Elton Mayo and the Hawthorne Studies

George Elton Mayo was an Australian psychologist, sociologist and

organization theorist.

He lectured at the University of Queensland before moving to the

University of Pennsylvania, but spent most of his career at
Harvard Business School, where he was professor of industrial
research.

Mayo is known as the founder of the Human Relations Movement,

and is known for his research including the Hawthorne Studies
and his book The Human Problems of an Industrialized
Civilization (1933). The research he conducted under the
Hawthorne Studies of the 1930s showed the importance of groups
in affecting the behaviour of individuals at work.
In the early 30s, Mayo suggested that motivation at
work was promoted by factors such as:

greater communication
good teamwork
showing interest in others
involving others in decision making
ensuring the wellbeing of others
ensuring work is interesting and non-repetitive

... and not just money

 Boredom and repetitiveness of tasks led to
reduced motivation.
Motivation was improved through making
employees feel important, giving them a degree
of freedom to make choices and acknowledging
their social needs.
 Mayo separated a group of women to work on their
own, involved in management decision making.
As they were involved in decision-making, the
quality of their work improved
He tried a similar procedure with a group of men
but they resisted the changes, using peer pressure
to maintain their previous working methods. This
group had a very different dynamic.

This suggested that employers should be aware of

group dynamics within organisations, motivating
these official and unofficial groups differently.
 At Tesco communication is an important factor in motivating
employees. This may be through 1-to-1 discussions with managers,
through the company intranet, newsletters or through more
formal structures such as appraisals.

Line managers hold a daily Team Meeting to update staff on what

is happening for the day and to give out Value Awards, which can
be given from any member of staff to another as a way of saying
thank you and celebrating achievements.

Tesco also promotes motivation through its many training and

development opportunities. Everyone has access to the training
they need to do their job well and to leadership training to grow
within the company. Tesco offers strategic career planning to help
staff 'achieve the extraordinary'.

This suggests that Tesco follows Mayos motivation theories.