The Hawthorne Effect
The Hawthorne Effect - named after a place, not a person - is an unwanted effect that can skew the outcome of efficiency and similar studies. Many people today argue about the extent of a single "Hawthorne Effect", however it would seem that the principle is valid to a greater or lesser degree.What Is The Hawthorne Effect?
The Hawthorne Effect is essentially an observer effect. As such it is reminiscent of certain principles of quantum mechanics. The very act of observing a system - in this case a workplace - will in itself affect that system. This can affect the validity of tests into efficiency modifications, new systems, etc.As a result of the Hawthorne Effect, efficiency and performance can change simply as a result of workers being observed; thus almost any change to working practice could show a short-term improvement regardless of whether or not it is viable in the long term.
The influence of the Hawthorne Effect is normally cited as positive improvement, akin to a placebo effect. The ususal explanation is that workers feel motivated as a result of the experiment itself. They feel that they are being listened to and valued. They also bind better as a social unit producing a new group dynamic. In addition there is an element of "a change is as good as a rest".
The result of the Effect need not be positive. If the study is taking place without the goodwill of the workforce then they might have a subconscious desire for it to fail.
As stated earlier, there is some dispute as to the nature and strength of any specific Hawthorne Efect. By its nature it is difficult to quantify and predict - some people even claim that it doesn't exist at all. However there does seem to be some degree of ""observer effect" that could confound attempts to study efficiency improvements.
Ultimately the Hawthorne Effect can perhaps be summed up by one simple but too frequently forgotten fact: workers are human.
Beyond the Workplace
The Hawthorne Effect has been invoked far beyond its original scope as as workplace efficiency phenomenom. It has been used to explain unexpected results in all manner of scenarios as diverse as education, user interface design and treatment for stuttering.Although the Hawthorne Effect is usually seen as unwanted - introducing a bias into experiments - it can potentially be harnessed positively to allow workers/customers/patients to feel better about their treatment.