Elton Mayo

Juan Cruz Dominguez

 His Life
• George Elton Mayo (born in
Australia) was a psychologist
and sociologist.
• Founder of the Human
Relations Movement, and is
known for his research
including the
Hawthorne Studies
 His Beliefes
• Workers cannot be treated in isolation
• Monetary incentives and good working
conditions are less important to the individual
than the need to belong to a group
• Informal groups formed at work have a strong
influence on the behavior of those workers in a
group.
 The Studies
• His studies were
conducted at
Western Electric
Hawthorne in
Chicago
• There, he examined
productivity and
work conditions
Variable affecting Productivity
• Wanted to test how monotony and
fatigue affected job productivity
• He used some variables such as rest
breaks, work hours, temperature and
humidity.
 Condition and results
• They were put into a piecework for 8 hours: Output went
up
• Two five-minutes rest periods were added:Output went up
• Pauses were lengthened to ten minutes: Output went up
sharply
• Six five-minutes pauses were added, they complained:
Output went fell slightly
• Return to the two five-minutes pauses: Output went up
• They were dismissed at 4.30 instead of 5.00: Output went
up
• They were dismissed at 4.00: Output remained the same
 Conclusion
• Work is a group activity
• The need of recognition and self of bolonging is
very important
• A complain is not always an objective recital of
facts
• Workers effectiveness is affeced by social demand
• Informal groups are very important
• Group collaboration must be planned and
developed.