How Elton Mayo laid the foundation for HR

Welcome to HR 101. Class is now in session. Today’s discussion is all about Elton Mayo, aka “the father of HR.”

His story. Born in 1880, Mayo was an Australian psychologist, sociologist, and organizational theorist who conducted extensive research on human behavior in the workplace.

Mayo began examining human behavior during WWI, when serving on government boards as an advisor on organizing work during the war. In 1922, he shared his research on issues in the way managers and employees related to one another on a US speaking tour. Some of his research on the workplace involved workers at textile mills in Pennsylvania. While observing them in 1923, he noted the impact that providing workers with breaks throughout the day had on their productivity.

In 1926, Mayo became a research professor at the Harvard Business School. Two years later, he started what would become his most famous research initiative, the Hawthorne studies, at the Western Electric Company’s Hawthorne Works in Illinois. Mayo, along with fellow Harvard professors Fritz Roethlisberger and William J. Dickson, studied how various changes in work environments impacted productivity.

Mayo retired to England after WWII until his death in 1949.

Fast-forward. There’s still much to learn about the effect socialization can have on workers. In 2016, a survey of small business owners by Gusto found that for nine in 10, “fostering a sense of community is important to the success of their business.” And in 2022, Gallup research found that having a “best friend” at work can have a positive impact on collaboration, innovation, and productivity.

“In the past, many people defined their careers by their loyalty to companies. Today, most people report that working with a great team is their primary motivator,” according to the Gusto report. “Talented employees tend to stay with their companies longer because they enjoy collaborating with colleagues.”