Hawthorne Study
It is important to understand how the components of the Hawthorne study are incorporated into current human resource functions. According to Nord (2012), the Hawthorne study determined that people tended to improve their performance when they realize that they are under research. They also responded positively to change when they realized that the top management is caring about them, and the changes are meant to make the work environment to be more accommodating for them. This can be incorporated into the current human resource functions by constantly making junior employees appreciate that changes are being affected for their benefit and to improve their performance. For instance, the marine has been faced with new challenges taking place in the world, especially due to changes brought about by technology. The top-ranking officers have been keen on introducing changes to improve the performance of the military personnel. Their close interaction with the junior officers has been a major source of motivation in many camps.
The main idea behind this study was to determine changes in the effort of the employees when they realized that their output was being investigated. The components of this study have had a major impact on my current work setting. As a supervisor in the US Marine, I now understand the importance of maintaining a positive working environment among my juniors to motivate them. I understand that to create a cohesive group and enhance loyalty among these officers, it is important to make them believe that their senior officers are concerned about their well-being, and they are monitoring their activities to find the best way of improving their experience.
Dominant Cultures and Subcultures
Recent researches have confirmed that there are various contrasting factors about different cultures and subcultures within a working environment. Brislin (2008) says that while the Japanese employees tend to develop trust and loyalty with employers, most of the employees in the West are always suspicious of their employers, forcing them to look for measures that can cushion them in case they are fired. This means that these two cultural groups will take a different approach when undertaking various tasks. It is important to understand the impact of culture on the employees to enable the management to determine leadership approaches to be used by each group. The management approach that is used when leading Japanese employees may not be appropriate where the dominant group is from the United States. Each cultural group must be approached based on their values and virtues.
In my workplace, I have demonstrated awareness and openness to the cultural difference amongst my junior employees. My management approach is dynamic. I always avoid using a rigid management strategy. I treat each individual with the full awareness that he is unique, and may not share some of my values. These differences underscore the need for understanding diversity. This understanding will help leaders to appreciate the fact that each of their employees is unique based on their culture. It helps reduce some of the common misunderstandings in the workplace. It may be important to develop guidelines for embracing diversity in the workplace. This can be achieved by allowing members to share their cultural practices and beliefs freely with other employees. The top leaders should also organize seminars for everyone to help them appreciate the need to embrace tolerance amidst this diversity.
References
Brislin, R. W. (2008). Working with cultural differences: Dealing effectively with diversity in the workplace. Westport: Praeger.
Nord, W. R. (2012). A field experiment on Hawthorne effect and psychological demand characteristics. New York: Cengage