Chapter 3 : Human Relations and Human Resources Approaches

Summary from Textbook:

There are 2 approaches to organizational communication that were started around 80 years ago, and are still practised until now, the human relations and the human resources approach. Each have their own theorists.

The Human Relations Approach was inspired by a number of research investigations carried out by Elton Mayo of Harvard University. The aim was to explore the relationship between changes in the work environment and productivity of factory workers, and how aspects of the task environment could improve organizational efficiency. 4 series of studies were carried out, called the Hawthorne studies:

• Illumination Studies that explored the effects of lighting level


• Relay Assembly Test Room Studies that explored the various influences of social situations


• Interview Program that explored the impact of working conditions on productivity


• Bank Wiring Room Studies involving natural observation of workers in their normal situations

It was concluded that productivity increased when attention was paid to workers, resulting in what was known as the Hawthorne effect. Informal social factors and management styles accounted for the rest of the changes. The studies served to highlight the role of informal and group communication in organizational functioning. 2 other researchers noticed the importance of human relations on work productivity, and came up with their theories.

Abraham Maslow came up with the theory of Hierarchy of needs, proposing that humans were driven by several basic needs, and that they had to be satisfied before one could attempt to fulfil other needs. From most basic to more important needs, these were:

• Physiological needs involving the needs of the human body


• Safety needs involving shelter


• Affiliation needs involving social relationship


• Esteem needs involving a sense of achievement and accomplishment


• Need for self-actualization, involving individual characterization

Douglas McGregor came up with 2 conflicting theories, named Theory X and Theory Y. Theory X shows a typical assumption of most managers, who believe that people have to be controlled and motivated to fit organizational needs, and that without intervention and direction, people would be passive or resistant to the achievement of organizational needs. It provides straightforward examples of negative human nature.

Theory Y operates on a belief that managers should see workers as being motivated by the higher-order needs in Maslow’s theory, and that they are capable of independent achievement in the workplace. Hence, the job of the manager is to bring out the natural tendencies of these workers, leading to a more satisfied and productive workforce.

The Human Resources approach understands the needs for cognitive contributions that employees bring to organizations. 3 theorists subscribe to this approach: Robert Blake, Jane Mouton and Rensis Likert.

Robert Blake and Jane Mouton worked on a theory called the Managerial or Leadership Grid. It said that most managers were measured by the amount of concern they had for people and the concern they had for production. On this grid, there were five main prototypical management styles:

• Impoverished management- low concern for people and production


• Country club management- high concern for people and low concern for production


• Authority compliance management- high concern for production and low concern for people


• Team management- both high concern for people and production


• Middle-of-the-road management- balancing concerns for people and production

Likert came up with 4 organizational forms that are clearly differentiated by motivational factors, communication, decision-making, goal-setting, control, influence structure and performance:

• Exploitive authoritative organization


• Benevolent authoritative organization


• Consultative organization


• Participative organization

It was then analysed how Communication in Classical, Human Relations and Human Resource organizations differed, through 4 main ways: content, direction, channel and style.it was further analysed how human resource programs were utilized in the modern organizations through 4 different issues: Knowing when team-based managements are appropriate, Considering the attitudes of top management, Dealing with cynicism of change and Facilitation of the translation process.

In my opinion, this chapter is important as it talks about the effects and benefits of having a happy and healthy workforce in the organization. A happy worker will always have increased productivity in the workplace. Although there are many organizations out there who focus more on profit, and see people as an easily replaceable tool.

Reference:

Miller, K 2009, Organizational Communication: Approaches and Processes, 6^th edition, Belmont, CA, Wadsworth Publishing Company.