Human Relations in Business

Learning Objectives

• Define human relations
• Explain the importance of human relations in business
• Discuss the challenges of human relations affecting success in business
• Identify what the study of human relations does not include
• Describe the areas of emphasis for human relations in today's workplace
• Discuss a short history of the study of human relations

Strategies for Success

• Develop Mutual Respect
• Build Your Communication Skills

Flying in Rough Weather

• A pilot and copilot had a serious communication problem
• This contributed to a plane crash in 1982
• Problems in human relations can have serious consequences

What is Human Relations?

• Human relations involve decision-making, work, and life
• Human relations is the ability to effectively work with people
• Understanding others' needs and weaknesses is crucial for human relations
• Successful organizations have good human relations within the workplace
• Employees, managers, and others in the workplace are important

The Importance of Human Relations Skills

• Awareness of employee rights is important in human relations
• Internal customers are employees within a company
• Trust is confidence in someone's honesty and integrity
• In today's global market, relationships are important between employees, companies, and countries
• Good relations with people from other cultures are important, especially in the global market

Emphasis on People as Human Resources

• Human relations is an important emphasis in today's workplace
• Communication and human relations are now crucial for new job applicants

Renewed Emphasis on Working Groups

• Being part of a group and making decisions as a team is necessary
• Effective group interaction requires good human relation skills

Increasing Diversity in the Workplace

• The United States has a high diversity of race, religion, and culture
• The number of immigrants is ever-increasing
• Workforce diversity is a substantial part of today's workplace
• A deep understanding of different cultures affects workplace relations

Human Relations and You

• Human relations skills are valuable in finding and keeping a job
• Understanding yourself and others leads to better personal and professional life

You, the Entrepreneur

• Human relations are crucial for entrepreneurs' success
• Human relations skills are important for e-commerce businesses as well as those which have more in-person interaction

You, the Employee

• Developing good interpersonal skills is essential for job success
• A positive impression is built with good interpersonal skills

Current Challenges in Human Relations

• Generation X and Millennial Generations face different challenges in the workplace
• Communication between generations in the workplace can be difficult

Increased Competition in Workplace

• Competition in all sectors of the economy affects businesses large and small
• Higher paying jobs are often occupied by more skillful and dedicated workers
• The strength of growing Asian countries (like China, India and Japan) is an important factor in today’s global market

Dual-Career Families and Single-Parent Families and Divorce

• Dual income families face stress in the workplace
• Childcare is a heavy burden for many parents, today
• Divorce can heavily impact employee lives and workplace interactions

Two Generations of Dependents

• Increasing life expectancy of people creates dependency on others
• “Sandwich generation” (middle-aged adults) care for their dependent children and parents
• The “emotional impact” of dependent parents and children affects all involved

What Human Relations Is Not

• It is not about manipulating others
• It's not only focused on personal issues, workplace skills should be developed
• It is not a solution to all personal problems

Areas of Major Emphasis

• Self-esteem
• Mutual respect
• Self-awareness
• Communication skills
• Group dynamics
• Motivation

Human Relations, and Management

• Elton Mayo's work, including the Hawthorne Experiment, helped shape human relations
• The Great Depression influenced the development of human relations models
• Managers need to understand workers' needs beyond just financial rewards

Scientific Management

• Scientific management emphasizes increasing efficiency and productivity
• Taylor and Gilbreth's work focused on improving workplace processes (including the development of the "optimum shovel")

Mary Parker Follett

• She believed that workers should be involved in workplace decisions
• Follett was influential in shaping human relations theories in the early 20th century
• She emphasized that effective managers focus on workers and relationships

The Hawthorne Experiment

• This research showed the importance of human relations in the workplace
• Workers were more productive due to attention from management
• Human relations positively affect workplace morale

Strategy for Success (Develop Mutual Respect and Build Communication Skills)

• Self-esteem
• Developing self-esteem
• Developing self-awareness
• Developing trust
• Cultivating mutual respect
• Communicating honestly
• Understanding effective communication and how to develop this skill
• Knowing communication to others by increasing self-awareness
• Recognizing communication to others through nonverbal signals
• Learning to deal with conflict

Chapter One Summary

• Define human relations
• Explain the importance of human relations in business
• Discuss the challenges of human relations in business
• What the study of human relations does not cover
• Main areas of emphasis for human relations
• Discuss a short history of human relations

Critical Thinking Questions

• Importance of early work to scientific management
• Workplace issues and the critical need for improving human relations skills
• Significance of the Internet on the need (or lack thereof) for improved human relations skills

Communicating With a Supervisor

• Supervisor and employee have serious communication problems
• Misunderstandings and conflict impact the workplace setting
• Miscommunications lead to poor workplace morale

Software Tug-of-War

• Workplace conflict between employees in a software company
• Importance of communication and conflict resolution

That Stupid Team of Mine

• Conflict between a manager and employee in an IT department
• Employee's attitude and behavior causes problems in the workplace
• Importance of good communication to prevent issues from escalating

Review Questions

• Provide a definition of human relations
• Describe the Hawthorne Studies and its importance
• Explain how human relations would help employees, managers, and entrepreneurs
• Discuss W. Edwards Deming's influence on human relations
• List why human relations is more important today than it was in the past
• Explain why self-esteem is important
• Summarize the main areas of human relations
• Explain the negative impact of the Great Depression on the course of human relations

This quiz explores the fundamentals of human relations, emphasizing its importance in the business environment. It covers challenges, communication strategies, and historical context related to human interactions in the workplace. Understand how effective human relations contribute to organizational success.