get
away with everything when no one is watching, but the second they know your eyes are on
them they are the perfect kid! And, if you constantly praise a child for doing their very best they
will always be more productive and want to do more for you. This is exactly what the
52
Hawthorne Effect tells us with happen. One more example of the Hawthorne Effect is briefly
mentioned above. A study was conducted in a hospital among medical staff and the frequency
of their hand washing habits. It was determined that when these medical doctors were being
observed they washed their hands 55% more often than when they were not being observed!
That is amazing.
Even doctors fall it to the Hawthorne Study results.
Hawthorne Studies and Motivation and Satisfaction
Job satisfaction is a widely studies concept when it comes to organizational behavior and
organizational structure and design. It is a key to job attitude and is linked to productivity and,
turnover, and absenteeism in the workplace. Many schools of thought say that the Hawthorne
Studies were the very first studies that considered job motivation and satisfaction. The core idea
is that the human element is the most valuable resource in any business. Without humans to
do the business you have nothing. Machines can only do so much. The Hawthorne Studies
showed that job satisfaction increased when workers were given more freedom and were left to
determine the conditions of their working environment. They also have more satisfaction when
they were able to set their own workplace standards of output. Also, after the studies were
conducted it was determined that job satisfaction was a result of feelings of worth and not
based on working conditions or the environment. This was huge when it came to how
organizations began to operate. They could adjust the lighting, make break rooms bigger, etc.
but mostly what workers wanted was to be appreciated and called out for the work they were
doing (Remijus et al, 2019).
53
When the Hawthorne Studies were conducted Mayo and his colleagues conducted additional
experiments on elements such as length of the workday, break times and incentive plans. The
results of these additional experiments showed changes in performance were tied to
psychological and social aspects of people’s behavior. The workers did not perform any better
because of the incentive plans they were given, or the shorter workdays they had. What did
happen though was surprising for the time. It seems that the people who participated in the
studies had developed a sense of pride in themselves and in their work. That pride led to
increased motivation. This led to the discovery that employees will perform better when they
are singled out and given some special attention. The benefit of these studies proved that if you
take care of the employee and provide for their social needs it will improve their motivation,
and this often does not require financial incentives. This is huge for the business structure and
design. There is no need adjust for financial resources or change the overall function of how the
company operates.
What came out of these studies is that management should always promote motivation and
encourage the works to work together as a team and form a bond. Managers should also create
an environment that is safe and open. By providing social motivation, physiological motivation,
and educational motivation management is creating an organizational structure where
everyone feels like they are important and this creates more motivation and a desire for
workers to increase productivity and develop a sense of pride (Feldman, 2023).
Hawthorne Studies and the Negatives
Throughout this review there has been positive aspects about the studies and how these
studies have changes the structure of a company for the good showing that productivity
54
increased and employee morale rose as a result of the Hawthorne Studies. However, there are
many criticisms and downfalls that have come out of these Studies. For example, in Busse’s
article criticizing the studies, he indicates that no matter what setting the lights were set at in
the warehouse where the experiment was conducted, productivity increased. He also accused
Elton of manipulating his own data by varying the times and lengths of the work breaks which
all resulted in an increase in worker output. Busse’s says as a result of this Elton and his studies
were not valid and the results cannot be accurately measured (Busse & Warner, 2017).
It should be noted that most of the people who disagree with Mayo’s findings and his research
are sociologists. They viewed changes during these years (1920’s – 1930’s) from a more
sociology view rather than an organizational view. This is probably why they were so critical of
Mayo at the time. Evidence suggests that some of the criticisms came from ideological
differences at the time and Elton himself. Daniel Bell was Mayo’s biggest enemy and criticized
him hard. He used the term “cow sociology” when referring to Mayo and his studies. Bell finds
fault with the studies because he believed that the workers in the study were manipulated to
increase production. Another criticisms was that Mayo was ignorant of the role of theory in
social research and relied on observations instead. This led to unclear findings that could not be
proved. Bell continued to believe that these studies crushed creativity among workers, and did
not allow for new or improved organizational processes. And finally, Bell believed that the
Hawthorne Studies too easily adopted management excuses for allowing the current state of
affairs to continue as is now allowing the organizational structure to continue and grow
(Muldoon, 2017).
55
Still, there are others that who do not agree with the Hawthorne Studies and its findings. Even
Mayo himself once said that the improvements in the performances upgraded because those
that participated in the experiments believed that the changes would improve their
performance and productivity, and as some the variables that were used in the experiment
many not have had the direct influence over the employee’s productivity. Others have called his
experiences nothing but “Capital Bias.” They have called it this because it was designed in a way
that only benefits the owners or supervisors of the company where these experiments took
place. There is no benefit for the employee who participated in the experiments (Muldoon,
2017).
Overall, the view of many people is that these experiments were poorly designed and failed
to generate important variables into account and only benefited a few people.
Hawthorn Studies and Productivity
The basic theory of the Hawthorne effect is that individuals will improve or change their
behavior in response to the awareness that they are being observed. When a worker is being
watched they are much more likely to act and display attributes they think they should in front
of management. The more attention that is put in a worker the more production output they
give and the higher level of effort they provide. In one of the studies, engineers wanted to see
how the effects of lighting levels had on employee performance. The results determined that no
matter how little light the employees were exposed to employee performance increased. As
long as the employees were still being watched their productivity remained high. However,
once the experiment was canceled and there was no longer any employees being observed
56
during their shift, productivity declined to its original levels. No other stimuli affected the
employee productivity. How does this affect business structure and organization? For one, there
is comfort in the workplace. Adding comfort in the workplace is a great way to improve
employee engagement. Ensuring employers are comfortable and content will allow the
employees to work to the best of their abilities and help with facility design, break areas,
furnishings, etc. It helps to improve the whole structure of the company. When there is an
increase in productivity there is an increase in production, sales, and even team building among
its workers. This leads to great success for the company.
Out of productivity comes team building. Team building is huge when it comes to employee
happiness and productivity. During these Hawthorne Studies, team building was a result. The
study found that when employees found these comfort zones in the workplace they were able
to find friends and develop friendships. This lead to team building. Team building requires
having a carefully planned and thought our orientation process and a clear cut team charter.
This helps change and mold the company structure by reaching out to each employee and
letting them know, you as management, want to better understand their challenges in the
workplace and how things can be improved. The simple fact that you have reached out to them
offering support can boost productivity (2022).
Hawthorn Studies and Informal Groups
When organizations use the Hawthorn Studies their whole organizational design and
structure will change. An example of this is the creation of informal groups within the company.
These newly formed groups have their own social structure with leaders, goals, and bonds are
developed. Some of these groups are developed to protect them from management and they
57
have as much to do with how the organization runs as does the actual structure of the
organization itself. As a result of the Hawthorne studies, it was discovered that there is a group
lifestyle among workers, and this work group affects productivity in the workplace. The
Hawthorne Studies showed that the workplace is a social system and is made up of
independent parts that work together. Another finding was the relations that that are
developed between managers and their employees will likely influence how the employees will
carry out and handled directives they are given. What all this means is that informal groups
created lead directly to the stability of the organization’s structure and consistency (Pera et al.,
2023).
Hawthorne Studies and Supervisory Structure
Another key element in Hawthorn Studies that affects the organizational structure is the
supervisory structure. Leadership became more enlightened and had a new understanding for
their employees as a result of these studies. The structure of the organization became more
harmonious and flowed more smoothly. The attitude of the employees changes remarkably.
There was more open communicate between the employees and management, and a caring
approach was adopted. Employees were no longer seen as just “workers” and products were
made faster, with better quality, and overall morale was increased. (Pennek). Furthermore, the
conclusions that resulted from these studies also stressed the importance of a clear and concise
management style as a major factor to productivity in the workplace as well as a more
humanistic approach as a way to satisfy the organization’s economic needs and the humanistic
social skills (Miller, 2022).
58
Hawthorne Studies and Performance
What makes workers perform better? Is it social or financial incentives? If we are to look at
the Hawthorne Studies they will tell us it is social incentives. Things began to change after World
War II and the management within organizations realized that money alone was not the driving
factor for employee productivity. This meant that management would need to change the
whole dynamic and structure of their companies. To do this they focused on Elton Mayo and the
results of his studies. What these studies determined was that social and psychological factors
must be considered when it comes to productivity and performance of the employees. No
longer could employees be considered as part of the machine they worked on, but now their
performance needed to be considered as a part of them and how they created value to the
company. When doing this the entire landscape of the organization was changed and the
structure became more secure, there was higher morale and more financial security. All of this
was due to the Hawthorne Studies, and how they related to the increase performance of the
employees who were treated as more than just an extension to the machines they worked on
(Abuladze & Skorková, 2021).
What the studies also told us were that the social factors mattered most. The increase in
observation lead to the increase in performance. There does not have to be an intervention for
the performance of a worker to change. There is a sense of accountability and responsibility
that makes the employee want to perform better.
The Hawthorne Studies and their Lasting Effects
What do the Hawthorne Studies teach us about companies, their workers, and the lasting
legacy they leave behind? After all the experiments that were conducted back in the 1920’s and
59
1930’s, and after all the documentation and results that have survived through today what do
we know about the Hawthorne Studies and their lasting legacy. The amount of time that the
Hawthorne Effect can actually stay with an individual and thus a company really depends. It
depends on that individual. Some people will carry it around with them for years after being
watched and monitored. They will carry that around in other areas of their lives. Other people
will drop the façade the second they leave their work area. Researchers have found that it can
be as short as ten minutes and last as long as six months! It can be easy to overcome when
employees, or those who are participating in an experiment, feel most at ease and comfortable.
If an employer can explain why this experiment is happening and make them understand why
they were selected for this experiment that will make it even easier. Helping them to feel like
part of the solution to a bigger problem always helps as well. Another way for people to not
have residual effects of the Hawthorne Studies is to not tell them they are in one to begin with!
This allows workers to go on about their daily business as if nothing is unusual and you can
conduct your experiments in secrecy. In this instance no one will have any lasting effects
(Weatherburn,
2022).
Hawthorne Studies, its five parts, and the Organizational Structure
The Hawthorne Experiments can be divided into five parts. These five parts affect how an
organization is structured and how an organization runs effectively. The first experiment is he
Experiment on Illumination. These were undertaken to find out if lighting in the workplace
affected employee productivity. It was thought that if there was higher lighting transmitted in
the warehouse then the productivity of workers would increase, therefore production would
60
increase. To conduct this study, two groups of people were selected. One group was exposed to
a variety of light sources and illumination. The second group (control group) were subjected to
the same amount of light the entire time. When all was said and done, it was determine that
neither group was impacted by the light. Productivity remained the same. It was determined
that something else was at play with the productivity of these workers. Since no one was sure
what that was, a second experiment took place.
The next experience was a study focused on Relay Assembly Experiment. This part of the
experiment focused on productivity and what effect fatigue had on workers after working so
many hours and taking rest periods. The job of relay assembly was chosen because it’s a fairly
easy task to do. Very repetitive, does not need machines, and the results can be easily
measured. In this experiment only women were involved. The study group contained all women
who had been at this line of work for quite some time and they average output was 500 gadgets
a day. At each stage of the experiment another change was introduced. For example, in stage
two the girls were paid according to their output. Productivity increased by 30%. This is a great
example of the Hawthorne Studies changing the organizational structure and output of a
company. During this second stage of the experiment, when the women knew they were going
to be paid more money for their work they increased their load which brought in more money
for the company and increased their productivity making them more profitable to the company
as well. Less turnover for underperforming employees and employees with greater morale.
The next stage of these experiment is the Mass Interviewing Program. This studies the human
relations and attitudes. This stage was designed to gain all the needed information through
interviewing over fifteen hundred employees to gage their attitudes about working conditions,
61
management, satisfaction and more. With this information they were able to design the next
experiment in the Hawthorne Studies.
The Bank Wiring Observation Room was the fourth step in these studies. This was done in an
effort to study how money can impact the productivity of workers. In the end, it was shown it
had very little impact at all. The workers in the Bank Wiring Observation Room were specifically
selected for this experiment. Each worker was given a specific task, but they were also asked to
collaborate with the group when needed. An observer as well as an interview were also
involved in this stage. What was discovered was a new organizational structure was forming.
The informal group and leadership were developing within this interest group. The leaders had
become so close with those workers that they had total faith in them, and the workers firmly
believed that the leader would protect them and their interests at all costs. The workers fully
supports the leaders, and the leaders found it hard to assert themselves over the workers even
if they disobeyed the rules. Such strong group formations have a huge impact on organizational
design and structure. Leaders are becoming resistant to change and afraid to exert their power
over their employees and employees see this as a way to overrun managers. This can lead to an
organization that is not run from the top-down or a place where leaders are in charge. The
last experiment phase is Personal Counseling. This stage was included because the earlier
studies did not provider a lot of good information regarding promoting employees. The purpose
of this experiment was to diagnose employee problems. An impartial agency was created and
they interviews both management and employees. Each department received a personnel
counselor and they could openly and freely communicate with them. This proved to be quite
62
successful and as a result there was a quite an improvement in supervisor and employee
relations.
As a result of all of these testing and studies the outcomes were clear. Co-workers are quite
social during their shifts and have high motivation when collaborating with one another and
work as a team. Physical conditions are not the driving force as compared to sense of belonging,
security and recognition while at work. The attitudes of workers are determined by social
factors and demands based on the environment they are in. And lastly, the formation of
informal groups greatly influence the morale they have while working (2014).
63
Conclusion / Recommendations
The Hawthorne Studies were based on the fact that employees who are observed will work
harder, produce better products and even become better employees. When the employees felt
they are receiving positive attention from their supervisors they feel proud and morale rises
within them. The most important impact that these studies revealed was that people mattered
and they should be part of the planning process for organizations and not an afterthought.
