ELTON MAYO: BIOGRAPHY AND MOST IMPORTANT CONTRIBUTIONS - ARTE - 2025

Elton Mayo (1880-1949) was an Australian psychologist, professor and researcher whose legacy is recognized for his contributions to the field of industrial sociology in the United States in the first half of the 20th century.

Mayo conducted research in different American factories to understand how social relationships determine the productivity of companies. Thanks to these studies, he developed theories about work interactions that are still valid today.

Portrait taken in 1935 of Elton Mayo. Unknown author / Public domain

One of the main contributions of Mayo consisted in the emphasis on the emotional needs of employees to increase productivity. This psychologist promoted the idea that good labor relations are more motivating than financial incentives.

Biography

Family

George Elton Mayo was born in Adelaide, Australia, on December 26, 1880. He was the son of George Gibbes Mayo (1845–1921), a civil engineer, and Henrietta Mary Mayo (1852–1930), a marriage that resulted in six others. sons.

In turn, Elton was the grandson of the prestigious physician George Mayo (1807-1894) and Colonel William Light (1786-1839), a British Army surveyor and designer of the city of Adelaide.

Therefore, Elton was born into a wealthy and reputable family. Proof of this is that her sister Helen Mayo (1878–1967) was a Doctor of Medicine and her brother Herbet (1885–1972), a Supreme Court judge.

Big: William Light; up to the right; George Mayo; bottom right: Helen Mayo. Images taken from wikimedia commons.

Studies

He studied Philosophy at the University of Adelaide and upon graduation was appointed Professor at the University of Queensland.

In 1923 he resigned from the University of Queensland to move to the University of Pennsylvania where he continued his research in various textile companies. In these studies, he drew attention to the importance of organizational sociology and psychology in work environments.

In 1926 he transferred to Harvard Business School. It was there that he conducted his most important study: the Hawthorne research that began in 1927 and spanned more than 5 years.

After World War II he moved to England where his wife and daughters lived. There he dedicated himself to helping British industry recover after the war, until his death in 1947.

Hawthorne's investigation

In 1927, Mayo began a pioneering socioeconomic experiment in the field of industrial research. This study, known as the Hawthorne Research, takes its name from the Hawthorne Power Company, where it was conducted.

The upper-right corner shows Mayo in his time as a Queensland teacher. Source: Wikimedia.

This investigation consisted of subjecting workers to a series of changes in their schedules, wages, breaks, lighting conditions and degrees of supervision. The objective of these observations was to determine what would be the most favorable conditions for productivity.

Initially it was thought that the economic stimuli would increase the efficiency of the employees. However, the results were surprising: the cause of the increase in productivity was due to the extra attention being paid to them.

The results of this project were published in 1939 by associate researchers FJ Roethlisberger and William J. Dickson, in the book Management and the Worker.

The social problems of industrialized civilization

In 1933, Mayo published the book The Human Problems of an Industrial Civilization, which is still considered his most important work. In its pages, it theorized that human relationships in the workplace were creating a social problem in modern civilization.

Mayo claimed that industrialization accelerated production and promoted economic growth. But on the other hand, it had not contributed to improving people's living conditions and it was urgent that they also improve.

In addition, he presented a clear political position stating that the tension between employers and workers could not be resolved with socialism.

Instead, he thought that psychology was the only tool that could help understand and solve this problem.

The contributions of Elton Mayo

Mayo's main contribution consisted in demonstrating the importance of social relationships within work environments. Over time his theories were reassessed and questioned but they remain an important basis for studies of labor relations.

The Hawthorne effect

During his investigations at Hawthorne, Mayo discovered what he would call the "Hawthorne Effect." This refers to the increase in the productivity of workers when they perceive that they are being studied.

Mayo found that productivity increased even when working conditions were less favorable. In reviewing the variables, he discovered that this was due to the attention they were receiving.

This is how he established the theory that workers were more productive to the extent that they were more observed.

The social dimension of the industry

According to Mayo, understanding social problems is as necessary as understanding material problems. This was a fundamental contribution at the beginning of the 20th century, when the efforts of science were concentrated in the development of the industry.

For this theorist, economic incentives were important to motivate employees, but the relationship of the worker with his work environment is more important. A good work environment can be more motivating than good hiring conditions.

In addition, it stated that workers cannot be treated in isolation but must be analyzed as members of a group. The social norms of the groups within the work environments are decisive in the productivity of a company.

For example, an employee who produces above average often loses the affection of his colleagues. For phenomena like this one, it is necessary to understand how the team members interact to propose really effective motivational strategies.

For this reason, Mayo proposes that managers become aware of their relationships with workers. Greater attention to their social expectations, as well as more intense interaction, implies an increase in motivation and an increase in productivity.

The foundations of new disciplines

According to Mayo's theories, knowing a worker's capabilities is not enough to predict their productivity within the company.

According to him, the skills can give an idea of ​​the physical and mental potential of the employee. However, efficiency can also be determined by their social relationships within the workplace.

The above statements inspired numerous investigations and laid the foundation for the development of fields such as industrial sociology and organizational psychology. That is why, despite criticism and questioning, Elton Mayo's legacy continues to this day.

Publications

Some of Mayo's writings have been published after his death. Some of the most successful publications have been:

- Psychology of Pierre Janet, London: Greenwood Press (1972)

- The Human Problems of an Industrial Civilization (2003)

- Critical Evaluations in Business and Management (2004)

- The Social Problems of an Industrial Civilization (2007).

References

1. British Library. (SF). Elton Mayo. Recovered from:
2. New World Encyclopedia. (2014). Elton Mayo. Recovered from: newworldencyclopedia.org.
3. Revolvy. (SF) Elton Mayo. Recovered from: revolvy.com.
4. The Economist. (2009). Elton Mayo: economist.com.
5. The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica. (2017). Elton Mayo. Recovered from: britannica.com.