Human Relations
Approach
Chapter 2
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Reacting to the Classical Approach

Although many in industry were quick to
embrace the classic theoretical
approach, its implementation commonly
left employees unfulfilled.
 The Hawthorne Studies only served to
raise further questions concerning the
employee’s role in the organization.
 These events then set the stage for the
emergence of another organizational
communication approach: the Human
Relations (HR) approach.
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Classical Approach
Doesn’t:

Account for individual needs of
employees

Non-financial reward

Social interaction
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Making a Case for Human Needs:
The Hawthorne Studies

The Hawthorne Studies entail a research
program conducted by Elton Mayo and his
colleagues at the Western Electric Plant in
Cicero, Illinois from 1927 to 1933.
 The plant’s manager asked Mayo and his
team of researchers to help increase
employee morale and overall productivity at
the Hawthorne Plant.
 Their findings asserted that employee morale
and productivity improved when workers were
allowed to interact and an overseer was
present.
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Hawthorne Studies

Influenced transitions from classical approach
to human relations approach
– Illumination Studies
• Mayo interested in how changes in work
environment would impact productivity
• Found unexpected results
– Hawthorne Effect
• The more attention given to someone, the more likely
their behavior will change
• Social factors influence productivity
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Maslow’s Hierarchy of
Needs Theory

Abraham Maslow, a social scientist,
developed his hierarchy of needs theory over
a 25 year period beginning in the early 1940s.
 According to Maslow, humans seek to fulfill
needs at several levels (hierarchy of
prepotency).
 Employees seek to first have their most
primal needs met before seeking fulfillment of
their secondary or higher level needs.
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Maslow’s Hierarchy of
Needs Theory





Physiological
– “living wage” to purchase food and clothing
Safety
– Free from danger-wages to procure shelter
Affiliation
– Need to belong I social relationships with coworkers
Esteem
– Sense of achievement and accomplishment
– Compensation and reward
Self-Actualization
– Job that allows growth and creativity
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Herzberg’s MotivationHygiene Theory

Frederick Herzberg, a mental health
specialist, developed his theory between the
early 1950s and early 1970s.
 Most simply Herzberg argues that satisfaction
and dissatisfaction are not polar opposites of
each other.
 He advances that satisfaction and
dissatisfaction are distinct concepts impacted
by either either internal factors (e.g.,
achievement, responsibility) or external
factors (e.g., working conditions, salary),
respectively.
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Herzberg’s MotivationHygiene Theory

Set of workplace characteristics that
make person/worker satisfied
– Hygiene factors
• Aspects of work that keep a person from
being unsatisfied and unhappy
– Motivators
• Aspects of work that keep a person
satisfied and happy
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McGregor’s Theory X and
Theory Y

Douglas McGregor, a professor at MIT,
developed these theories to explain two
divergent schools of managerial thought.
 Theory X has three propositions:
a. Management has the greatest
organizational responsibility.
b. Management must control and motivate
employees by modifying employee
behavior.
c. Employees are passive entities that must
be controlled.
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Theory X then advances the
following postulates:





The average human is lazy.
The average human lacks ambition.
The average human is self-centered.
The average human resists change.
The average human is not bright.
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In contrast, Theory Y advances
the following five assumptions
 Humans desire to exert physical and
mental effort.
 External control is not the only way to
direct employees.
 Commitment to a goal is based on
rewards for achievement.
 Most everyone can be creative.
 Most employee potential is only
minimally tapped.
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Human Relations Approach
Need for attention
 Social interaction
 Individual achievement
 Intended as a move away from the
“organization as machine” metaphor
 Management recognizes employees as
humans with needs rather than cogs of
a machine

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Communication
Implications
Content-task related but includes
maintenance
 Direction-vertical but horizontal is
encouraged
 Channel-emphasizes variety
 Style-informal, less informal

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Summary
Hawthorne effect- social factors
influence productivity.
 Maslow’s theory- 5 levels, lower needs
must be met before higher needs.
 Herzberg’s theory- hygiene factors &
motivators.
 McGregor’s theory of X & Y
 Human Relations approach- employees
are valued.

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Case Study: Motivation at
Healthtime Fitness Club

If you were Jenny, what would you say to
Matt?
 What Factors have led to his difficulty in
motivating his employees?
 How would human relations theorists analyze
Matt’s problem (needs, m/h factors,
assumptions)?
 What communication strategy would you
recommend to Matt to deal with the situation?
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