Mangers began to listen to their employees and consider their ideas and this started the human
relations school of management. There are many people who still disagree with Mayo’s
experiment and its findings. It really is no doubt that the Hawthorn Studies did lay the
foundation for a better understanding of human relations in the workplace. Managers now
know how to be more effective leaders, how to respect their employees, and how to listen to
advice. The employees also are not afraid to ask questions and offer advice. The creation of
informal groups is also a result of these studies and they had a significant impact on the
organizational structure of businesses. The leadership style and structure was also changed due
to the Hawthorne Studies. Leaders are not so autocratic. Leaders do not necessary hold all the
power and rule with an iron fist anymore. In the past, leaders are the ones who make all the
decisions and separated themselves from their employees. When these studies were published,
it was determined that the new leadership style should be more of a servant leadership. More
leaders should serve from the heart. They should address the needs of their employees and
encourage growth. Management should want their employees to feel good coming to work, and
they even show compassion at time. This paper has shown that the Hawthorne Studies did
indeed, change the organizational structure of countless companies by showing that using the
64
human touch and not just focusing on machines and robots is what makes a worker and a
company successful and profitable (Verasai,
2022).
Recommendations
There are many recommendations that can be introduced from this paper. We know that the
original experiment was intended to see if lighting, rest breaks and other environmental factors
could be used to increase productivity, and we also know that these factors are not what
motivated workers. Instead, social factors are what motivated employees to work harder and
perform better. My recommendations would be for the current and future management of
companies to continue to treat their employees with respect and show compassion. Employees
work better and will produce more product and money for the company if they know they are
making a diffidence and are truly valued. I do not believe that employees need to be watched
on their shifts; that is micromanagement and not healthy in the workplace, but I do recommend
a stop now and them by the manager to check in on the employee to see how things are going
and if the employee has any complaints and concerns. The manager being well aware of what is
happing in their business and with employees is key to a successful businesses. If the
Hawthorne Studies and the Hawthorne Effect has taught us anything it is that employees want
to be accepted and feel like they are part of a team and they enjoy collaboration with one
another. My recommendation is for the environment of an organization to be free of the
autocratic rule, and more of an employee involved decision making. However, I do not believe
that the management should roll over and give the power to the employees and have them
making all the important decisions. There still needs to be a top-down management system that
65
will ensure the company is making the best operational and financial decisions. The bottom line
is to keep employees motivated, happy and satisfied and the best way to do this is to offer an
environment where they feel important. In today’s society we are more social in the workplace
than ever before and if we follow recommendations like these – putting the right people on the
right teams, asking for feedback – companies have a great chance at becoming successful. The
Hawthorne effect refers to the behavioral changes of participants in studies conducted by Elton
Mayo based on the effect that participants know their every move at work is being watched and
observed. This led to the Hawthorne experiments that strongly linked social factors to
workgroup norms. This effect was discovered during the Hawthorne experiments that were
conducted back in the 1920’s and 1930’s. The thought at this time was that worker productivity
was a result of environmental issues like lighting, work breaks, and rest periods, but these
experiments would show that this is not the case. What the Hawthorne Effect really showed
was that what really mattered was that a boost in productivity was the result of the interaction
between employees and their superiors. The more care the superiors showed the employees
the better they performed. However, this is not to say that when employees are being watched
in their daily activities that they also do not perform more efficiently. So how does all of this
effect the organization and its structure and design? Well, the Hawthorne Effect created a
comfortable workplace for its employees meaning adding a comfortable and inviting place for
employees to work each day improves employee engagement and keeps them happy in their
employment. They will work to the best of their abilities and continue to bring financial success
to the company. This also means the organization will continue to profit and be successful in
running its operations. It is important to note that the atmosphere and the business issues
66
that employees were confronted with were not the same as what we are faced with today. In
today’s world we have a more social system, and management now realizes that employee
behavior has something to do with their productivity. Also, as a result of the Hawthorne Effect
today’s employees are far more sophisticated than they were when these studies were first
conducted. We can also see that human performance in the workplace is a result of both social
and environmental factors, and business leaders have begun to refocus on the needs of its
employees as wells as their attitudes and behaviors. As a result of all of this the organizational
structure and design has significantly changed in the modern world. The Hawthorne Effect has
changes the way leaders lead and make decisions in the modern world. This effect has been
described as refocusing the entire business strategy by changing all aspects of human behavior
in the organization and its structure. The bottom line to the company is that a happy employee
is likely to be a productive employee. Positive employees bring in more money and business for
the company so they remain successful. The Hawthorne Effect taught business owners that no
amount of lighting or break during the day were going to make an employees work harder or
make them love their job any more. It was the personal touch that mattered to each employee,
and by responding to that, each employee would give more of themselves to their daily job.
(Bernard, 2021).
Finally, the Hawthorne effect can still be seen in areas of our life today. Think about children in
a daycare. Do they act differently when they are being watched? Sure they do. Kids try to get
away with everything when no one is watching, but the second they know your eyes are on
them they are the perfect kid! And, if you constantly praise a child for doing their very best they
will always be more productive and want to do more for you. This is exactly what the
67
Hawthorne Effect tells us with happen. One more example of the Hawthorne Effect is briefly
mentioned above. A study was conducted in a hospital among medical staff and the frequency
of their hand washing habits. It was determined that when these medical doctors were being
observed they washed their hands 55% more often than when they were not being observed!
That is amazing.
Even doctors fall it to the Hawthorne Study results.
Hawthorne Studies and Motivation and Satisfaction
Job satisfaction is a widely studies concept when it comes to organizational behavior and
organizational structure and design. It is a key to job attitude and is linked to productivity and,
turnover, and absenteeism in the workplace. Many schools of thought say that the Hawthorne
Studies were the very first studies that considered job motivation and satisfaction. The core idea
is that the human element is the most valuable resource in any business. Without humans to
do the business you have nothing. Machines can only do so much. The Hawthorne Studies
showed that job satisfaction increased when workers were given more freedom and were left to
determine the conditions of their working environment. They also have more satisfaction when
they were able to set their own workplace standards of output. Also, after the studies were
conducted it was determined that job satisfaction was a result of feelings of worth and not
based on working conditions or the environment. This was huge when it came to how
organizations began to operate. They could adjust the lighting, make break rooms bigger, etc.
but mostly what workers wanted was to be appreciated and called out for the work they were
doing (Remijus et al, 2019).
68
When the Hawthorne Studies were conducted Mayo and his colleagues conducted additional
experiments on elements such as length of the workday, break times and incentive plans. The
results of these additional experiments showed changes in performance were tied to
psychological and social aspects of people’s behavior. The workers did not perform any better
because of the incentive plans they were given, or the shorter workdays they had. What did
happen though was surprising for the time. It seems that the people who participated in the
studies had developed a sense of pride in themselves and in their work. That pride led to
increased motivation. This led to the discovery that employees will perform better when they
are singled out and given some special attention. The benefit of these studies proved that if you
take care of the employee and provide for their social needs it will improve their motivation,
and this often does not require financial incentives. This is huge for the business structure and
design. There is no need adjust for financial resources or change the overall function of how the
company operates.
What came out of these studies is that management should always promote motivation and
encourage the works to work together as a team and form a bond. Managers should also create
an environment that is safe and open. By providing social motivation, physiological motivation,
and educational motivation management is creating an organizational structure where
everyone feels like they are important and this creates more motivation and a desire for
workers to increase productivity and develop a sense of pride (Feldman, 2023).
Hawthorne Studies and the Negatives
Throughout this review there has been positive aspects about the studies and how these
studies have changes the structure of a company for the good showing that productivity
69
increased and employee morale rose as a result of the Hawthorne Studies. However, there are
many criticisms and downfalls that have come out of these Studies. For example, in Busse’s
article criticizing the studies, he indicates that no matter what setting the lights were set at in
the warehouse where the experiment was conducted, productivity increased. He also accused
Elton of manipulating his own data by varying the times and lengths of the work breaks which
all resulted in an increase in worker output. Busse’s says as a result of this Elton and his studies
were not valid and the results cannot be accurately measured (Busse & Warner, 2017).
It should be noted that most of the people who disagree with Mayo’s findings and his research
are sociologists. They viewed changes during these years (1920’s – 1930’s) from a more
sociology view rather than an organizational view. This is probably why they were so critical of
Mayo at the time. Evidence suggests that some of the criticisms came from ideological
differences at the time and Elton himself. Daniel Bell was Mayo’s biggest enemy and criticized
him hard. He used the term “cow sociology” when referring to Mayo and his studies. Bell finds
fault with the studies because he believed that the workers in the study were manipulated to
increase production. Another criticisms was that Mayo was ignorant of the role of theory in
social research and relied on observations instead. This led to unclear findings that could not be
proved. Bell continued to believe that these studies crushed creativity among workers, and did
not allow for new or improved organizational processes. And finally, Bell believed that the
Hawthorne Studies too easily adopted management excuses for allowing the current state of
affairs to continue as is now allowing the organizational structure to continue and grow
(Muldoon, 2017).
70
Still, there are others that who do not agree with the Hawthorne Studies and its findings. Even
Mayo himself once said that the improvements in the performances upgraded because those
that participated in the experiments believed that the changes would improve their
performance and productivity, and as some the variables that were used in the experiment
many not have had the direct influence over the employee’s productivity. Others have called his
experiences nothing but “Capital Bias.” They have called it this because it was designed in a way
that only benefits the owners or supervisors of the company where these experiments took
place. There is no benefit for the employee who participated in the experiments (Muldoon,
2017).
Overall, the view of many people is that these experiments were poorly designed and failed
to generate important variables into account and only benefited a few people.
Hawthorn Studies and Productivity
The basic theory of the Hawthorne effect is that individuals will improve or change their
behavior in response to the awareness that they are being observed. When a worker is being
watched they are much more likely to act and display attributes they think they should in front
of management. The more attention that is put in a worker the more production output they
give and the higher level of effort they provide. In one of the studies, engineers wanted to see
how the effects of lighting levels had on employee performance. The results determined that no
matter how little light the employees were exposed to employee performance increased. As
long as the employees were still being watched their productivity remained high. However,
once the experiment was canceled and there was no longer any employees being observed
71
during their shift, productivity declined to its original levels. No other stimuli affected the
employee productivity. How does this affect business structure and organization? For one, there
is comfort in the workplace. Adding comfort in the workplace is a great way to improve
employee engagement. Ensuring employers are comfortable and content will allow the
employees to work to the best of their abilities and help with facility design, break areas,
furnishings, etc. It helps to improve the whole structure of the company. When there is an
increase in productivity there is an increase in production, sales, and even team building among
its workers. This leads to great success for the company.
Out of productivity comes team building. Team building is huge when it comes to employee
happiness and productivity. During these Hawthorne Studies, team building was a result. The
study found that when employees found these comfort zones in the workplace they were able
to find friends and develop friendships. This lead to team building. Team building requires
having a carefully planned and thought our orientation process and a clear cut team charter.
This helps change and mold the company structure by reaching out to each employee and
letting them know, you as management, want to better understand their challenges in the
workplace and how things can be improved. The simple fact that you have reached out to them
offering support can boost productivity (2022).
Hawthorn Studies and Informal Groups
When organizations use the Hawthorn Studies their whole organizational design and
structure will change. An example of this is the creation of informal groups within the company.
These newly formed groups have their own social structure with leaders, goals, and bonds are
developed. Some of these groups are developed to protect them from management and they
72
have as much to do with how the organization runs as does the actual structure of the
organization itself. As a result of the Hawthorne studies, it was discovered that there is a group
lifestyle among workers, and this work group affects productivity in the workplace. The
Hawthorne Studies showed that the workplace is a social system and is made up of
independent parts that work together. Another finding was the relations that that are
developed between managers and their employees will likely influence how the employees will
carry out and handled directives they are given. What all this means is that informal groups
created lead directly to the stability of the organization’s structure and consistency (Pera et al.,
2023).
Hawthorne Studies and Supervisory Structure
Another key element in Hawthorn Studies that affects the organizational structure is the
supervisory structure. Leadership became more enlightened and had a new understanding for
their employees as a result of these studies. The structure of the organization became more
harmonious and flowed more smoothly. The attitude of the employees changes remarkably.
There was more open communicate between the employees and management, and a caring
approach was adopted. Employees were no longer seen as just “workers” and products were
made faster, with better quality, and overall morale was increased. (Pennek). Furthermore, the
conclusions that resulted from these studies also stressed the importance of a clear and concise
management style as a major factor to productivity in the workplace as well as a more
humanistic approach as a way to satisfy the organization’s economic needs and the humanistic
social skills (Miller, 2022).
73
Hawthorne Studies and Performance
What makes workers perform better? Is it social or financial incentives? If we are to look at
the Hawthorne Studies they will tell us it is social incentives. Things began to change after World
War II and the management within organizations realized that money alone was not the driving
factor for employee productivity. This meant that management would need to change the
whole dynamic and structure of their companies. To do this they focused on Elton Mayo and the
results of his studies. What these studies determined was that social and psychological factors
must be considered when it comes to productivity and performance of the employees. No
longer could employees be considered as part of the machine they worked on, but now their
performance needed to be considered as a part of them and how they created value to the
company. When doing this the entire landscape of the organization was changed and the
structure became more secure, there was higher morale and more financial security. All of this
was due to the Hawthorne Studies, and how they related to the increase performance of the
employees who were treated as more than just an extension to the machines they worked on
(Abuladze & Skorková, 2021).
