A human relation is the relationship between human resources of the

organization. It incorporates management-employees, employees-

employees relationship. It also consists of relationship between the
organization’s human resource & outsiders (such as clients,
suppliers).
Human resource is one of the important assets of an organization.
Hence, healthy human relations lead to increased productivity and
efficiency. It also plays crucial role in growth and success of the
organization.
The approach of human relations deals with the psychological
variables of organisational functioning in order to increase the
efficiency of organisations. It is the process of integration of man-to-
man and man-to-organisations.
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According to Mac Farland “Human relations is the study and

practice of utilising human resource through knowledge and through
an understanding of the activities, attitudes, sentiments, and
interrelationships of people at work.”
Learn about:- 1. Meaning and Definitions of Human Relations 2. Brief
History of Human Relations 3. Fundamental Concepts 4. Scope 5.
Importance 6. Approaches 7. Contributions 8. Limitations
9. Suggestions to Improve.
Human Relations: Meaning, History, Concept,
Importance, Approach, Contributions,
Limitations and Improvement

Contents:
1. Meaning and Definitions of Human Relations
2. Brief History of Human Relations
3. Fundamental Concepts of Human Relations
4. Scope of Human Relations
5. Importance of Human Relation
6. Human Relations Approaches
7. Contributions of Human Relations
8. Limitations of Human Relations
9. Suggestions to Improve Human Relations

Human Relations – Meaning and Definitions

Propounded by W. E. G. Scott, Keith Davis and Mac
Farland
In the broadest sense, the term ‘human relations’ refers to the
interaction of people in all walks of life—in schools, colleges, homes,
business, government and so on. But when we talk of ‘human relations
in industry’, then, in a wider sense, it signifies the relationship that
should exist between the human beings engaged in industry.
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However, in actual practice, the term signifies the relationship that

should be cultivated and practised by an employer or a supervisor with
his/her subordinates.
As a matter of fact, human relations is the art of getting along with
people either as individuals or as a group. Good human relations are
an effective instrument to motivate the personnel towards the
achievement of individual as well as organisational goals.
It is perhaps for this reason that W. E. G. Scott has remarked, ‘Human
relations are a process of an effective motivation of individual in a
given situation in order to achieve a balance of objectives which will
yield greater human satisfaction and help accomplish company goals’.
A human relation is the relationship between human resources of the
organization. It incorporates management-employees, employees-
employees relationship. It also consists of relationship between the
organization’s human resource & outsiders (such as clients, suppliers).
Human resource is one of the important assets of an organization.
Hence, healthy human relations lead to increased productivity and
efficiency. It also plays crucial role in growth and success of the
organization.
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According to Keith Davis “Human relations deals with motivating
people in organizations to develop teamwork which effectively fulfil
their objectives and achieves organizational objectives.”
According to Mac Farland “Human relations is the study and practice
of utilising human resource through knowledge and through an
understanding of the activities, attitudes, sentiments, and
interrelationships of people at work.”
Keith Davis has also observed that from the viewpoint of a manager,
human relations is the integration of people into a work situation that
motivates them to work together productively, cooperatively and with
economic, psychological and social satisfaction. Effective human
relations depend on fulfilment of economic, social and psychological
wants.
In literal terms, ‘human relations in industry’ is a term generally used
for organisational behaviour. From the point of view of management,
human relations is motivating people in organisations to develop
teamwork spirit in order to fulfil their needs and to achieve
organisational goals efficiently and economically.
The approach of human relations deals with the psychological
variables of organisational functioning in order to increase the
efficiency of organisations. It is the process of integration of man-to-
man and man-to-organisations. Although land, labour, capital and
enterprise are fundamental factors of production, without the
willingness and cooperation of subordinates, it is not possible for
management to produce anything.
The management can obtain their cooperation through the human
relations approach. To follow the human relations approach in an
organisation is a major form of motivation. Modern managers realise
this fact very well that a business organisation is a complex form of
human relations and certain social variables. It studies those positive
aspects which invoke positive response in work behaviour.

Human Relations – History: Illumination

Experiments, Hawthorne Effect, Interviewing
Programme, Bank Wiring Room Experiment
In the 1920s and 1930s, observers of business management began to
feel the incompleteness and short-sightedness in the scientific as well
as administrative management movements. The scientific
management movement analysed the activities of workers whereas
administrative management writers focused attention on the activities
of managers.
The importance of the man behind the machine, the importance of
individual as well as group relationships in the workplace was never
recognised. The social aspects of a worker’s job were totally ignored;
the emphasis was clearly on discipline and control rather than morale.
The human relations theory (also called neo-classical theory) tried to
compensate for the deficiencies in classical theory (scientific
management and administrative management) modifying it with
insights from behavioural sciences like psychology, sociology and
anthropology.
This theory gained popularity after the famous studies of human
behaviour in work situations conducted at the Western Electric
Company from 1924 to 1933. These studies eventually became known
as the ‘Hawthorne Studies’ because many of them were conducted at
Western Electric’s Hawthorne plant near Chicago.
1. Illumination Experiments:
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The Hawthorne researchers began with illumination experiments with

