Scientific Management vs Human Relations
Throughout history, there have been many different approaches of management theories. Some theories longer exist because they are no longer relevant in today’s environment, but some theories are still implemented like Scientific Management and Human Relations. Scientific management emphasizes on efficiency productivity by motivating workers with monetary rewards. Human relations emphasize on motivation of workers by both financial rewards and a range of social factors (e.g. praise, a sense of belonging, feelings of achievement and pride in one’s work).
Scientific management uses incentives to motivate workers. This idea comes from Henry Gantt who introduced the bonus system, which motivated workers to complete their daily tasks by rewarding them a handsome bonus on top of their basic pay. Scientific Management assumes the worker as a ‘Rational Economic Man’, who is motivated by nothing else but money. Employees were paid extra according to their level of output and paid bonuses for reaching targets. Human relations, on the other hand, focused also on the social welfare of the workers. Taking care of workers’ social welfare, needs, and health will increase the productivity, as Mayo saw the worker as a ‘Social Man’. That feeling of importance also meant workers were generally happier, which in turn enhanced their work output, as proven in Hawthorne study.
According to Taylor, scientific management uses stopwatch method to get standard time and standard output of work. Taylor measured the time taken to complete certain task and made it the standard time for every worker. All unnecessary movements would then be eliminated in order to achieve efficiency. This method would become the standard to be used for all jobs. Human relations, according to Mayo, believed that the importance of stable and social relationships in the work situation contributed towards productivity. It is important to improve the social interaction and relationship between the workers and
Scientific management uses incentives to motivate workers. This idea comes from Henry Gantt who introduced the bonus system, which motivated workers to complete their daily tasks by rewarding them a handsome bonus on top of their basic pay. Scientific Management assumes the worker as a ‘Rational Economic Man’, who is motivated by nothing else but money. Employees were paid extra according to their level of output and paid bonuses for reaching targets. Human relations, on the other hand, focused also on the social welfare of the workers. Taking care of workers’ social welfare, needs, and health will increase the productivity, as Mayo saw the worker as a ‘Social Man’. That feeling of importance also meant workers were generally happier, which in turn enhanced their work output, as proven in Hawthorne study.
According to Taylor, scientific management uses stopwatch method to get standard time and standard output of work. Taylor measured the time taken to complete certain task and made it the standard time for every worker. All unnecessary movements would then be eliminated in order to achieve efficiency. This method would become the standard to be used for all jobs. Human relations, according to Mayo, believed that the importance of stable and social relationships in the work situation contributed towards productivity. It is important to improve the social interaction and relationship between the workers and