What the studies also told us were that the social factors mattered most. The increase in
observation lead to the increase in performance. There does not have to be an intervention for
the performance of a worker to change. There is a sense of accountability and responsibility
that makes the employee want to perform better.
The Hawthorne Studies and their Lasting Effects
What do the Hawthorne Studies teach us about companies, their workers, and the lasting
legacy they leave behind? After all the experiments that were conducted back in the 1920’s and
74
1930’s, and after all the documentation and results that have survived through today what do
we know about the Hawthorne Studies and their lasting legacy. The amount of time that the
Hawthorne Effect can actually stay with an individual and thus a company really depends. It
depends on that individual. Some people will carry it around with them for years after being
watched and monitored. They will carry that around in other areas of their lives. Other people
will drop the façade the second they leave their work area. Researchers have found that it can
be as short as ten minutes and last as long as six months! It can be easy to overcome when
employees, or those who are participating in an experiment, feel most at ease and comfortable.
If an employer can explain why this experiment is happening and make them understand why
they were selected for this experiment that will make it even easier. Helping them to feel like
part of the solution to a bigger problem always helps as well. Another way for people to not
have residual effects of the Hawthorne Studies is to not tell them they are in one to begin with!
This allows workers to go on about their daily business as if nothing is unusual and you can
conduct your experiments in secrecy. In this instance no one will have any lasting effects
(Weatherburn,
2022).
Hawthorne Studies, its five parts, and the Organizational Structure
The Hawthorne Experiments can be divided into five parts. These five parts affect how an
organization is structured and how an organization runs effectively. The first experiment is he
Experiment on Illumination. These were undertaken to find out if lighting in the workplace
affected employee productivity. It was thought that if there was higher lighting transmitted in
the warehouse then the productivity of workers would increase, therefore production would
75
increase. To conduct this study, two groups of people were selected. One group was exposed to
a variety of light sources and illumination. The second group (control group) were subjected to
the same amount of light the entire time. When all was said and done, it was determine that
neither group was impacted by the light. Productivity remained the same. It was determined
that something else was at play with the productivity of these workers. Since no one was sure
what that was, a second experiment took place.
The next experience was a study focused on Relay Assembly Experiment. This part of the
experiment focused on productivity and what effect fatigue had on workers after working so
many hours and taking rest periods. The job of relay assembly was chosen because it’s a fairly
easy task to do. Very repetitive, does not need machines, and the results can be easily
measured. In this experiment only women were involved. The study group contained all women
who had been at this line of work for quite some time and they average output was 500 gadgets
a day. At each stage of the experiment another change was introduced. For example, in stage
two the girls were paid according to their output. Productivity increased by 30%. This is a great
example of the Hawthorne Studies changing the organizational structure and output of a
company. During this second stage of the experiment, when the women knew they were going
to be paid more money for their work they increased their load which brought in more money
for the company and increased their productivity making them more profitable to the company
as well. Less turnover for underperforming employees and employees with greater morale.
The next stage of these experiment is the Mass Interviewing Program. This studies the human
relations and attitudes. This stage was designed to gain all the needed information through
interviewing over fifteen hundred employees to gage their attitudes about working conditions,
76
management, satisfaction and more. With this information they were able to design the next
experiment in the Hawthorne Studies.
The Bank Wiring Observation Room was the fourth step in these studies. This was done in an
effort to study how money can impact the productivity of workers. In the end, it was shown it
had very little impact at all. The workers in the Bank Wiring Observation Room were specifically
selected for this experiment. Each worker was given a specific task, but they were also asked to
collaborate with the group when needed. An observer as well as an interview were also
involved in this stage. What was discovered was a new organizational structure was forming.
The informal group and leadership were developing within this interest group. The leaders had
become so close with those workers that they had total faith in them, and the workers firmly
believed that the leader would protect them and their interests at all costs. The workers fully
supports the leaders, and the leaders found it hard to assert themselves over the workers even
if they disobeyed the rules. Such strong group formations have a huge impact on organizational
design and structure. Leaders are becoming resistant to change and afraid to exert their power
over their employees and employees see this as a way to overrun managers. This can lead to an
organization that is not run from the top-down or a place where leaders are in charge. The
last experiment phase is Personal Counseling. This stage was included because the earlier
studies did not provider a lot of good information regarding promoting employees. The purpose
of this experiment was to diagnose employee problems. An impartial agency was created and
they interviews both management and employees. Each department received a personnel
counselor and they could openly and freely communicate with them. This proved to be quite
77
successful and as a result there was a quite an improvement in supervisor and employee
relations.
As a result of all of these testing and studies the outcomes were clear. Co-workers are quite
social during their shifts and have high motivation when collaborating with one another and
work as a team. Physical conditions are not the driving force as compared to sense of belonging,
security and recognition while at work. The attitudes of workers are determined by social
factors and demands based on the environment they are in. And lastly, the formation of
informal groups greatly influence the morale they have while working (2014).
78
Conclusion / Recommendations
The Hawthorne Studies were based on the fact that employees who are observed will work
harder, produce better products and even become better employees. When the employees felt
they are receiving positive attention from their supervisors they feel proud and morale rises
within them. The most important impact that these studies revealed was that people mattered
and they should be part of the planning process for organizations and not an afterthought.
Mangers began to listen to their employees and consider their ideas and this started the human
relations school of management. There are many people who still disagree with Mayo’s
experiment and its findings. It really is no doubt that the Hawthorn Studies did lay the
foundation for a better understanding of human relations in the workplace. Managers now
know how to be more effective leaders, how to respect their employees, and how to listen to
advice. The employees also are not afraid to ask questions and offer advice. The creation of
informal groups is also a result of these studies and they had a significant impact on the
organizational structure of businesses. The leadership style and structure was also changed due
to the Hawthorne Studies. Leaders are not so autocratic. Leaders do not necessary hold all the
power and rule with an iron fist anymore. In the past, leaders are the ones who make all the
decisions and separated themselves from their employees. When these studies were published,
it was determined that the new leadership style should be more of a servant leadership. More
leaders should serve from the heart. They should address the needs of their employees and
encourage growth. Management should want their employees to feel good coming to work, and
they even show compassion at time. This paper has shown that the Hawthorne Studies did
indeed, change the organizational structure of countless companies by showing that using the
79
human touch and not just focusing on machines and robots is what makes a worker and a
company successful and profitable (Verasai,
2022).
Recommendations
There are many recommendations that can be introduced from this paper. We know that the
original experiment was intended to see if lighting, rest breaks and other environmental factors
could be used to increase productivity, and we also know that these factors are not what
motivated workers. Instead, social factors are what motivated employees to work harder and
perform better. My recommendations would be for the current and future management of
companies to continue to treat their employees with respect and show compassion. Employees
work better and will produce more product and money for the company if they know they are
making a diffidence and are truly valued. I do not believe that employees need to be watched
on their shifts; that is micromanagement and not healthy in the workplace, but I do recommend
a stop now and them by the manager to check in on the employee to see how things are going
and if the employee has any complaints and concerns. The manager being well aware of what is
happing in their business and with employees is key to a successful businesses. If the
Hawthorne Studies and the Hawthorne Effect has taught us anything it is that employees want
to be accepted and feel like they are part of a team and they enjoy collaboration with one
another. My recommendation is for the environment of an organization to be free of the
autocratic rule, and more of an employee involved decision making. However, I do not believe
that the management should roll over and give the power to the employees and have them
making all the important decisions. There still needs to be a top-down management system that
80
will ensure the company is making the best operational and financial decisions. The bottom line
is to keep employees motivated, happy and satisfied and the best way to do this is to offer an
environment where they feel important. In today’s society we are more social in the workplace
than ever before and if we follow recommendations like these – putting the right people on the
right teams, asking for feedback – companies have a great chance at becoming successful. The
Hawthorne effect refers to the behavioral changes of participants in studies conducted by Elton
Mayo based on the effect that participants know their every move at work is being watched and
observed. This led to the Hawthorne experiments that strongly linked social factors to
workgroup norms. This effect was discovered during the Hawthorne experiments that were
conducted back in the 1920’s and 1930’s. The thought at this time was that worker productivity
was a result of environmental issues like lighting, work breaks, and rest periods, but these
experiments would show that this is not the case. What the Hawthorne Effect really showed
was that what really mattered was that a boost in productivity was the result of the interaction
between employees and their superiors. The more care the superiors showed the employees
the better they performed. However, this is not to say that when employees are being watched
in their daily activities that they also do not perform more efficiently. So how does all of this
effect the organization and its structure and design? Well, the Hawthorne Effect created a
comfortable workplace for its employees meaning adding a comfortable and inviting place for
employees to work each day improves employee engagement and keeps them happy in their
employment. They will work to the best of their abilities and continue to bring financial success
to the company. This also means the organization will continue to profit and be successful in
running its operations. It is important to note that the atmosphere and the business issues
81
that employees were confronted with were not the same as what we are faced with today. In
today’s world we have a more social system, and management now realizes that employee
behavior has something to do with their productivity. Also, as a result of the Hawthorne Effect
today’s employees are far more sophisticated than they were when these studies were first
conducted. We can also see that human performance in the workplace is a result of both social
and environmental factors, and business leaders have begun to refocus on the needs of its
employees as wells as their attitudes and behaviors. As a result of all of this the organizational
structure and design has significantly changed in the modern world. The Hawthorne Effect has
changes the way leaders lead and make decisions in the modern world. This effect has been
described as refocusing the entire business strategy by changing all aspects of human behavior
in the organization and its structure. The bottom line to the company is that a happy employee
is likely to be a productive employee. Positive employees bring in more money and business for
the company so they remain successful. The Hawthorne Effect taught business owners that no
amount of lighting or break during the day were going to make an employees work harder or
make them love their job any more. It was the personal touch that mattered to each employee,
and by responding to that, each employee would give more of themselves to their daily job.
(Bernard, 2021).
Finally, the Hawthorne effect can still be seen in areas of our life today. Think about children in
a daycare. Do they act differently when they are being watched? Sure they do. Kids try to get
away with everything when no one is watching, but the second they know your eyes are on
them they are the perfect kid! And, if you constantly praise a child for doing their very best they
will always be more productive and want to do more for you. This is exactly what the
82
Hawthorne Effect tells us with happen. One more example of the Hawthorne Effect is briefly
mentioned above. A study was conducted in a hospital among medical staff and the frequency
of their hand washing habits. It was determined that when these medical doctors were being
observed they washed their hands 55% more often than when they were not being observed!
That is amazing.
Even doctors fall it to the Hawthorne Study results.
Hawthorne Studies and Motivation and Satisfaction
Job satisfaction is a widely studies concept when it comes to organizational behavior and
organizational structure and design. It is a key to job attitude and is linked to productivity and,
turnover, and absenteeism in the workplace. Many schools of thought say that the Hawthorne
Studies were the very first studies that considered job motivation and satisfaction. The core idea
is that the human element is the most valuable resource in any business. Without humans to
do the business you have nothing. Machines can only do so much. The Hawthorne Studies
showed that job satisfaction increased when workers were given more freedom and were left to
determine the conditions of their working environment. They also have more satisfaction when
they were able to set their own workplace standards of output. Also, after the studies were
conducted it was determined that job satisfaction was a result of feelings of worth and not
based on working conditions or the environment. This was huge when it came to how
organizations began to operate. They could adjust the lighting, make break rooms bigger, etc.
but mostly what workers wanted was to be appreciated and called out for the work they were
doing (Remijus et al, 2019).
83
When the Hawthorne Studies were conducted Mayo and his colleagues conducted additional
experiments on elements such as length of the workday, break times and incentive plans. The
results of these additional experiments showed changes in performance were tied to
psychological and social aspects of people’s behavior. The workers did not perform any better
because of the incentive plans they were given, or the shorter workdays they had. What did
happen though was surprising for the time. It seems that the people who participated in the
studies had developed a sense of pride in themselves and in their work. That pride led to
increased motivation. This led to the discovery that employees will perform better when they
are singled out and given some special attention. The benefit of these studies proved that if you
take care of the employee and provide for their social needs it will improve their motivation,
and this often does not require financial incentives. This is huge for the business structure and
design. There is no need adjust for financial resources or change the overall function of how the
company operates.
What came out of these studies is that management should always promote motivation and
encourage the works to work together as a team and form a bond. Managers should also create
an environment that is safe and open. By providing social motivation, physiological motivation,
and educational motivation management is creating an organizational structure where
everyone feels like they are important and this creates more motivation and a desire for
workers to increase productivity and develop a sense of pride (Feldman, 2023).
Hawthorne Studies and the Negatives
Throughout this review there has been positive aspects about the studies and how these
studies have changes the structure of a company for the good showing that productivity
84
increased and employee morale rose as a result of the Hawthorne Studies. However, there are
many criticisms and downfalls that have come out of these Studies. For example, in Busse’s
article criticizing the studies, he indicates that no matter what setting the lights were set at in
the warehouse where the experiment was conducted, productivity increased. He also accused
Elton of manipulating his own data by varying the times and lengths of the work breaks which
all resulted in an increase in worker output. Busse’s says as a result of this Elton and his studies
were not valid and the results cannot be accurately measured (Busse & Warner, 2017).
It should be noted that most of the people who disagree with Mayo’s findings and his research
are sociologists. They viewed changes during these years (1920’s – 1930’s) from a more
sociology view rather than an organizational view. This is probably why they were so critical of
Mayo at the time. Evidence suggests that some of the criticisms came from ideological
differences at the time and Elton himself. Daniel Bell was Mayo’s biggest enemy and criticized
him hard. He used the term “cow sociology” when referring to Mayo and his studies. Bell finds
fault with the studies because he believed that the workers in the study were manipulated to
increase production. Another criticisms was that Mayo was ignorant of the role of theory in
social research and relied on observations instead. This led to unclear findings that could not be
proved. Bell continued to believe that these studies crushed creativity among workers, and did
not allow for new or improved organizational processes. And finally, Bell believed that the
Hawthorne Studies too easily adopted management excuses for allowing the current state of
affairs to continue as is now allowing the organizational structure to continue and grow
(Muldoon, 2017).
