The Human Relations Model

The following assumptions are made under this model:

•    People want to feel useful and important.
•    People desire to belong and to be recognized as individuals.
•    The social needs are more important than money in motivating people to work.

The policies followed by management under this model are:

•    The manager's basic task is to make each worker feel useful and important.
•    He should keep his subordinates informed and listen to their objections to his plans.
•    The manager’s should allow his subordinates to exercise some self-direction and self control on routine matters.

The expectations under this model are that:

•    Sharing information with subordinates and involving them in routine decisions will satisfy their basic needs to belong and to feel important.
•    Satisfying these needs will improve morale and reduce resistance to formal authority—subordinates will willingly co-operate.

The Human Resources Model

The human resources model takes the most positive view of employees and views them as important, in fact the most important resource that an organization has.

The model assumes the following:

•    Work is NOT inherently distasteful. People want to contribute to meaningful goals which they have helped establish.
•    Most people can exercise far more creative, responsible, self direction and self control than their present jobs demand.
Policies under this model:
•    The manager's basic task is to make use of his untapped human resources.
•    The manager must create an environment in which all members may contribute according to their abilities.
•    The manager must encourage full participation on important matters, continually broadening subordinates self direction and control.

The expectations under this model are that:

•    Because of the expanded subordinates influence, self direction, and self control operating efficiency will be improved.

•    Work satisfaction may improve as because the subordinates will make full use of their resources.

Notes:

•    The traditional model emphasises control and directing, it takes a simplistic view of employees and assumes that they will only co-operate if tasks and procedures are simple and specified and if employees are properly selected, trained and paid.

•    The human relations model gives attention to social and egoistic needs—fair treatment and pay are not enough but it still focuses on control.

•    The human resources model views the manager as a developer and facilitator who helps subordinates achieve performance aims. This model allows for participation in goal setting. Self-direction and self-control are emphasized.

•    A manager may adopt any of the models in managing the human resources but he must judge its applicability in the light of the environment in which he operates. For example, in situations where employees are semi-skilled probably the human resources model though very positive may be inapplicable.