M9 Category

what, if any, has been your experience with the Hawthorne effect on a job?

If at anytime, the job I am currently in is where I have experienced the Hawthorne effect. Not to long ago, a fellow co-worker was promoted to floor manager, which we all thought would be a great fit. We would have someone to oversee day to day operations at the brewery while our owner could focus on brewing beer, and keeping our list up to date with refreshing beverages. As soon as our co-worker became manager, a different style of work was put in place. Said co-worker began to micro manage our tasks daily, even down to how to wash dishes. Closing duties were never up to par, and our manager almost took on the attitude of hey, im better than all of you now, what I say is what goes. Long story short, we ended up having an employee meeting to discuss our new managers roll in our business, and how nobody enjoyed having this person as manager. About a month later, he was asked politely to step down, in which he took as quitting and getting a new job. Not to say that this was the best option, but everyone was happy about it HA!

1) Describe a supervisor who inspired and motivated you — what were their characteristics or actions that made such a positive impact? My first job at age 16, I was hired on at Kaladi Brothers Coffee in midtown Anchorage. As a first job, I was very nervous to grab the reigns of entering the job world and having that type of responsibility. My boss at the time did a wonderful job helping me feel wanted and comfortable in my workplace. She immediately took a liking to my work ethic, and signed me up for advanced classes to learn more about the industry. This was very inspiring as well as motivating seeing that this was my first job ever. Throughout the years, my boss was very flexible with school schedules, time off for vacation, and always made sure to let you know when you did a good job. Unlike my current or old I should say now manager at my current place of work, this manager did a great job of catering to employees.

What, if any, has been your experience with the Hawthorne effect on a job?

I would say that the current job I have is the most likely to have given me experience with the Hawthorne effect. After I had been there for a few months he called me into his office and asked what things I would like to change to make the work environment better. I named a few things I thought would make my day easier; I got a new chair, keyboard, standing mat, and cart to load my pulled orders on. Him calling me in and asking me what I wanted made me feel like my opinion counted and mattered to my manager. These type of conversations we a common place with us, what material did I think the store would benefit from bringing in and stocking, would things work better in a new location, etc..

Describe a supervisor who inspired and motivated you — what were their characteristics or actions that made such a positive impact?

I would say that my last supervisor was the most inspirational and motivated me the most. This is the same one that I experienced the Hawthorne effect with. The actions and characteristics that he has is he cares a lot for his employees and the welfare of the branch. He takes the time out of his busy day to sit down and talk with you through problems and issues that you had. He also mentored me when I decided I wanted to take the next step and be a manager myself. He would stay late to walk me through procedures on invoicing and closing up. Gave me cheat sheets and notes to walk me through procedures I would need to know. I felt that he was rooting for me to succeed and wanted me to have all the tools to do it.

What, if any, has been your experience with the Hawthorne effect on a job?

My experience with something comparable to the Hawthorne effect has come from my current position. When I became the store manager at my current workplace, I learned all of the duties of the position and policies of my company; it seemed like my idea of a typical management position. Since then, the company has initiated a program set up to catch up with the times-updating systems, creating new training programs, providing more tools for the customers, etc. Corporate has also encouraged us at the store level to become more involved with both our customers and throughout the company. We have competitions within our districts, are encouraged to be creative, and are asked for our opinions and ideas regularly. Even at our quarterly meetings, there are themes, games, and more brand reps coming to support us and get us involved. This has given me a feeling of belonging within my company and made me to believe that I am appreciated and my ideas respected, even though I am a thousand miles from the next closest store.

Describe a supervisor who was a poor supervisor (un-motivating, indecisive, uncaring, etc.) — what were their characteristics or actions that made you feel that way?

The only poor supervisor I have had was when I was in my early 20’s. At first I thought she was really “chill’ for a boss, and seemed like she was everyone’s friend. It didn’t take a lot of time to realize that she was passive-aggressive and manipulative. A supervisor shouldn’t have to use these tactics in order for their employees to do what the manager needs done. Instead of continuing to train me, especially after moving from sales associate to merchandiser, she had those who had been there a little longer than I had to teach me. At times they would show me how to do something, and I would later find out that it wasn’t actually how my supervisor wanted it done. She also would keep important information to herself about what was going on in the company and store. We never had team meetings or did anything as a group, so I felt like it was every worker for themselves most days. The final characteristic that resulted in my leaving that job, was that the manager did not take personal responsibility when something went wrong in the store. She literally blamed others for her actions at times.

What, if any, has been your experience with the Hawthorne effect on a job?

Of the three jobs I’ve worked, the one most applicable to the Hawthorne Studies would be my current job, working retail sales at a small outdoor store in my hometown. One of the first things they asked me in my interview for the job was about my favorite outdoor activities. I told them running was probably my favorite, and I found myself working in the running department of the store most days of the week. Having a responsive employer who places you in a position to work with customers who are interested or passionate about the same things you are is huge to workplace morale; I find it incredibly satisfying to help a customer find a new pair of shoes that they love as they pursue their big goal of running a marathon. Management at the store also comes to me, asking what models of shoes we should sell each year, asking if I have any ideas to redo displays and make things look nicer, or asking if I’ve found any new or better ways to fit customers to a specific shoe. This back-and-forth, open communication between employees and management feels like a great application of the Hawthorne Studies.