85
Still, there are others that who do not agree with the Hawthorne Studies and its findings. Even
Mayo himself once said that the improvements in the performances upgraded because those
that participated in the experiments believed that the changes would improve their
performance and productivity, and as some the variables that were used in the experiment
many not have had the direct influence over the employee’s productivity. Others have called his
experiences nothing but “Capital Bias.” They have called it this because it was designed in a way
that only benefits the owners or supervisors of the company where these experiments took
place. There is no benefit for the employee who participated in the experiments (Muldoon,
2017).
Overall, the view of many people is that these experiments were poorly designed and failed
to generate important variables into account and only benefited a few people.
Hawthorn Studies and Productivity
The basic theory of the Hawthorne effect is that individuals will improve or change their
behavior in response to the awareness that they are being observed. When a worker is being
watched they are much more likely to act and display attributes they think they should in front
of management. The more attention that is put in a worker the more production output they
give and the higher level of effort they provide. In one of the studies, engineers wanted to see
how the effects of lighting levels had on employee performance. The results determined that no
matter how little light the employees were exposed to employee performance increased. As
long as the employees were still being watched their productivity remained high. However,
once the experiment was canceled and there was no longer any employees being observed
86
during their shift, productivity declined to its original levels. No other stimuli affected the
employee productivity. How does this affect business structure and organization? For one, there
is comfort in the workplace. Adding comfort in the workplace is a great way to improve
employee engagement. Ensuring employers are comfortable and content will allow the
employees to work to the best of their abilities and help with facility design, break areas,
furnishings, etc. It helps to improve the whole structure of the company. When there is an
increase in productivity there is an increase in production, sales, and even team building among
its workers. This leads to great success for the company.
Out of productivity comes team building. Team building is huge when it comes to employee
happiness and productivity. During these Hawthorne Studies, team building was a result. The
study found that when employees found these comfort zones in the workplace they were able
to find friends and develop friendships. This lead to team building. Team building requires
having a carefully planned and thought our orientation process and a clear cut team charter.
This helps change and mold the company structure by reaching out to each employee and
letting them know, you as management, want to better understand their challenges in the
workplace and how things can be improved. The simple fact that you have reached out to them
offering support can boost productivity (2022).
Hawthorn Studies and Informal Groups
When organizations use the Hawthorn Studies their whole organizational design and
structure will change. An example of this is the creation of informal groups within the company.
These newly formed groups have their own social structure with leaders, goals, and bonds are
developed. Some of these groups are developed to protect them from management and they
87
have as much to do with how the organization runs as does the actual structure of the
organization itself. As a result of the Hawthorne studies, it was discovered that there is a group
lifestyle among workers, and this work group affects productivity in the workplace. The
Hawthorne Studies showed that the workplace is a social system and is made up of
independent parts that work together. Another finding was the relations that that are
developed between managers and their employees will likely influence how the employees will
carry out and handled directives they are given. What all this means is that informal groups
created lead directly to the stability of the organization’s structure and consistency (Pera et al.,
2023).
Hawthorne Studies and Supervisory Structure
Another key element in Hawthorn Studies that affects the organizational structure is the
supervisory structure. Leadership became more enlightened and had a new understanding for
their employees as a result of these studies. The structure of the organization became more
harmonious and flowed more smoothly. The attitude of the employees changes remarkably.
There was more open communicate between the employees and management, and a caring
approach was adopted. Employees were no longer seen as just “workers” and products were
made faster, with better quality, and overall morale was increased. (Pennek). Furthermore, the
conclusions that resulted from these studies also stressed the importance of a clear and concise
management style as a major factor to productivity in the workplace as well as a more
humanistic approach as a way to satisfy the organization’s economic needs and the humanistic
social skills (Miller, 2022).
88
Hawthorne Studies and Performance
What makes workers perform better? Is it social or financial incentives? If we are to look at
the Hawthorne Studies they will tell us it is social incentives. Things began to change after World
War II and the management within organizations realized that money alone was not the driving
factor for employee productivity. This meant that management would need to change the
whole dynamic and structure of their companies. To do this they focused on Elton Mayo and the
results of his studies. What these studies determined was that social and psychological factors
must be considered when it comes to productivity and performance of the employees. No
longer could employees be considered as part of the machine they worked on, but now their
performance needed to be considered as a part of them and how they created value to the
company. When doing this the entire landscape of the organization was changed and the
structure became more secure, there was higher morale and more financial security. All of this
was due to the Hawthorne Studies, and how they related to the increase performance of the
employees who were treated as more than just an extension to the machines they worked on
(Abuladze & Skorková, 2021).
What the studies also told us were that the social factors mattered most. The increase in
observation lead to the increase in performance. There does not have to be an intervention for
the performance of a worker to change. There is a sense of accountability and responsibility
that makes the employee want to perform better.
The Hawthorne Studies and their Lasting Effects
What do the Hawthorne Studies teach us about companies, their workers, and the lasting
legacy they leave behind? After all the experiments that were conducted back in the 1920’s and
89
1930’s, and after all the documentation and results that have survived through today what do
we know about the Hawthorne Studies and their lasting legacy. The amount of time that the
Hawthorne Effect can actually stay with an individual and thus a company really depends. It
depends on that individual. Some people will carry it around with them for years after being
watched and monitored. They will carry that around in other areas of their lives. Other people
will drop the façade the second they leave their work area. Researchers have found that it can
be as short as ten minutes and last as long as six months! It can be easy to overcome when
employees, or those who are participating in an experiment, feel most at ease and comfortable.
If an employer can explain why this experiment is happening and make them understand why
they were selected for this experiment that will make it even easier. Helping them to feel like
part of the solution to a bigger problem always helps as well. Another way for people to not
have residual effects of the Hawthorne Studies is to not tell them they are in one to begin with!
This allows workers to go on about their daily business as if nothing is unusual and you can
conduct your experiments in secrecy. In this instance no one will have any lasting effects
(Weatherburn,
2022).
Hawthorne Studies, its five parts, and the Organizational Structure
The Hawthorne Experiments can be divided into five parts. These five parts affect how an
organization is structured and how an organization runs effectively. The first experiment is he
Experiment on Illumination. These were undertaken to find out if lighting in the workplace
affected employee productivity. It was thought that if there was higher lighting transmitted in
the warehouse then the productivity of workers would increase, therefore production would
90
increase. To conduct this study, two groups of people were selected. One group was exposed to
a variety of light sources and illumination. The second group (control group) were subjected to
the same amount of light the entire time. When all was said and done, it was determine that
neither group was impacted by the light. Productivity remained the same. It was determined
that something else was at play with the productivity of these workers. Since no one was sure
what that was, a second experiment took place.
The next experience was a study focused on Relay Assembly Experiment. This part of the
experiment focused on productivity and what effect fatigue had on workers after working so
many hours and taking rest periods. The job of relay assembly was chosen because it’s a fairly
easy task to do. Very repetitive, does not need machines, and the results can be easily
measured. In this experiment only women were involved. The study group contained all women
who had been at this line of work for quite some time and they average output was 500 gadgets
a day. At each stage of the experiment another change was introduced. For example, in stage
two the girls were paid according to their output. Productivity increased by 30%. This is a great
example of the Hawthorne Studies changing the organizational structure and output of a
company. During this second stage of the experiment, when the women knew they were going
to be paid more money for their work they increased their load which brought in more money
for the company and increased their productivity making them more profitable to the company
as well. Less turnover for underperforming employees and employees with greater morale.
The next stage of these experiment is the Mass Interviewing Program. This studies the human
relations and attitudes. This stage was designed to gain all the needed information through
interviewing over fifteen hundred employees to gage their attitudes about working conditions,
91
management, satisfaction and more. With this information they were able to design the next
experiment in the Hawthorne Studies.
The Bank Wiring Observation Room was the fourth step in these studies. This was done in an
effort to study how money can impact the productivity of workers. In the end, it was shown it
had very little impact at all. The workers in the Bank Wiring Observation Room were specifically
selected for this experiment. Each worker was given a specific task, but they were also asked to
collaborate with the group when needed. An observer as well as an interview were also
involved in this stage. What was discovered was a new organizational structure was forming.
The informal group and leadership were developing within this interest group. The leaders had
become so close with those workers that they had total faith in them, and the workers firmly
believed that the leader would protect them and their interests at all costs. The workers fully
supports the leaders, and the leaders found it hard to assert themselves over the workers even
if they disobeyed the rules. Such strong group formations have a huge impact on organizational
design and structure. Leaders are becoming resistant to change and afraid to exert their power
over their employees and employees see this as a way to overrun managers. This can lead to an
organization that is not run from the top-down or a place where leaders are in charge. The
last experiment phase is Personal Counseling. This stage was included because the earlier
studies did not provider a lot of good information regarding promoting employees. The purpose
of this experiment was to diagnose employee problems. An impartial agency was created and
they interviews both management and employees. Each department received a personnel
counselor and they could openly and freely communicate with them. This proved to be quite
92
successful and as a result there was a quite an improvement in supervisor and employee
relations.
As a result of all of these testing and studies the outcomes were clear. Co-workers are quite
social during their shifts and have high motivation when collaborating with one another and
work as a team. Physical conditions are not the driving force as compared to sense of belonging,
security and recognition while at work. The attitudes of workers are determined by social
factors and demands based on the environment they are in. And lastly, the formation of
informal groups greatly influence the morale they have while working (2014).
93
Conclusion / Recommendations
The Hawthorne Studies were based on the fact that employees who are observed will work
harder, produce better products and even become better employees. When the employees felt
they are receiving positive attention from their supervisors they feel proud and morale rises
within them. The most important impact that these studies revealed was that people mattered
and they should be part of the planning process for organizations and not an afterthought.
Mangers began to listen to their employees and consider their ideas and this started the human
relations school of management. There are many people who still disagree with Mayo’s
experiment and its findings. It really is no doubt that the Hawthorn Studies did lay the
foundation for a better understanding of human relations in the workplace. Managers now
know how to be more effective leaders, how to respect their employees, and how to listen to
advice. The employees also are not afraid to ask questions and offer advice. The creation of
informal groups is also a result of these studies and they had a significant impact on the
organizational structure of businesses. The leadership style and structure was also changed due
to the Hawthorne Studies. Leaders are not so autocratic. Leaders do not necessary hold all the
power and rule with an iron fist anymore. In the past, leaders are the ones who make all the
decisions and separated themselves from their employees. When these studies were published,
it was determined that the new leadership style should be more of a servant leadership. More
leaders should serve from the heart. They should address the needs of their employees and
encourage growth. Management should want their employees to feel good coming to work, and
they even show compassion at time. This paper has shown that the Hawthorne Studies did
indeed, change the organizational structure of countless companies by showing that using the
94
human touch and not just focusing on machines and robots is what makes a worker and a
company successful and profitable (Verasai,
2022).
Recommendations
There are many recommendations that can be introduced from this paper. We know that the
original experiment was intended to see if lighting, rest breaks and other environmental factors
could be used to increase productivity, and we also know that these factors are not what
motivated workers. Instead, social factors are what motivated employees to work harder and
perform better. My recommendations would be for the current and future management of
companies to continue to treat their employees with respect and show compassion. Employees
work better and will produce more product and money for the company if they know they are
making a diffidence and are truly valued. I do not believe that employees need to be watched
on their shifts; that is micromanagement and not healthy in the workplace, but I do recommend
a stop now and them by the manager to check in on the employee to see how things are going
and if the employee has any complaints and concerns. The manager being well aware of what is
happing in their business and with employees is key to a successful businesses. If the
Hawthorne Studies and the Hawthorne Effect has taught us anything it is that employees want
to be accepted and feel like they are part of a team and they enjoy collaboration with one
another. My recommendation is for the environment of an organization to be free of the
autocratic rule, and more of an employee involved decision making. However, I do not believe
that the management should roll over and give the power to the employees and have them
making all the important decisions. There still needs to be a top-down management system that
95
will ensure the company is making the best operational and financial decisions. The bottom line
is to keep employees motivated, happy and satisfied and the best way to do this is to offer an
environment where they feel important. In today’s society we are more social in the workplace
than ever before and if we follow recommendations like these – putting the right people on the
right teams, asking for feedback – companies have a great chance at becoming successful. The
Hawthorne effect refers to the behavioral changes of participants in studies conducted by Elton
Mayo based on the effect that participants know their every move at work is being watched and
observed. This led to the Hawthorne experiments that strongly linked social factors to
workgroup norms. This effect was discovered during the Hawthorne experiments that were
conducted back in the 1920’s and 1930’s. The thought at this time was that worker productivity
was a result of environmental issues like lighting, work breaks, and rest periods, but these
experiments would show that this is not the case. What the Hawthorne Effect really showed
was that what really mattered was that a boost in productivity was the result of the interaction
between employees and their superiors. The more care the superiors showed the employees
the better they performed. However, this is not to say that when employees are being watched
in their daily activities that they also do not perform more efficiently. So how does all of this
effect the organization and its structure and design? Well, the Hawthorne Effect created a
comfortable workplace for its employees meaning adding a comfortable and inviting place for
employees to work each day improves employee engagement and keeps them happy in their
employment. They will work to the best of their abilities and continue to bring financial success
to the company. This also means the organization will continue to profit and be successful in
running its operations. It is important to note that the atmosphere and the business issues
96
that employees were confronted with were not the same as what we are faced with today. In
today’s world we have a more social system, and management now realizes that employee
behavior has something to do with their productivity. Also, as a result of the Hawthorne Effect
today’s employees are far more sophisticated than they were when these studies were first
conducted. We can also see that human performance in the workplace is a result of both social
and environmental factors, and business leaders have begun to refocus on the needs of its
employees as wells as their attitudes and behaviors. As a result of all of this the organizational
structure and design has significantly changed in the modern world. The Hawthorne Effect has
changes the way leaders lead and make decisions in the modern world. This effect has been
described as refocusing the entire business strategy by changing all aspects of human behavior
in the organization and its structure. The bottom line to the company is that a happy employee
is likely to be a productive employee. Positive employees bring in more money and business for
the company so they remain successful. The Hawthorne Effect taught business owners that no
amount of lighting or break during the day were going to make an employees work harder or
make them love their job any more. It was the personal touch that mattered to each employee,
and by responding to that, each employee would give more of themselves to their daily job.
