The Importance of Motivation and a Discussion of the Motivational Theories by Douglas McGregor, Frederick Herzberg, Abraham Maslow, Elton Mayo, Chris Argyris, Rensis Likert, and David McClelland
Elton Mayo was an Australian-born psychologist and sociologist who developed the human relations movement, an approach to industrial work that went beyond the traditional study of labor-management relations He believed that people must be looked at as whole entities rather than simply workers and machines.
Elton Mayo introduced the Hawthorne studies into the human relations movement, which focused on the impact of work environment and social organization on the motivation and productivity of employees. His other major contributions include the transition from a classical view of labor to a more humanistic view, as well as the recognition of the importance of informal groups and peer influence within a workplace.
Examples of Elton Mayo include the Hawthorne studies he conducted while at the Western Electric Company in Chicago. This study was a revolutionary investigation into the attitudes and behavior of employees. It showed that changes in the environment led to increases in productivity and improved working conditions, which ultimately increased the morale and satisfaction of the workers.
Second, the Hawthorne effect, which is the idea that people tend to perform better in an encouraging environment, is believed to be one of Elton Mayo’s most significant contributions. This concept was largely derived from the Hawthorne studies and has become an important part of management theory.
Third, Elton Mayo also developed the socio-technical systems (STS) approach, which looked at the interplay between technology, organization, and people within a system. This approach holistically considered the technology, organizational culture, and the human element of any system, with the focus being on achieving greater organizational effectiveness and efficiency.
Fourth, Mayo was an early proponent of the concept of job enrichment, which sought to give employees more control and responsibility over their work, leading to increased job satisfaction. This idea has been incorporated into much of today’s modern organizational designs.
Fifth, Elton Mayo was also known for his theory of motivation, which suggests that people are motivated by a combination of economic, social, and psychological factors. This theory has had a significant influence on the way organizations think about motivating employees, as well as how they design compensation and benefits packages.
Overall, Elton Mayo’s influence on the field of industrial psychology and organizational studies has been enormous. His development of the human relations movement, the Hawthorne studies, the socio-technical systems approach, job enrichment, and motivational theory are just some of his most notable achievements that still shape the modern workplace today.