Comments on: Hawthorne Effect http://www.productivity501.com/hawthorne-effect/31/ Pieces of the productivity puzzle. Thu, 09 Feb 2012 01:55:26 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Terry Murphyhttp://www.productivity501.com/hawthorne-effect/31/comment-page-1/#comment-156475 Terry Murphy Mon, 12 Jul 2010 09:40:05 +0000 http://x.xeric.net/productivity501/?p=31#comment-156475 It is interesting that I was trying to remember the name of this effect for a book I am writing. In a quick attempt to remind myself of the name, I called about a dozen training providers and training design companies in my area. A number of them even took my question and asked around their organisation, but not one of them could tell me the name Hawthorne Effect and only one admitted to knowing about the effect. Now why would a company trying to make money out of training, not know that they might be effective despite their training programs instead of because of them?? It is interesting that I was trying to remember the name of this effect for a book I am writing. In a quick attempt to remind myself of the name, I called about a dozen training providers and training design companies in my area. A number of them even took my question and asked around their organisation, but not one of them could tell me the name Hawthorne Effect and only one admitted to knowing about the effect.

Now why would a company trying to make money out of training, not know that they might be effective despite their training programs instead of because of them??

]]> By: Doughttp://www.productivity501.com/hawthorne-effect/31/comment-page-1/#comment-135441 Doug Fri, 22 Jan 2010 19:17:05 +0000 http://x.xeric.net/productivity501/?p=31#comment-135441 The overall affect is something I have observed and attribute to the idea people care more because management cares more. Training or not.... The opposite seems true as well. When they are forced to attend training and don't want to they almost become self destructive. Not sure if that is the opposite or not but, the ideas of what people get out of training and why is worth watching closely. The overall affect is something I have observed and attribute to the idea people care more because management cares more. Training or not…. The opposite seems true as well. When they are forced to attend training and don’t want to they almost become self destructive. Not sure if that is the opposite or not but, the ideas of what people get out of training and why is worth watching closely.

]]> By: Catherine Cantieri, Sortedhttp://www.productivity501.com/hawthorne-effect/31/comment-page-1/#comment-113968 Catherine Cantieri, Sorted Tue, 14 Apr 2009 15:55:11 +0000 http://x.xeric.net/productivity501/?p=31#comment-113968 It seems so simple: treat employees like they matter and they'll care more about their work. But so many companies just don't. My last company gave us a whopping two hours of training in three years, in the form of two one-hour seminars required by the government and the parent company, respectively. The parent company even had an online university, but we weren't allowed to take any of the courses offered. That said a lot about how much we were valued at that place. It seems so simple: treat employees like they matter and they’ll care more about their work. But so many companies just don’t. My last company gave us a whopping two hours of training in three years, in the form of two one-hour seminars required by the government and the parent company, respectively. The parent company even had an online university, but we weren’t allowed to take any of the courses offered. That said a lot about how much we were valued at that place.

]]> By: Ben Brookshttp://www.productivity501.com/hawthorne-effect/31/comment-page-1/#comment-113912 Ben Brooks Tue, 14 Apr 2009 07:12:12 +0000 http://x.xeric.net/productivity501/?p=31#comment-113912 This is a very interesting concept, and very true. I had not thought about this before but in reflecting back on my work experience I find that this holds true in most all instances. This is a very interesting concept, and very true. I had not thought about this before but in reflecting back on my work experience I find that this holds true in most all instances.

]]> By: Don Mattesonhttp://www.productivity501.com/hawthorne-effect/31/comment-page-1/#comment-34 Don Matteson Tue, 29 Nov 2005 01:02:17 +0000 http://x.xeric.net/productivity501/?p=31#comment-34 Actually, the Hawthorne effect refers to a series of studies on worker productivity in the 1920s and 1930s. The researchers manipulated lots of different variables (e.g., lighting levels) and noted increases in productivity that they ascribed to workers feeling like someone was paying them some attention. (A fun observation is that the actual level of lighting didn't matter. As long as the workers were being paid some attention -- and they could see well enough to work -- productivity increased.) See: <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hawthorne_effect" rel="nofollow">http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hawthorne_effect</a> Don Actually, the Hawthorne effect refers to a series of studies on worker productivity in the 1920s and 1930s. The researchers manipulated lots of different variables (e.g., lighting levels) and noted increases in productivity that they ascribed to workers feeling like someone was paying them some attention. (A fun observation is that the actual level of lighting didn’t matter. As long as the workers were being paid some attention — and they could see well enough to work — productivity increased.)

See:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hawthorne_effect

Don

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