(Bernard, 2021).
Finally, the Hawthorne effect can still be seen in areas of our life today. Think about children in
a daycare. Do they act differently when they are being watched? Sure they do. Kids try to get
away with everything when no one is watching, but the second they know your eyes are on
them they are the perfect kid! And, if you constantly praise a child for doing their very best they
will always be more productive and want to do more for you. This is exactly what the
97
Hawthorne Effect tells us with happen. One more example of the Hawthorne Effect is briefly
mentioned above. A study was conducted in a hospital among medical staff and the frequency
of their hand washing habits. It was determined that when these medical doctors were being
observed they washed their hands 55% more often than when they were not being observed!
That is amazing.
Even doctors fall it to the Hawthorne Study results.
Hawthorne Studies and Motivation and Satisfaction
Job satisfaction is a widely studies concept when it comes to organizational behavior and
organizational structure and design. It is a key to job attitude and is linked to productivity and,
turnover, and absenteeism in the workplace. Many schools of thought say that the Hawthorne
Studies were the very first studies that considered job motivation and satisfaction. The core idea
is that the human element is the most valuable resource in any business. Without humans to
do the business you have nothing. Machines can only do so much. The Hawthorne Studies
showed that job satisfaction increased when workers were given more freedom and were left to
determine the conditions of their working environment. They also have more satisfaction when
they were able to set their own workplace standards of output. Also, after the studies were
conducted it was determined that job satisfaction was a result of feelings of worth and not
based on working conditions or the environment. This was huge when it came to how
organizations began to operate. They could adjust the lighting, make break rooms bigger, etc.
but mostly what workers wanted was to be appreciated and called out for the work they were
doing (Remijus et al, 2019).
98
When the Hawthorne Studies were conducted Mayo and his colleagues conducted additional
experiments on elements such as length of the workday, break times and incentive plans. The
results of these additional experiments showed changes in performance were tied to
psychological and social aspects of people’s behavior. The workers did not perform any better
because of the incentive plans they were given, or the shorter workdays they had. What did
happen though was surprising for the time. It seems that the people who participated in the
studies had developed a sense of pride in themselves and in their work. That pride led to
increased motivation. This led to the discovery that employees will perform better when they
are singled out and given some special attention. The benefit of these studies proved that if you
take care of the employee and provide for their social needs it will improve their motivation,
and this often does not require financial incentives. This is huge for the business structure and
design. There is no need adjust for financial resources or change the overall function of how the
company operates.
What came out of these studies is that management should always promote motivation and
encourage the works to work together as a team and form a bond. Managers should also create
an environment that is safe and open. By providing social motivation, physiological motivation,
and educational motivation management is creating an organizational structure where
everyone feels like they are important and this creates more motivation and a desire for
workers to increase productivity and develop a sense of pride (Feldman, 2023).
Hawthorne Studies and the Negatives
Throughout this review there has been positive aspects about the studies and how these
studies have changes the structure of a company for the good showing that productivity
99
increased and employee morale rose as a result of the Hawthorne Studies. However, there are
many criticisms and downfalls that have come out of these Studies. For example, in Busse’s
article criticizing the studies, he indicates that no matter what setting the lights were set at in
the warehouse where the experiment was conducted, productivity increased. He also accused
Elton of manipulating his own data by varying the times and lengths of the work breaks which
all resulted in an increase in worker output. Busse’s says as a result of this Elton and his studies
were not valid and the results cannot be accurately measured (Busse & Warner, 2017).
It should be noted that most of the people who disagree with Mayo’s findings and his research
are sociologists. They viewed changes during these years (1920’s – 1930’s) from a more
sociology view rather than an organizational view. This is probably why they were so critical of
Mayo at the time. Evidence suggests that some of the criticisms came from ideological
differences at the time and Elton himself. Daniel Bell was Mayo’s biggest enemy and criticized
him hard. He used the term “cow sociology” when referring to Mayo and his studies. Bell finds
fault with the studies because he believed that the workers in the study were manipulated to
increase production. Another criticisms was that Mayo was ignorant of the role of theory in
social research and relied on observations instead. This led to unclear findings that could not be
proved. Bell continued to believe that these studies crushed creativity among workers, and did
not allow for new or improved organizational processes. And finally, Bell believed that the
Hawthorne Studies too easily adopted management excuses for allowing the current state of
affairs to continue as is now allowing the organizational structure to continue and grow
(Muldoon, 2017).
100
Still, there are others that who do not agree with the Hawthorne Studies and its findings. Even
Mayo himself once said that the improvements in the performances upgraded because those
that participated in the experiments believed that the changes would improve their
performance and productivity, and as some the variables that were used in the experiment
many not have had the direct influence over the employee’s productivity. Others have called his
experiences nothing but “Capital Bias.” They have called it this because it was designed in a way
that only benefits the owners or supervisors of the company where these experiments took
place. There is no benefit for the employee who participated in the experiments (Muldoon,
2017).
Overall, the view of many people is that these experiments were poorly designed and failed
to generate important variables into account and only benefited a few people.
Hawthorn Studies and Productivity
The basic theory of the Hawthorne effect is that individuals will improve or change their
behavior in response to the awareness that they are being observed. When a worker is being
watched they are much more likely to act and display attributes they think they should in front
of management. The more attention that is put in a worker the more production output they
give and the higher level of effort they provide. In one of the studies, engineers wanted to see
how the effects of lighting levels had on employee performance. The results determined that no
matter how little light the employees were exposed to employee performance increased. As
long as the employees were still being watched their productivity remained high. However,
once the experiment was canceled and there was no longer any employees being observed
101
during their shift, productivity declined to its original levels. No other stimuli affected the
employee productivity. How does this affect business structure and organization? For one, there
is comfort in the workplace. Adding comfort in the workplace is a great way to improve
employee engagement. Ensuring employers are comfortable and content will allow the
employees to work to the best of their abilities and help with facility design, break areas,
furnishings, etc. It helps to improve the whole structure of the company. When there is an
increase in productivity there is an increase in production, sales, and even team building among
its workers. This leads to great success for the company.
Out of productivity comes team building. Team building is huge when it comes to employee
happiness and productivity. During these Hawthorne Studies, team building was a result. The
study found that when employees found these comfort zones in the workplace they were able
to find friends and develop friendships. This lead to team building. Team building requires
having a carefully planned and thought our orientation process and a clear cut team charter.
This helps change and mold the company structure by reaching out to each employee and
letting them know, you as management, want to better understand their challenges in the
workplace and how things can be improved. The simple fact that you have reached out to them
offering support can boost productivity (2022).
Hawthorn Studies and Informal Groups
When organizations use the Hawthorn Studies their whole organizational design and
structure will change. An example of this is the creation of informal groups within the company.
These newly formed groups have their own social structure with leaders, goals, and bonds are
developed. Some of these groups are developed to protect them from management and they
102
have as much to do with how the organization runs as does the actual structure of the
organization itself. As a result of the Hawthorne studies, it was discovered that there is a group
lifestyle among workers, and this work group affects productivity in the workplace. The
Hawthorne Studies showed that the workplace is a social system and is made up of
independent parts that work together. Another finding was the relations that that are
developed between managers and their employees will likely influence how the employees will
carry out and handled directives they are given. What all this means is that informal groups
created lead directly to the stability of the organization’s structure and consistency (Pera et al.,
2023).
Hawthorne Studies and Supervisory Structure
Another key element in Hawthorn Studies that affects the organizational structure is the
supervisory structure. Leadership became more enlightened and had a new understanding for
their employees as a result of these studies. The structure of the organization became more
harmonious and flowed more smoothly. The attitude of the employees changes remarkably.
There was more open communicate between the employees and management, and a caring
approach was adopted. Employees were no longer seen as just “workers” and products were
made faster, with better quality, and overall morale was increased. (Pennek). Furthermore, the
conclusions that resulted from these studies also stressed the importance of a clear and concise
management style as a major factor to productivity in the workplace as well as a more
humanistic approach as a way to satisfy the organization’s economic needs and the humanistic
social skills (Miller, 2022).
103
Hawthorne Studies and Performance
What makes workers perform better? Is it social or financial incentives? If we are to look at
the Hawthorne Studies they will tell us it is social incentives. Things began to change after World
War II and the management within organizations realized that money alone was not the driving
factor for employee productivity. This meant that management would need to change the
whole dynamic and structure of their companies. To do this they focused on Elton Mayo and the
results of his studies. What these studies determined was that social and psychological factors
must be considered when it comes to productivity and performance of the employees. No
longer could employees be considered as part of the machine they worked on, but now their
performance needed to be considered as a part of them and how they created value to the
company. When doing this the entire landscape of the organization was changed and the
structure became more secure, there was higher morale and more financial security. All of this
was due to the Hawthorne Studies, and how they related to the increase performance of the
employees who were treated as more than just an extension to the machines they worked on
(Abuladze & Skorková, 2021).
What the studies also told us were that the social factors mattered most. The increase in
observation lead to the increase in performance. There does not have to be an intervention for
the performance of a worker to change. There is a sense of accountability and responsibility
that makes the employee want to perform better.
The Hawthorne Studies and their Lasting Effects
What do the Hawthorne Studies teach us about companies, their workers, and the lasting
legacy they leave behind? After all the experiments that were conducted back in the 1920’s and
104
1930’s, and after all the documentation and results that have survived through today what do
we know about the Hawthorne Studies and their lasting legacy. The amount of time that the
Hawthorne Effect can actually stay with an individual and thus a company really depends. It
depends on that individual. Some people will carry it around with them for years after being
watched and monitored. They will carry that around in other areas of their lives. Other people
will drop the façade the second they leave their work area. Researchers have found that it can
be as short as ten minutes and last as long as six months! It can be easy to overcome when
employees, or those who are participating in an experiment, feel most at ease and comfortable.
If an employer can explain why this experiment is happening and make them understand why
they were selected for this experiment that will make it even easier. Helping them to feel like
part of the solution to a bigger problem always helps as well. Another way for people to not
have residual effects of the Hawthorne Studies is to not tell them they are in one to begin with!
This allows workers to go on about their daily business as if nothing is unusual and you can
conduct your experiments in secrecy. In this instance no one will have any lasting effects
(Weatherburn,
2022).
Hawthorne Studies, its five parts, and the Organizational Structure
The Hawthorne Experiments can be divided into five parts. These five parts affect how an
organization is structured and how an organization runs effectively. The first experiment is he
Experiment on Illumination. These were undertaken to find out if lighting in the workplace
affected employee productivity. It was thought that if there was higher lighting transmitted in
the warehouse then the productivity of workers would increase, therefore production would
105
increase. To conduct this study, two groups of people were selected. One group was exposed to
a variety of light sources and illumination. The second group (control group) were subjected to
the same amount of light the entire time. When all was said and done, it was determine that
neither group was impacted by the light. Productivity remained the same. It was determined
that something else was at play with the productivity of these workers. Since no one was sure
what that was, a second experiment took place.
The next experience was a study focused on Relay Assembly Experiment. This part of the
experiment focused on productivity and what effect fatigue had on workers after working so
many hours and taking rest periods. The job of relay assembly was chosen because it’s a fairly
easy task to do. Very repetitive, does not need machines, and the results can be easily
measured. In this experiment only women were involved. The study group contained all women
who had been at this line of work for quite some time and they average output was 500 gadgets
a day. At each stage of the experiment another change was introduced. For example, in stage
two the girls were paid according to their output. Productivity increased by 30%. This is a great
example of the Hawthorne Studies changing the organizational structure and output of a
company. During this second stage of the experiment, when the women knew they were going
to be paid more money for their work they increased their load which brought in more money
for the company and increased their productivity making them more profitable to the company
as well. Less turnover for underperforming employees and employees with greater morale.
The next stage of these experiment is the Mass Interviewing Program. This studies the human
relations and attitudes. This stage was designed to gain all the needed information through
interviewing over fifteen hundred employees to gage their attitudes about working conditions,
106
management, satisfaction and more. With this information they were able to design the next
experiment in the Hawthorne Studies.
The Bank Wiring Observation Room was the fourth step in these studies. This was done in an
effort to study how money can impact the productivity of workers. In the end, it was shown it
had very little impact at all. The workers in the Bank Wiring Observation Room were specifically
selected for this experiment. Each worker was given a specific task, but they were also asked to
collaborate with the group when needed. An observer as well as an interview were also
involved in this stage. What was discovered was a new organizational structure was forming.
