The Hawthorne effect and its impact on worker output

In this episode of The Brainy Business podcast, host Melina Palmer explores the intriguing concept of the Hawthorne Effect and its implications for employee behavior and productivity. Drawing from her wealth of experience in behavioral science, Melina adeptly navigates the significance of monitoring in the workplace, emphasizing the need for transparency and employee involvement. She expertly highlights the benefits and potential drawbacks of monitoring, offering valuable insights into the complexities of human behavior and their implications for businesses. 

The episode captures Melina's passion for behavioral design and her dedication to unraveling the multifaceted factors that influence employee performance. Through real-world examples and thought-provoking discussions, Melina compellingly presents the case for why business managers should tune in to gain a deeper understanding of the Hawthorne Effect and its relevance in driving organizational success. With a conversational and engaging tone, Melina invites listeners to join her in exploring the intricacies of employee behavior and its practical implications for business management.

In this episode:

• Improve productivity and behavior with effective monitoring strategies.
• Uncover the powerful impact of the Hawthorne effect on employee performance.
• Embrace transparency in monitoring to foster a culture of trust and accountability.
• Explore the benefits and drawbacks of employee monitoring for informed decision-making.
• Navigate the complexities of interpreting results to avoid confirmation bias.

Show Notes:

00:00:00 - Introduction Melina Palmer introduces the episode and discusses the focus on the Hawthorne Effect, which explores how behavior changes when people know they are being watched or observed. 00:02:07 - The Hawthorne Studies Melina discusses the Hawthorne Studies conducted at Western Electric's Hawthorne location in the 1920s. These studies aimed to understand how changes in worker conditions would impact productivity and were among the first to incorporate worker opinions and mindset into planning processes. 00:04:43 - Factors Influencing Results The experiments at the Hawthorne location showed that providing input and treating workers as human beings with opinions and worth resulted in increased productivity. However, modern researchers have identified that too many factors were being changed simultaneously, and the special treatment given to the group of women also influenced the results. 00:06:53 - Understanding the Hawthorne Effect The Hawthorne Effect states that when people know they are being observed or that an experiment is taking place, it changes their behavior. This can impact the results of experiments and studies. Researchers often hide the true intent of the study to avoid bias caused by participant awareness. 00:10:19 - Avoiding Observer Bias In certain cases, it is important to avoid observer bias by ensuring that people are not aware they are being watched or observed. This is done to obtain a natural view of behavior and prevent participants from altering their actions. Secret shoppers and incognito observation methods are commonly used in these situations. 00:15:47 - The Impact of Monitoring on Workers Monitoring can be helpful in boosting productivity, but it can also make workers feel rushed and stressed. It's important to involve workers in the monitoring process and address their concerns to avoid negative impacts on performance. 00:17:19 - Importance of Involving Workers in Monitoring When monitoring more complex tasks, it's crucial to ask for workers' input and involve them in the process. This helps them understand the reasons behind monitoring and ensures they feel valued and supported. 00:18:14 - Benefits of Monitoring for Security and Behavior Monitoring can deter theft and encourage good behavior. Security cameras can make people act differently when they know they're being watched. However, over-monitoring or constant visits can lead to immunity and reduced impact. 00:19:41 - Avoiding Confirmation Bias and the Hawthorne Effect Researchers should be cautious of confirmation bias and the Hawthorne effect, which can bias results and hinder finding the real problem or solution. Digging deeper and considering motivations and incentives is crucial. 00:21:32 -  Conclusion Melina's top insights from the conversation. What stuck with you while listening to the episode? What are you going to try? Come share it with Melina on social media -- you'll find her as @thebrainybiz everywhere and as Melina Palmer on LinkedIn.

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Check out and get your copies of Melina’s Books. 

Get the Books Mentioned on (or related to) this Episode:

• Behavioral Science in the Wild, by Dilip Soman and Nina Mazar
• What Your Customer Wants and Can't Tell You, by Melina Palmer
• A More Beautiful Question, by Warren Berger
• Both/And Thinking, by Wendy Smith and Marianne Lewis
• Designing for Behavior Change, by Stephen Wendel

Top Recommended Next Episode: Using Ethnography to Understand Your Customers (ep 324)

Already Heard That One? Try These: 

• Dilip Soman Interview (ep 241)
• Understanding the Problem  (ep 126)
• How Simple Nudges Can Save Hundreds of Millions (ep 140)
• Designing for Behavior Change (ep 116)
• Incentives (ep 36)
• Confirmation Bias (ep 260)
• How to Setup Your Own Experiments (ep 63)
• Time Pressure (ep 74)
• Priming (ep 252)
• Focusing Illusion (ep 330)
• Loss Aversion (ep 316)
• Ikea Effect (ep 112)
• Confirmation Bias (ep 260)

Other Important Links: 

• Brainy Bites - Melina’s LinkedIn Newsletter
• Systematic Review of the Hawthorne Effect: New Concepts Are Needed to Study Research Participation Effects
• The Hawthorne Effect and Behavioral Studies
• The “Hawthorne Effect” — What Did the Original Hawthorne Studies Actually Show?
• The Hawthorne Effect – Or Why Everything Works
• Hemming and Hawing over Hawthorne: Work Complexity and the Divergent Effects of Monitoring on Productivity
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• Hawthorne Studies
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