various groups of workers. This experiment involved prolonged
observation of two groups of employees making telephone relays. The
purpose was to determine the effects of different levels of illumination
on workers’ productivity. The intensity of light under which one group
was systematically varied (test group) while the light was held
constant (control group) for the second group.
The productivity of the test group increased each time the intensity of
the light increased. However, productivity also increased in the control
group which received no added light. The researchers felt that
something besides lighting was influencing the workers’ performance.
In a new set of experiments, a small group of workers were placed in a
separate room and a number of things were changed; wages were
increased rest periods of varying length were introduced; the workday
and workweek were shortened.
The researchers, who now acted as friendly supervisors, allowed the
group to choose their own rest periods and to have a say in other
suggested changes. Workers in the test room were offered financial
incentives for increased production. Over the two-year period, output
went up in both the test and control rooms (surprisingly, since the
control group was kept on the same payment schedule) steadily
regardless of changes in working conditions. Why?
2. Hawthorne Effect:
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Part of the answer may be attributed to what has come to be called the
‘Hawthorne Effect’. The workers knew they were part of an
experiment. They were being given special attention and treatment
because of the experiment. They were consulted about work changes
and were not subject to the usual restrictions imposed from above.
The result of this special attention and recognition caused them to
carry a stimulating feeling of group pride and belongingness.
Also the sympathetic supervision received by the members might have
brought about improved attitudes toward their jobs and job
performance. At this stage, the researchers were interested in finding
out clear answers to the question – Why the attitudes of the employees
had become better after participation in the test room?
3. Interviewing Programme:
Mayo initiated a three-year long interview programme in 1928
covering more than 21,000 employees to find out the reasons for
increased productivity. Employees were allowed to talk freely (non-
directive interviewing) and air their opinions in a friendly atmosphere.
The point demonstrated by this interviewing programme is central to
the human relations movement.
If people are permitted to talk about things that are important to
them, they may come up with issues that are at first sight unconnected
with their work.
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These issues may be, how their children are doing at school, how the
family is going to meet the ration expenses, what their friends think of
their jobs, and so on. Taking about such matters to a sympathetic
listener who does not interpret is therapeutic. When researchers began
to examine the complaints made by the employee, they found most of
complaints to be baseless.
Many times nothing was done about the complaint, yet, after an
interview the complaint was not made once again.
It became apparent that often workers really did not want changes
made; they mainly wanted to talk to an understanding person who did
not criticise or advise about their troubles. Thus, for the first time, the
importance of informal work groups is recognised. To find out more
about how the informal groups operated, the bank wiring room
experiment was set up.
4. Bank Wiring Room Experiment:
In this experiment, 14 male workers were formed into a small work
group and intensively observed for seven months in the bank wiring
room. The men were engaged in the assembly of terminal banks for
the use in telephone exchanges. The employees in the group were paid
in the regular way depending on the efficiency rating plus a bonus
based on average group effort.
Thus, under this system, an individual’s pay was affected by the output
of the entire group and by his own individual output.
It was expected that highly efficient workers would bring pressure to
bear on less efficient workers in an attempt to increase output and
thus take advantage of the group incentive plan. However, these
expected results did not come about. The researchers found that the
group had established its own standard of output and this was
enforced by various methods of social pressure. Output was not only
being restricted but individual workers were giving erroneous reports.
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The group was operating well below its capability and was levelling
output in order to protect itself. Thus, work group norms, beliefs;
sentiments had a greater impact in influencing individual behaviour
than did the economic incentives offered by management.
Pros and Cons of Hawthorne Experiments:
Pros:
i. Man is not motivated by money alone; to motivate people, a healthy
social climate is necessary.
ii. If treated well, human beings can expand their energies and show
good results.
iii. Groups have more influence on workers than organisation rules.
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iv. Friendly supervision ensures good results, better morale and

healthy interpersonal relations.
Cons:
i. Mayo overstressed experimentation and drew conclusions on the
strength of observations about a small sample of employees.
ii. The experiments lacked a scientific basis. The choice of work, the
employees, the work environment, etc. was not scientific.
iii. The conclusions of Hawthorne experiments were open to doubt as
the sample was not sufficiently representative.
iv. Mayo exhibited pro-management bias by thinking that
management knows what is best for workers (who are mostly driven
by emotions, sentiments, etc.).
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v. Mayo wanted to humanise the workplace by keeping workers in

good humour always. However, there is no guarantee that happy
workers will be productive.

Human Relations – Fundamental Concepts Relating to

Nature of Man and Nature of Organisations
efinition of human relations

1: a study of human problems arising from organizational and interpersonal relations (as in industry)

2: a course, study, or program designed to develop better interpersonal and intergroup adjustments