The informal group and leadership were developing within this interest group. The leaders had
become so close with those workers that they had total faith in them, and the workers firmly
believed that the leader would protect them and their interests at all costs. The workers fully
supports the leaders, and the leaders found it hard to assert themselves over the workers even
if they disobeyed the rules. Such strong group formations have a huge impact on organizational
design and structure. Leaders are becoming resistant to change and afraid to exert their power
over their employees and employees see this as a way to overrun managers. This can lead to an
organization that is not run from the top-down or a place where leaders are in charge. The
last experiment phase is Personal Counseling. This stage was included because the earlier
studies did not provider a lot of good information regarding promoting employees. The purpose
of this experiment was to diagnose employee problems. An impartial agency was created and
they interviews both management and employees. Each department received a personnel
counselor and they could openly and freely communicate with them. This proved to be quite
107
successful and as a result there was a quite an improvement in supervisor and employee
relations.
As a result of all of these testing and studies the outcomes were clear. Co-workers are quite
social during their shifts and have high motivation when collaborating with one another and
work as a team. Physical conditions are not the driving force as compared to sense of belonging,
security and recognition while at work. The attitudes of workers are determined by social
factors and demands based on the environment they are in. And lastly, the formation of
informal groups greatly influence the morale they have while working (2014).
108
Conclusion / Recommendations
The Hawthorne Studies were based on the fact that employees who are observed will work
harder, produce better products and even become better employees. When the employees felt
they are receiving positive attention from their supervisors they feel proud and morale rises
within them. The most important impact that these studies revealed was that people mattered
and they should be part of the planning process for organizations and not an afterthought.
Mangers began to listen to their employees and consider their ideas and this started the human
relations school of management. There are many people who still disagree with Mayo’s
experiment and its findings. It really is no doubt that the Hawthorn Studies did lay the
foundation for a better understanding of human relations in the workplace. Managers now
know how to be more effective leaders, how to respect their employees, and how to listen to
advice. The employees also are not afraid to ask questions and offer advice. The creation of
informal groups is also a result of these studies and they had a significant impact on the
organizational structure of businesses. The leadership style and structure was also changed due
to the Hawthorne Studies. Leaders are not so autocratic. Leaders do not necessary hold all the
power and rule with an iron fist anymore. In the past, leaders are the ones who make all the
decisions and separated themselves from their employees. When these studies were published,
it was determined that the new leadership style should be more of a servant leadership. More
leaders should serve from the heart. They should address the needs of their employees and
encourage growth. Management should want their employees to feel good coming to work, and
they even show compassion at time. This paper has shown that the Hawthorne Studies did
indeed, change the organizational structure of countless companies by showing that using the
109
human touch and not just focusing on machines and robots is what makes a worker and a
company successful and profitable (Verasai,
2022).
Recommendations
There are many recommendations that can be introduced from this paper. We know that the
original experiment was intended to see if lighting, rest breaks and other environmental factors
could be used to increase productivity, and we also know that these factors are not what
motivated workers. Instead, social factors are what motivated employees to work harder and
perform better. My recommendations would be for the current and future management of
companies to continue to treat their employees with respect and show compassion. Employees
work better and will produce more product and money for the company if they know they are
making a diffidence and are truly valued. I do not believe that employees need to be watched
on their shifts; that is micromanagement and not healthy in the workplace, but I do recommend
a stop now and them by the manager to check in on the employee to see how things are going
and if the employee has any complaints and concerns. The manager being well aware of what is
happing in their business and with employees is key to a successful businesses. If the
Hawthorne Studies and the Hawthorne Effect has taught us anything it is that employees want
to be accepted and feel like they are part of a team and they enjoy collaboration with one
another. My recommendation is for the environment of an organization to be free of the
autocratic rule, and more of an employee involved decision making. However, I do not believe
that the management should roll over and give the power to the employees and have them
making all the important decisions. There still needs to be a top-down management system that
110
will ensure the company is making the best operational and financial decisions. The bottom line
is to keep employees motivated, happy and satisfied and the best way to do this is to offer an
environment where they feel important. In today’s society we are more social in the workplace
than ever before and if we follow recommendations like these – putting the right people on the
right teams, asking for feedback – companies have a great chance at becoming successful. The
Hawthorne effect refers to the behavioral changes of participants in studies conducted by Elton
Mayo based on the effect that participants know their every move at work is being watched and
observed. This led to the Hawthorne experiments that strongly linked social factors to
workgroup norms. This effect was discovered during the Hawthorne experiments that were
conducted back in the 1920’s and 1930’s. The thought at this time was that worker productivity
was a result of environmental issues like lighting, work breaks, and rest periods, but these
experiments would show that this is not the case. What the Hawthorne Effect really showed
was that what really mattered was that a boost in productivity was the result of the interaction
between employees and their superiors. The more care the superiors showed the employees
the better they performed. However, this is not to say that when employees are being watched
in their daily activities that they also do not perform more efficiently. So how does all of this
effect the organization and its structure and design? Well, the Hawthorne Effect created a
comfortable workplace for its employees meaning adding a comfortable and inviting place for
employees to work each day improves employee engagement and keeps them happy in their
employment. They will work to the best of their abilities and continue to bring financial success
to the company. This also means the organization will continue to profit and be successful in
running its operations. It is important to note that the atmosphere and the business issues
111
that employees were confronted with were not the same as what we are faced with today. In
today’s world we have a more social system, and management now realizes that employee
behavior has something to do with their productivity. Also, as a result of the Hawthorne Effect
today’s employees are far more sophisticated than they were when these studies were first
conducted. We can also see that human performance in the workplace is a result of both social
and environmental factors, and business leaders have begun to refocus on the needs of its
employees as wells as their attitudes and behaviors. As a result of all of this the organizational
structure and design has significantly changed in the modern world. The Hawthorne Effect has
changes the way leaders lead and make decisions in the modern world. This effect has been
described as refocusing the entire business strategy by changing all aspects of human behavior
in the organization and its structure. The bottom line to the company is that a happy employee
is likely to be a productive employee. Positive employees bring in more money and business for
the company so they remain successful. The Hawthorne Effect taught business owners that no
amount of lighting or break during the day were going to make an employees work harder or
make them love their job any more. It was the personal touch that mattered to each employee,
and by responding to that, each employee would give more of themselves to their daily job.
(Bernard, 2021).
Finally, the Hawthorne effect can still be seen in areas of our life today. Think about children in
a daycare. Do they act differently when they are being watched? Sure they do. Kids try to get
away with everything when no one is watching, but the second they know your eyes are on
them they are the perfect kid! And, if you constantly praise a child for doing their very best they
will always be more productive and want to do more for you. This is exactly what the
112
Hawthorne Effect tells us with happen. One more example of the Hawthorne Effect is briefly
mentioned above. A study was conducted in a hospital among medical staff and the frequency
of their hand washing habits. It was determined that when these medical doctors were being
observed they washed their hands 55% more often than when they were not being observed!
That is amazing.
Even doctors fall it to the Hawthorne Study results.
Hawthorne Studies and Motivation and Satisfaction
Job satisfaction is a widely studies concept when it comes to organizational behavior and
organizational structure and design. It is a key to job attitude and is linked to productivity and,
turnover, and absenteeism in the workplace. Many schools of thought say that the Hawthorne
Studies were the very first studies that considered job motivation and satisfaction. The core idea
is that the human element is the most valuable resource in any business. Without humans to
do the business you have nothing. Machines can only do so much. The Hawthorne Studies
showed that job satisfaction increased when workers were given more freedom and were left to
determine the conditions of their working environment. They also have more satisfaction when
they were able to set their own workplace standards of output. Also, after the studies were
conducted it was determined that job satisfaction was a result of feelings of worth and not
based on working conditions or the environment. This was huge when it came to how
organizations began to operate. They could adjust the lighting, make break rooms bigger, etc.
but mostly what workers wanted was to be appreciated and called out for the work they were
doing (Remijus et al, 2019).
113
When the Hawthorne Studies were conducted Mayo and his colleagues conducted additional
experiments on elements such as length of the workday, break times and incentive plans. The
results of these additional experiments showed changes in performance were tied to
psychological and social aspects of people’s behavior. The workers did not perform any better
because of the incentive plans they were given, or the shorter workdays they had. What did
happen though was surprising for the time. It seems that the people who participated in the
studies had developed a sense of pride in themselves and in their work. That pride led to
increased motivation. This led to the discovery that employees will perform better when they
are singled out and given some special attention. The benefit of these studies proved that if you
take care of the employee and provide for their social needs it will improve their motivation,
and this often does not require financial incentives. This is huge for the business structure and
design. There is no need adjust for financial resources or change the overall function of how the
company operates.
What came out of these studies is that management should always promote motivation and
encourage the works to work together as a team and form a bond. Managers should also create
an environment that is safe and open. By providing social motivation, physiological motivation,
and educational motivation management is creating an organizational structure where
everyone feels like they are important and this creates more motivation and a desire for
workers to increase productivity and develop a sense of pride (Feldman, 2023).
Hawthorne Studies and the Negatives
Throughout this review there has been positive aspects about the studies and how these
studies have changes the structure of a company for the good showing that productivity
114
increased and employee morale rose as a result of the Hawthorne Studies. However, there are
many criticisms and downfalls that have come out of these Studies. For example, in Busse’s
article criticizing the studies, he indicates that no matter what setting the lights were set at in
the warehouse where the experiment was conducted, productivity increased. He also accused
Elton of manipulating his own data by varying the times and lengths of the work breaks which
all resulted in an increase in worker output. Busse’s says as a result of this Elton and his studies
were not valid and the results cannot be accurately measured (Busse & Warner, 2017).
It should be noted that most of the people who disagree with Mayo’s findings and his research
are sociologists. They viewed changes during these years (1920’s – 1930’s) from a more
sociology view rather than an organizational view. This is probably why they were so critical of
Mayo at the time. Evidence suggests that some of the criticisms came from ideological
differences at the time and Elton himself. Daniel Bell was Mayo’s biggest enemy and criticized
him hard. He used the term “cow sociology” when referring to Mayo and his studies. Bell finds
fault with the studies because he believed that the workers in the study were manipulated to
increase production. Another criticisms was that Mayo was ignorant of the role of theory in
social research and relied on observations instead. This led to unclear findings that could not be
proved. Bell continued to believe that these studies crushed creativity among workers, and did
not allow for new or improved organizational processes. And finally, Bell believed that the
Hawthorne Studies too easily adopted management excuses for allowing the current state of
affairs to continue as is now allowing the organizational structure to continue and grow
(Muldoon, 2017).
115
Still, there are others that who do not agree with the Hawthorne Studies and its findings. Even
Mayo himself once said that the improvements in the performances upgraded because those
that participated in the experiments believed that the changes would improve their
performance and productivity, and as some the variables that were used in the experiment
many not have had the direct influence over the employee’s productivity. Others have called his
experiences nothing but “Capital Bias.” They have called it this because it was designed in a way
that only benefits the owners or supervisors of the company where these experiments took
place. There is no benefit for the employee who participated in the experiments (Muldoon,
2017).
Overall, the view of many people is that these experiments were poorly designed and failed
to generate important variables into account and only benefited a few people.
Hawthorn Studies and Productivity
The basic theory of the Hawthorne effect is that individuals will improve or change their
behavior in response to the awareness that they are being observed. When a worker is being
watched they are much more likely to act and display attributes they think they should in front
of management. The more attention that is put in a worker the more production output they
give and the higher level of effort they provide. In one of the studies, engineers wanted to see
how the effects of lighting levels had on employee performance. The results determined that no
matter how little light the employees were exposed to employee performance increased. As
long as the employees were still being watched their productivity remained high. However,
once the experiment was canceled and there was no longer any employees being observed
116
during their shift, productivity declined to its original levels. No other stimuli affected the
employee productivity. How does this affect business structure and organization? For one, there
is comfort in the workplace. Adding comfort in the workplace is a great way to improve
employee engagement. Ensuring employers are comfortable and content will allow the
employees to work to the best of their abilities and help with facility design, break areas,
furnishings, etc. It helps to improve the whole structure of the company. When there is an
increase in productivity there is an increase in production, sales, and even team building among
its workers. This leads to great success for the company.
Out of productivity comes team building. Team building is huge when it comes to employee
happiness and productivity. During these Hawthorne Studies, team building was a result. The
study found that when employees found these comfort zones in the workplace they were able
to find friends and develop friendships. This lead to team building. Team building requires
having a carefully planned and thought our orientation process and a clear cut team charter.
This helps change and mold the company structure by reaching out to each employee and
letting them know, you as management, want to better understand their challenges in the
workplace and how things can be improved. The simple fact that you have reached out to them
offering support can boost productivity (2022).
Hawthorn Studies and Informal Groups
When organizations use the Hawthorn Studies their whole organizational design and
structure will change. An example of this is the creation of informal groups within the company.
These newly formed groups have their own social structure with leaders, goals, and bonds are
developed. Some of these groups are developed to protect them from management and they
117
have as much to do with how the organization runs as does the actual structure of the
organization itself. As a result of the Hawthorne studies, it was discovered that there is a group
lifestyle among workers, and this work group affects productivity in the workplace. The
Hawthorne Studies showed that the workplace is a social system and is made up of
independent parts that work together. Another finding was the relations that that are
developed between managers and their employees will likely influence how the employees will
carry out and handled directives they are given. What all this means is that informal groups
created lead directly to the stability of the organization’s structure and consistency (Pera et al.,
2023).
Hawthorne Studies and Supervisory Structure
Another key element in Hawthorn Studies that affects the organizational structure is the
supervisory structure. Leadership became more enlightened and had a new understanding for
their employees as a result of these studies. The structure of the organization became more
harmonious and flowed more smoothly. The attitude of the employees changes remarkably.
There was more open communicate between the employees and management, and a caring
approach was adopted. Employees were no longer seen as just “workers” and products were
made faster, with better quality, and overall morale was increased. (Pennek). Furthermore, the
conclusions that resulted from these studies also stressed the importance of a clear and concise
management style as a major factor to productivity in the workplace as well as a more
humanistic approach as a way to satisfy the organization’s economic needs and the humanistic
social skills (Miller, 2022).
