1 HUMAN RELATIONS: A Background McGraw-Hill/Irwin Copyright 2010 by the McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved.
Learning Objectives Define human relations. Explain the importance of human relations in business. Discuss the challenges of human relations. Identify what is not human relations. Describe the areas of emphasis for human relations in today s workplace. Discuss a short history of the study of human relations. 2
What is Human Relations? Human relations is the skill or ability to work effectively through and with other people. Organizations must monitor and maintain the relationships among its members to succeed. Human relations includes understanding: People s needs, weaknesses, talents and abilities. How people work together in groups, satisfying both individual needs and group objectives. 3
The Importance of Human Relations Skills Reasons for studying human relations: Human rights The global marketplace Emphasis on people as human resources Renewed emphasis on working groups Increasing diversity in the workplace 4
The Importance of Human Relations Skills Human relations in different roles: Manager: Retain employees longer, be more productive, and provide employees with an enjoyable environment. Entrepreneur: Effectively work with customers, suppliers, and employees, fulfill their needs, and operate the business successfully. Employee: Enhance career development and overall performance. 5
Current Challenges in Human Relations Increased competition in the workplace. Dual-career families. Single-parent families and divorce. Two generations of dependents. 6
What is Not Human Relations Human relations is not: A study of understanding human behavior in order to manipulate others. A cure-all or a quick fix for deep and ongoing personal problems. Ordinary good sense and judgment. 7
Areas of Major Emphasis Figure 1.1: Major Goals And Emphasis Areas Of Human Relations 8
Areas of Major Emphasis Self-esteem The feeling of confidence and worth as a person. The key to top performance and high-quality work. 9
Areas of Major Emphasis Mutual respect The positive consideration or regard that two people have for each other. Required by people at all levels in an organization to perform at their best. 10
Areas of Major Emphasis Self-awareness and Self-disclosure Self-awareness is the knowledge of how others perceive you. Self-disclosure is the process of letting other people know what you think and feel. Self- disclosure reflects the positive side of human relations. 11
Areas of Major Emphasis Communication skills Communication is the process of sending ideas, thoughts, feelings, and having them received in the intended way. Essential to express ideas and concepts precisely. 12
Areas of Major Emphasis Motivation The force that gets people to do their tasks. A major element in understanding human relations. 13
Areas of Major Emphasis Group dynamics Set of interpersonal relationships within a group that determine how group members relate to one another and influence task performance. At an organizational level, group dynamics help understand, plan, and organize tactics appropriate to groups. 14
A Brief History of Human Relations Figure 1.2: A Human Relations Timeline 15
A Brief History of Human Relations The early years Robert Owen Treating workers better would actually increase productivity and, thus, profits. Andrew Ure A detailed study of manufacturers and their management processes. Max Weber Came up with the bureaucratic organizations approach, a system that was meant to be impersonal and rational. 16
A Brief History of Human Relations Human relations as a science Frederick Taylor s approach of Scientific Management Managers should carefully select and train workers for specific tasks. Managers should try to motivate workers to increase productivity. 17
A Brief History of Human Relations Human relations as a science (cont.) Frank Gilbreth and Lillian Gilbreth Pioneers in time and motion study. Concepts advanced by Mary Parker Follett: Workers should be involved in decisions affecting them. Work place must be dynamic. Managers must maintain positive relationships with workers. 18
A Brief History of Human Relations The Hawthorne Experiment Study conducted by Elton Mayo and his colleagues showed that: Workers performed better when someone was paying attention to them. The relationships that had formed naturally in the workplace made up the informal organization. 19
A Brief History of Human Relations Human Relations and Management The Great Depression The Wagner Act (1935) and union rights Treatment of workers during World War II Douglas McGregor Introduced the concepts of Theories X and Y, which influenced thinking in both management and human relations. 20
A Brief History of Human Relations Human relations, history, and the individual Eric Berne The transactional analysis method of understanding interpersonal communication. Carl Rogers Findings on the development of personality, group dynamics, and conflict management. W. Edwards Deming introduced the concept of Total Quality Management (TQM). 21
A Brief History of Human Relations Total Quality Management (TQM): An organizational philosophy that quality must be present in the product or service produced and in all support activities related to it. Concentrates on the process, excluding people and relationships. 22
Strategies for Success Develop mutual respect 1. Develop your self-esteem. 2. Develop your self-awareness. 3. Develop trust. 4. Learn to self-disclose. 5. Cultivate mutual respect. 23
Strategies for Success Build your communication skills 1. Learn to communicate honestly. 2. Learn what effective communication is and how to develop this skill. 3. Know what you are communicating to others by increasing your self-awareness. 4. Know what you are communicating to others by your nonverbal signals. 5. Learn to deal effectively with conflict. 24
Summary Human relations is the skill or ability to work effectively with other people. Human relations skills are important for greater awareness of human rights and current fluctuations in international markets among others. The main areas of human relations are selfesteem, mutual respect, self-awareness and self-disclosure, communication skill, group dynamics, and motivation. 25