The Human Relations Viewpoint

Human relations proponents argued that managers should stress primarily employee welfare, motivation, and
communication. They believed social needs had precedence over economic needs. Therefore, management must gain the cooperation of the group and promote job satisfaction and group norms consistent with the goals of the organization.
Another noted contributor to the field of human relations was Abraham Maslow. In 1943, Maslow suggested
that humans have five levels of needs. The most basic needs are the physical needs for food, water, and shelter;
the most advanced need is for self-actualization, or personal fulfillment. Maslow argued that people try to satisfy their lower level needs and then progress upward to the higher-level needs. Managers can facilitate this process and achieve organizational goals by removing obstacles and encouraging behaviors that satisfy people's needs and organizational goals simultaneously.
Although the human relations approach generated research into leadership, job attitudes, and group dynamics, it drew heavy criticism. Critics believed the philosophy, while scientific management overemphasized the economic and formal aspects of the workplace; human relations ignored the more rational side of the worker
and the important characteristics of the formal organization. However, human relations were a significant step in
the development of management thought, because it prompted managers and researchers to consider the
psychological and social factors that influence performance.