118
Hawthorne Studies and Performance
What makes workers perform better? Is it social or financial incentives? If we are to look at
the Hawthorne Studies they will tell us it is social incentives. Things began to change after World
War II and the management within organizations realized that money alone was not the driving
factor for employee productivity. This meant that management would need to change the
whole dynamic and structure of their companies. To do this they focused on Elton Mayo and the
results of his studies. What these studies determined was that social and psychological factors
must be considered when it comes to productivity and performance of the employees. No
longer could employees be considered as part of the machine they worked on, but now their
performance needed to be considered as a part of them and how they created value to the
company. When doing this the entire landscape of the organization was changed and the
structure became more secure, there was higher morale and more financial security. All of this
was due to the Hawthorne Studies, and how they related to the increase performance of the
employees who were treated as more than just an extension to the machines they worked on
(Abuladze & Skorková, 2021).
What the studies also told us were that the social factors mattered most. The increase in
observation lead to the increase in performance. There does not have to be an intervention for
the performance of a worker to change. There is a sense of accountability and responsibility
that makes the employee want to perform better.
The Hawthorne Studies and their Lasting Effects
What do the Hawthorne Studies teach us about companies, their workers, and the lasting
legacy they leave behind? After all the experiments that were conducted back in the 1920’s and
119
1930’s, and after all the documentation and results that have survived through today what do
we know about the Hawthorne Studies and their lasting legacy. The amount of time that the
Hawthorne Effect can actually stay with an individual and thus a company really depends. It
depends on that individual. Some people will carry it around with them for years after being
watched and monitored. They will carry that around in other areas of their lives. Other people
will drop the façade the second they leave their work area. Researchers have found that it can
be as short as ten minutes and last as long as six months! It can be easy to overcome when
employees, or those who are participating in an experiment, feel most at ease and comfortable.
If an employer can explain why this experiment is happening and make them understand why
they were selected for this experiment that will make it even easier. Helping them to feel like
part of the solution to a bigger problem always helps as well. Another way for people to not
have residual effects of the Hawthorne Studies is to not tell them they are in one to begin with!
This allows workers to go on about their daily business as if nothing is unusual and you can
conduct your experiments in secrecy. In this instance no one will have any lasting effects
(Weatherburn,
2022).
Hawthorne Studies, its five parts, and the Organizational Structure
The Hawthorne Experiments can be divided into five parts. These five parts affect how an
organization is structured and how an organization runs effectively. The first experiment is he
Experiment on Illumination. These were undertaken to find out if lighting in the workplace
affected employee productivity. It was thought that if there was higher lighting transmitted in
the warehouse then the productivity of workers would increase, therefore production would
120
increase. To conduct this study, two groups of people were selected. One group was exposed to
a variety of light sources and illumination. The second group (control group) were subjected to
the same amount of light the entire time. When all was said and done, it was determine that
neither group was impacted by the light. Productivity remained the same. It was determined
that something else was at play with the productivity of these workers. Since no one was sure
what that was, a second experiment took place.
The next experience was a study focused on Relay Assembly Experiment. This part of the
experiment focused on productivity and what effect fatigue had on workers after working so
many hours and taking rest periods. The job of relay assembly was chosen because it’s a fairly
easy task to do. Very repetitive, does not need machines, and the results can be easily
measured. In this experiment only women were involved. The study group contained all women
who had been at this line of work for quite some time and they average output was 500 gadgets
a day. At each stage of the experiment another change was introduced. For example, in stage
two the girls were paid according to their output. Productivity increased by 30%. This is a great
example of the Hawthorne Studies changing the organizational structure and output of a
company. During this second stage of the experiment, when the women knew they were going
to be paid more money for their work they increased their load which brought in more money
for the company and increased their productivity making them more profitable to the company
as well. Less turnover for underperforming employees and employees with greater morale.
The next stage of these experiment is the Mass Interviewing Program. This studies the human
relations and attitudes. This stage was designed to gain all the needed information through
interviewing over fifteen hundred employees to gage their attitudes about working conditions,
121
management, satisfaction and more. With this information they were able to design the next
experiment in the Hawthorne Studies.
The Bank Wiring Observation Room was the fourth step in these studies. This was done in an
effort to study how money can impact the productivity of workers. In the end, it was shown it
had very little impact at all. The workers in the Bank Wiring Observation Room were specifically
selected for this experiment. Each worker was given a specific task, but they were also asked to
collaborate with the group when needed. An observer as well as an interview were also
involved in this stage. What was discovered was a new organizational structure was forming.
The informal group and leadership were developing within this interest group. The leaders had
become so close with those workers that they had total faith in them, and the workers firmly
believed that the leader would protect them and their interests at all costs. The workers fully
supports the leaders, and the leaders found it hard to assert themselves over the workers even
if they disobeyed the rules. Such strong group formations have a huge impact on organizational
design and structure. Leaders are becoming resistant to change and afraid to exert their power
over their employees and employees see this as a way to overrun managers. This can lead to an
organization that is not run from the top-down or a place where leaders are in charge. The
last experiment phase is Personal Counseling. This stage was included because the earlier
studies did not provider a lot of good information regarding promoting employees. The purpose
of this experiment was to diagnose employee problems. An impartial agency was created and
they interviews both management and employees. Each department received a personnel
counselor and they could openly and freely communicate with them. This proved to be quite
122
successful and as a result there was a quite an improvement in supervisor and employee
relations.
As a result of all of these testing and studies the outcomes were clear. Co-workers are quite
social during their shifts and have high motivation when collaborating with one another and
work as a team. Physical conditions are not the driving force as compared to sense of belonging,
security and recognition while at work. The attitudes of workers are determined by social
factors and demands based on the environment they are in. And lastly, the formation of
informal groups greatly influence the morale they have while working (2014).
123
Conclusion / Recommendations
The Hawthorne Studies were based on the fact that employees who are observed will work
harder, produce better products and even become better employees. When the employees felt
they are receiving positive attention from their supervisors they feel proud and morale rises
within them. The most important impact that these studies revealed was that people mattered
and they should be part of the planning process for organizations and not an afterthought.
Mangers began to listen to their employees and consider their ideas and this started the human
relations school of management. There are many people who still disagree with Mayo’s
experiment and its findings. It really is no doubt that the Hawthorn Studies did lay the
foundation for a better understanding of human relations in the workplace. Managers now
know how to be more effective leaders, how to respect their employees, and how to listen to
advice. The employees also are not afraid to ask questions and offer advice. The creation of
informal groups is also a result of these studies and they had a significant impact on the
organizational structure of businesses. The leadership style and structure was also changed due
to the Hawthorne Studies. Leaders are not so autocratic. Leaders do not necessary hold all the
power and rule with an iron fist anymore. In the past, leaders are the ones who make all the
decisions and separated themselves from their employees. When these studies were published,
it was determined that the new leadership style should be more of a servant leadership. More
leaders should serve from the heart. They should address the needs of their employees and
encourage growth. Management should want their employees to feel good coming to work, and
they even show compassion at time. This paper has shown that the Hawthorne Studies did
indeed, change the organizational structure of countless companies by showing that using the
124
human touch and not just focusing on machines and robots is what makes a worker and a
company successful and profitable (Verasai,
2022).
Recommendations
There are many recommendations that can be introduced from this paper. We know that the
original experiment was intended to see if lighting, rest breaks and other environmental factors
could be used to increase productivity, and we also know that these factors are not what
motivated workers. Instead, social factors are what motivated employees to work harder and
perform better. My recommendations would be for the current and future management of
companies to continue to treat their employees with respect and show compassion. Employees
work better and will produce more product and money for the company if they know they are
making a diffidence and are truly valued. I do not believe that employees need to be watched
on their shifts; that is micromanagement and not healthy in the workplace, but I do recommend
a stop now and them by the manager to check in on the employee to see how things are going
and if the employee has any complaints and concerns. The manager being well aware of what is
happing in their business and with employees is key to a successful businesses. If the
Hawthorne Studies and the Hawthorne Effect has taught us anything it is that employees want
to be accepted and feel like they are part of a team and they enjoy collaboration with one
another. My recommendation is for the environment of an organization to be free of the
autocratic rule, and more of an employee involved decision making. However, I do not believe
that the management should roll over and give the power to the employees and have them
making all the important decisions. There still needs to be a top-down management system that
125
will ensure the company is making the best operational and financial decisions. The bottom line
is to keep employees motivated, happy and satisfied and the best way to do this is to offer an
environment where they feel important. In today’s society we are more social in the workplace
than ever before and if we follow recommendations like these – putting the right people on the
right teams, asking for feedback – companies have a great chance at becoming successful. The
Hawthorne effect refers to the behavioral changes of participants in studies conducted by Elton
Mayo based on the effect that participants know their every move at work is being watched and
observed. This led to the Hawthorne experiments that strongly linked social factors to
workgroup norms. This effect was discovered during the Hawthorne experiments that were
conducted back in the 1920’s and 1930’s. The thought at this time was that worker productivity
was a result of environmental issues like lighting, work breaks, and rest periods, but these
experiments would show that this is not the case. What the Hawthorne Effect really showed
was that what really mattered was that a boost in productivity was the result of the interaction
between employees and their superiors. The more care the superiors showed the employees
the better they performed. However, this is not to say that when employees are being watched
in their daily activities that they also do not perform more efficiently. So how does all of this
effect the organization and its structure and design? Well, the Hawthorne Effect created a
comfortable workplace for its employees meaning adding a comfortable and inviting place for
employees to work each day improves employee engagement and keeps them happy in their
employment. They will work to the best of their abilities and continue to bring financial success
to the company. This also means the organization will continue to profit and be successful in
running its operations. It is important to note that the atmosphere and the business issues
126
that employees were confronted with were not the same as what we are faced with today. In
today’s world we have a more social system, and management now realizes that employee
behavior has something to do with their productivity. Also, as a result of the Hawthorne Effect
today’s employees are far more sophisticated than they were when these studies were first
conducted. We can also see that human performance in the workplace is a result of both social
and environmental factors, and business leaders have begun to refocus on the needs of its
employees as wells as their attitudes and behaviors. As a result of all of this the organizational
structure and design has significantly changed in the modern world. The Hawthorne Effect has
changes the way leaders lead and make decisions in the modern world. This effect has been
described as refocusing the entire business strategy by changing all aspects of human behavior
in the organization and its structure. The bottom line to the company is that a happy employee
is likely to be a productive employee. Positive employees bring in more money and business for
the company so they remain successful. The Hawthorne Effect taught business owners that no
amount of lighting or break during the day were going to make an employees work harder or
make them love their job any more. It was the personal touch that mattered to each employee,
and by responding to that, each employee would give more of themselves to their daily job.
(Bernard, 2021).
Finally, the Hawthorne effect can still be seen in areas of our life today. Think about children in
a daycare. Do they act differently when they are being watched? Sure they do. Kids try to get
away with everything when no one is watching, but the second they know your eyes are on
them they are the perfect kid! And, if you constantly praise a child for doing their very best they
will always be more productive and want to do more for you. This is exactly what the
127
Hawthorne Effect tells us with happen. One more example of the Hawthorne Effect is briefly
mentioned above. A study was conducted in a hospital among medical staff and the frequency
of their hand washing habits. It was determined that when these medical doctors were being
observed they washed their hands 55% more often than when they were not being observed!
That is amazing.
Even doctors fall it to the Hawthorne Study results.
Hawthorne Studies and Motivation and Satisfaction
Job satisfaction is a widely studies concept when it comes to organizational behavior and
organizational structure and design. It is a key to job attitude and is linked to productivity and,
turnover, and absenteeism in the workplace. Many schools of thought say that the Hawthorne
Studies were the very first studies that considered job motivation and satisfaction. The core idea
is that the human element is the most valuable resource in any business. Without humans to
do the business you have nothing. Machines can only do so much. The Hawthorne Studies
showed that job satisfaction increased when workers were given more freedom and were left to
determine the conditions of their working environment. They also have more satisfaction when
they were able to set their own workplace standards of output. Also, after the studies were
conducted it was determined that job satisfaction was a result of feelings of worth and not
based on working conditions or the environment. This was huge when it came to how
organizations began to operate. They could adjust the lighting, make break rooms bigger, etc.
but mostly what workers wanted was to be appreciated and called out for the work they were
doing (Remijus et al, 2019).
128
When the Hawthorne Studies were conducted Mayo and his colleagues conducted additional
experiments on elements such as length of the workday, break times and incentive plans. The
results of these additional experiments showed changes in performance were tied to
psychological and social aspects of people’s behavior. The workers did not perform any better
because of the incentive plans they were given, or the shorter workdays they had. What did
happen though was surprising for the time. It seems that the people who participated in the
studies had developed a sense of pride in themselves and in their work. That pride led to
increased motivation. This led to the discovery that employees will perform better when they
are singled out and given some special attention. The benefit of these studies proved that if you
take care of the employee and provide for their social needs it will improve their motivation,
and this often does not require financial incentives. This is huge for the business structure and
design. There is no need adjust for financial resources or change the overall function of how the
company operates.
What came out of these studies is that management should always promote motivation and
encourage the works to work together as a team and form a bond. Managers should also create
an environment that is safe and open. By providing social motivation, physiological motivation,
and educational motivation management is creating an organizational structure where
everyone feels like they are important and this creates more motivation and a desire for
workers to increase productivity and develop a sense of pride (Feldman, 2023).
