Hawthorne effect – Observation improves productivity
Hawthorne effect – Observation improves productivity:
References:
McCarney R, Warner J, Iliffe S, van Haselen R, Griffin M, Fisher P. The Hawthorne Effect: a randomised, controlled trial. BMC Med Res Methodol 2007:7: 30. doi:10.1186/1471-2288-7-30.
Adair, G. The Hawthorne effect: A reconsideration of the methodological artifact. Journal of Applied Psychology 1984:6(2);334–345. doi:10.1037/0021-9010.69.2.334
The Hawthorne effect is the response of individuals to be observed and measured. The assertion is that this has the effect of improving productivity.
The original experiments were conducted in the 1920s and 1930s. Minute changes in illumination or in the organisation of breaks were made. These all resulted in an improvement in productivity. There were also experiments where choice of working colleagues improved, but suspicions about performance related pay decreased productivity.
More recently the Hawthorne effect has been reported in medical research (McCarney et al., 2007). Though, whilst experts still argue whether the Hawthorne effect is “real” (Adair 1984) – there is a general consensus that observing and monitoring results in greater productivity.
Learning points:
- Observing and monitoring are likely to improve performance
- Giving staff some choice of influence appears to improve performance
- There may be longitudinal learning – as even when groups change back to an original pattern of work productivity continues to improve
Referral to a new psychological therapy service is associated with reduced utilisation of healthcare and sickness absence by people with common mental health problems: a before and after comparison