Hawthorne Studies and the Negatives
Throughout this review there has been positive aspects about the studies and how these
studies have changes the structure of a company for the good showing that productivity
129
increased and employee morale rose as a result of the Hawthorne Studies. However, there are
many criticisms and downfalls that have come out of these Studies. For example, in Busse’s
article criticizing the studies, he indicates that no matter what setting the lights were set at in
the warehouse where the experiment was conducted, productivity increased. He also accused
Elton of manipulating his own data by varying the times and lengths of the work breaks which
all resulted in an increase in worker output. Busse’s says as a result of this Elton and his studies
were not valid and the results cannot be accurately measured (Busse & Warner, 2017).
It should be noted that most of the people who disagree with Mayo’s findings and his research
are sociologists. They viewed changes during these years (1920’s – 1930’s) from a more
sociology view rather than an organizational view. This is probably why they were so critical of
Mayo at the time. Evidence suggests that some of the criticisms came from ideological
differences at the time and Elton himself. Daniel Bell was Mayo’s biggest enemy and criticized
him hard. He used the term “cow sociology” when referring to Mayo and his studies. Bell finds
fault with the studies because he believed that the workers in the study were manipulated to
increase production. Another criticisms was that Mayo was ignorant of the role of theory in
social research and relied on observations instead. This led to unclear findings that could not be
proved. Bell continued to believe that these studies crushed creativity among workers, and did
not allow for new or improved organizational processes. And finally, Bell believed that the
Hawthorne Studies too easily adopted management excuses for allowing the current state of
affairs to continue as is now allowing the organizational structure to continue and grow
(Muldoon, 2017).
130
Still, there are others that who do not agree with the Hawthorne Studies and its findings. Even
Mayo himself once said that the improvements in the performances upgraded because those
that participated in the experiments believed that the changes would improve their
performance and productivity, and as some the variables that were used in the experiment
many not have had the direct influence over the employee’s productivity. Others have called his
experiences nothing but “Capital Bias.” They have called it this because it was designed in a way
that only benefits the owners or supervisors of the company where these experiments took
place. There is no benefit for the employee who participated in the experiments (Muldoon,
2017).
Overall, the view of many people is that these experiments were poorly designed and failed
to generate important variables into account and only benefited a few people.
Hawthorn Studies and Productivity
The basic theory of the Hawthorne effect is that individuals will improve or change their
behavior in response to the awareness that they are being observed. When a worker is being
watched they are much more likely to act and display attributes they think they should in front
of management. The more attention that is put in a worker the more production output they
give and the higher level of effort they provide. In one of the studies, engineers wanted to see
how the effects of lighting levels had on employee performance. The results determined that no
matter how little light the employees were exposed to employee performance increased. As
long as the employees were still being watched their productivity remained high. However,
once the experiment was canceled and there was no longer any employees being observed
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during their shift, productivity declined to its original levels. No other stimuli affected the
employee productivity. How does this affect business structure and organization? For one, there
is comfort in the workplace. Adding comfort in the workplace is a great way to improve
employee engagement. Ensuring employers are comfortable and content will allow the
employees to work to the best of their abilities and help with facility design, break areas,
furnishings, etc. It helps to improve the whole structure of the company. When there is an
increase in productivity there is an increase in production, sales, and even team building among
its workers. This leads to great success for the company.
Out of productivity comes team building. Team building is huge when it comes to employee
happiness and productivity. During these Hawthorne Studies, team building was a result. The
study found that when employees found these comfort zones in the workplace they were able
to find friends and develop friendships. This lead to team building. Team building requires
having a carefully planned and thought our orientation process and a clear cut team charter.
This helps change and mold the company structure by reaching out to each employee and
letting them know, you as management, want to better understand their challenges in the
workplace and how things can be improved. The simple fact that you have reached out to them
offering support can boost productivity (2022).
Hawthorn Studies and Informal Groups
When organizations use the Hawthorn Studies their whole organizational design and
structure will change. An example of this is the creation of informal groups within the company.
These newly formed groups have their own social structure with leaders, goals, and bonds are
developed. Some of these groups are developed to protect them from management and they
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have as much to do with how the organization runs as does the actual structure of the
organization itself. As a result of the Hawthorne studies, it was discovered that there is a group
lifestyle among workers, and this work group affects productivity in the workplace. The
Hawthorne Studies showed that the workplace is a social system and is made up of
independent parts that work together. Another finding was the relations that that are
developed between managers and their employees will likely influence how the employees will
carry out and handled directives they are given. What all this means is that informal groups
created lead directly to the stability of the organization’s structure and consistency (Pera et al.,
2023).
Hawthorne Studies and Supervisory Structure
Another key element in Hawthorn Studies that affects the organizational structure is the
supervisory structure. Leadership became more enlightened and had a new understanding for
their employees as a result of these studies. The structure of the organization became more
harmonious and flowed more smoothly. The attitude of the employees changes remarkably.
There was more open communicate between the employees and management, and a caring
approach was adopted. Employees were no longer seen as just “workers” and products were
made faster, with better quality, and overall morale was increased. (Pennek). Furthermore, the
conclusions that resulted from these studies also stressed the importance of a clear and concise
management style as a major factor to productivity in the workplace as well as a more
humanistic approach as a way to satisfy the organization’s economic needs and the humanistic
social skills (Miller, 2022).
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Hawthorne Studies and Performance
What makes workers perform better? Is it social or financial incentives? If we are to look at
the Hawthorne Studies they will tell us it is social incentives. Things began to change after World
War II and the management within organizations realized that money alone was not the driving
factor for employee productivity. This meant that management would need to change the
whole dynamic and structure of their companies. To do this they focused on Elton Mayo and the
results of his studies. What these studies determined was that social and psychological factors
must be considered when it comes to productivity and performance of the employees. No
longer could employees be considered as part of the machine they worked on, but now their
performance needed to be considered as a part of them and how they created value to the
company. When doing this the entire landscape of the organization was changed and the
structure became more secure, there was higher morale and more financial security. All of this
was due to the Hawthorne Studies, and how they related to the increase performance of the
employees who were treated as more than just an extension to the machines they worked on
(Abuladze & Skorková, 2021).
What the studies also told us were that the social factors mattered most. The increase in
observation lead to the increase in performance. There does not have to be an intervention for
the performance of a worker to change. There is a sense of accountability and responsibility
that makes the employee want to perform better.
The Hawthorne Studies and their Lasting Effects
What do the Hawthorne Studies teach us about companies, their workers, and the lasting
legacy they leave behind? After all the experiments that were conducted back in the 1920’s and
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1930’s, and after all the documentation and results that have survived through today what do
we know about the Hawthorne Studies and their lasting legacy. The amount of time that the
Hawthorne Effect can actually stay with an individual and thus a company really depends. It
depends on that individual. Some people will carry it around with them for years after being
watched and monitored. They will carry that around in other areas of their lives. Other people
will drop the façade the second they leave their work area. Researchers have found that it can
be as short as ten minutes and last as long as six months! It can be easy to overcome when
employees, or those who are participating in an experiment, feel most at ease and comfortable.
If an employer can explain why this experiment is happening and make them understand why
they were selected for this experiment that will make it even easier. Helping them to feel like
part of the solution to a bigger problem always helps as well. Another way for people to not
have residual effects of the Hawthorne Studies is to not tell them they are in one to begin with!
This allows workers to go on about their daily business as if nothing is unusual and you can
conduct your experiments in secrecy. In this instance no one will have any lasting effects
(Weatherburn,
2022).
Hawthorne Studies, its five parts, and the Organizational Structure
The Hawthorne Experiments can be divided into five parts. These five parts affect how an
organization is structured and how an organization runs effectively. The first experiment is he
Experiment on Illumination. These were undertaken to find out if lighting in the workplace
affected employee productivity. It was thought that if there was higher lighting transmitted in
the warehouse then the productivity of workers would increase, therefore production would
135
increase. To conduct this study, two groups of people were selected. One group was exposed to
a variety of light sources and illumination. The second group (control group) were subjected to
the same amount of light the entire time. When all was said and done, it was determine that
neither group was impacted by the light. Productivity remained the same. It was determined
that something else was at play with the productivity of these workers. Since no one was sure
what that was, a second experiment took place.
The next experience was a study focused on Relay Assembly Experiment. This part of the
experiment focused on productivity and what effect fatigue had on workers after working so
many hours and taking rest periods. The job of relay assembly was chosen because it’s a fairly
easy task to do. Very repetitive, does not need machines, and the results can be easily
measured. In this experiment only women were involved. The study group contained all women
who had been at this line of work for quite some time and they average output was 500 gadgets
a day. At each stage of the experiment another change was introduced. For example, in stage
two the girls were paid according to their output. Productivity increased by 30%. This is a great
example of the Hawthorne Studies changing the organizational structure and output of a
company. During this second stage of the experiment, when the women knew they were going
to be paid more money for their work they increased their load which brought in more money
for the company and increased their productivity making them more profitable to the company
as well. Less turnover for underperforming employees and employees with greater morale.
The next stage of these experiment is the Mass Interviewing Program. This studies the human
relations and attitudes. This stage was designed to gain all the needed information through
interviewing over fifteen hundred employees to gage their attitudes about working conditions,
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management, satisfaction and more. With this information they were able to design the next
experiment in the Hawthorne Studies.
The Bank Wiring Observation Room was the fourth step in these studies. This was done in an
effort to study how money can impact the productivity of workers. In the end, it was shown it
had very little impact at all. The workers in the Bank Wiring Observation Room were specifically
selected for this experiment. Each worker was given a specific task, but they were also asked to
collaborate with the group when needed. An observer as well as an interview were also
involved in this stage. What was discovered was a new organizational structure was forming.
The informal group and leadership were developing within this interest group. The leaders had
become so close with those workers that they had total faith in them, and the workers firmly
believed that the leader would protect them and their interests at all costs. The workers fully
supports the leaders, and the leaders found it hard to assert themselves over the workers even
if they disobeyed the rules. Such strong group formations have a huge impact on organizational
design and structure. Leaders are becoming resistant to change and afraid to exert their power
over their employees and employees see this as a way to overrun managers. This can lead to an
organization that is not run from the top-down or a place where leaders are in charge. The
last experiment phase is Personal Counseling. This stage was included because the earlier
studies did not provider a lot of good information regarding promoting employees. The purpose
of this experiment was to diagnose employee problems. An impartial agency was created and
they interviews both management and employees. Each department received a personnel
counselor and they could openly and freely communicate with them. This proved to be quite
137
successful and as a result there was a quite an improvement in supervisor and employee
relations.
As a result of all of these testing and studies the outcomes were clear. Co-workers are quite
social during their shifts and have high motivation when collaborating with one another and
work as a team. Physical conditions are not the driving force as compared to sense of belonging,
security and recognition while at work. The attitudes of workers are determined by social
factors and demands based on the environment they are in. And lastly, the formation of
informal groups greatly influence the morale they have while working (2014).
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Conclusion / Recommendations
The Hawthorne Studies were based on the fact that employees who are observed will work
harder, produce better products and even become better employees. When the employees felt
they are receiving positive attention from their supervisors they feel proud and morale rises
within them. The most important impact that these studies revealed was that people mattered
and they should be part of the planning process for organizations and not an afterthought.
Mangers began to listen to their employees and consider their ideas and this started the human
relations school of management. There are many people who still disagree with Mayo’s
experiment and its findings. It really is no doubt that the Hawthorn Studies did lay the
foundation for a better understanding of human relations in the workplace. Managers now
know how to be more effective leaders, how to respect their employees, and how to listen to
advice. The employees also are not afraid to ask questions and offer advice. The creation of
informal groups is also a result of these studies and they had a significant impact on the
organizational structure of businesses. The leadership style and structure was also changed due
to the Hawthorne Studies. Leaders are not so autocratic. Leaders do not necessary hold all the
power and rule with an iron fist anymore. In the past, leaders are the ones who make all the
decisions and separated themselves from their employees. When these studies were published,
it was determined that the new leadership style should be more of a servant leadership. More
leaders should serve from the heart. They should address the needs of their employees and
encourage growth. Management should want their employees to feel good coming to work, and
they even show compassion at time. This paper has shown that the Hawthorne Studies did
indeed, change the organizational structure of countless companies by showing that using the
139
human touch and not just focusing on machines and robots is what makes a worker and a
company successful and profitable (Verasai,
2022).
Recommendations
There are many recommendations that can be introduced from this paper. We know that the
original experiment was intended to see if lighting, rest breaks and other environmental factors
could be used to increase productivity, and we also know that these factors are not what
motivated workers. Instead, social factors are what motivated employees to work harder and
perform better. My recommendations would be for the current and future management of
companies to continue to treat their employees with respect and show compassion. Employees
work better and will produce more product and money for the company if they know they are
making a diffidence and are truly valued. I do not believe that employees need to be watched
on their shifts; that is micromanagement and not healthy in the workplace, but I do recommend
a stop now and them by the manager to check in on the employee to see how things are going
and if the employee has any complaints and concerns. The manager being well aware of what is
happing in their business and with employees is key to a successful businesses. If the
Hawthorne Studies and the Hawthorne Effect has taught us anything it is that employees want
to be accepted and feel like they are part of a team and they enjoy collaboration with one
another. My recommendation is for the environment of an organization to be free of the
autocratic rule, and more of an employee involved decision making. However, I do not believe
that the management should roll over and give the power to the employees and have them
making all the important decisions. There still needs to be a top-down management system that
140
will ensure the company is making the best operational and financial decisions. The bottom line
is to keep employees motivated, happy and satisfied and the best way to do this is to offer an
environment where they feel important. In today’s society we are more social in the workplace
than ever before and if we follow recommendations like these – putting the right people on the
right teams, asking for feedback – companies have a great chance at becoming successful.
141
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