Describe a supervisor who inspired and motivated you — what were their characteristics or actions that made such a positive impact?

The supervisor who has motivated me the most is also my current supervisor at the same outdoor store. He’s very responsive, making sure I never go without a lunch break on a day where I may need one, asking for input about product or about displays, and often will let me go early if I need to take off and do homework and the store is fairly quiet in the evenings. He also did so much for the store, quite literally putting the whole place on his back, and seeing how much he did, while still being such an accommodating and understanding person always made me want to work harder to change displays, keep inventory, and really just do whatever I could to make his job easier.

What, if any, has been your experience with the Hawthorne effect on a job?  

After viewing the video and thinking back through my work history, there is one particular experience that came to mind. I was working for a small local company that was purchased by a larger company. Immediately after the transition, leadership began making small changes in the environment, such as strategically placing desks so that workers faced away from one another rather than facing each other. At the same time, employees were asked to communicate only through email, never in person. As employees, the ideas struck us as cold and impersonal. As time wore on and I assumed more leadership roles, I began to see those as strategies for improved productivity. It just wasn’t communicated to us at all that that was the reason for the poor reception. It ended up having a negative impact on productivity as our morale was impacted.

Describe a supervisor who inspired and motivated you — what were their characteristics or actions that made such a positive impact?

My most inspirational supvervisor was also the most demanding supervisor I have ever had. She didn’t hesitate to delegate new responsibilities to me, and never failed to act as if she had absolute faith in my abilities. While it was demanding and stressful at times, it afforded me the opportunity to learn and advance at a rate much faster than I expected. Her unfailing confidence in me taught me to be confident in myself. While she delegated many duties to me, she was working alongside me so there was never a feeling that I was being treated unfairly. Of all of my supervisors, she is the only one who never implied that I was less of a professional because I didn’t have a college degree.

After reviewing the Hawthorne Studies video, for this week’s Class Discussion, what, if any, has been your experience with the Hawthorne effect on a job?   Answer this question and then choose one of the following to answer:

My experience with the Hawthorne effect comes from my current job working for my town’s local golf course. I am a grounds crew worker that deals with mowing the course, planting flowers, creating or racking bunkers, and going around with the cart service including snacks and drinks for golfers playing the course. My supervisor and I have a very healthy relationship as every day before I punch in, he tells me what needs to be completed around the course and asks me how things went the day prior and if I needed anything throughout the day that we either do not have or if there was something that was an inconvenience for me to work with. He allows me to speak my mind within reason and listens to me if I believe that I have found a more effective way to do a certain task and we talk about it. Lastly, if he has finished up all of his duties for the day and sees that I am working on a project, most of the time he will come out and help allowing for me to finish the job quicker and move on to the next or, if it is close to quitting time, he lets me go home for the day. With this being said, I enjoy going to work every day even if I am doing something that I do not necessarily enjoy because of the fact that I am respected, listened to and therefore feel important and cared for ultimately sky rocketing my daily production rate.

1) Describe a supervisor who inspired and motivated you — what were their characteristics or actions that made such a positive impact?

The supervisor that I think about when talking about who inspires and motivates me is my current one at the golf course I work for. As I had stated in the previous answer, his characteristics were quite contagious and enjoyable for me to come to my job every day and work with. The reason why he continues to make a positive impact on me is due to his attitude towards me. He always seems to have a short talk with me on things that are going on in my life that I am passionate about. For example, asking how school and sports are going and what my plans are in the future. I am rewarded for my hard work with time off as well as special deals around the course. He listens to my concerns and takes them into consideration for the future and most importantly installs a motivating drive in me by acknowledging the things that I did well and teaching me how to get better at the things that I struggle with. This goes for both on the clock work as well as any questions I have for him outside of the golf course as well.

I had found an article that talks about how skewed the Hawthorne effect can be because it is human nature to act different if they know they are part of an experiment of any kind, but it talks about how vital it is in the management field to be able to communicate and listen to your employees concerns or likes about the job in order to in return, maintain max production for the entire shift each and every day. Practicing this within your field will allow for management to have a better understanding on how to motivate each and every employee. This leads to may positive outcomes such as better attendance, better production, and better communication.

Sources:

“Hawthorne Effect.” Observation Bias. N.p., n.d. Web. 18 July 2019.

After watching the video about the Hawthorne Effect, I realized how my recent job as a tutor counselor for RAHI meets many of the aspects of the Hawthorne Effect. When I first heard about the Rural Alaska Honors Institute program, I was a bit nervous about working as a tutor counselor due to all the pressure and responsibilities that I will be handed. The average amount of students that get in the program is about 50 students. Working with this amount of students seemed dreadful. However, the program director, Denise Wartes, changed my perspective and viewpoints about the program. She explained to me how working for RAHI can be very beneficial to me due to my college major, which is elementary education. The program can help build my foundation about my knowledge of working with students, except they are high school students. Working as a tutor and a counselor for this program can help me develop stronger communication and people skills which are essential skills for people who are pursuing an education degree. Some of the other benefits from my job are free housing, free meals, up to 20 hours of overtime, and being able to do fun outdoor activities such as canoeing, white water rafting in Denali, and a trip to the hot springs. Working with the students and receiving all these benefits are what motivated me to become one of RAHI’s most effective TCs (tutor counselor).

Moving on to the question of the supervisor who inspired and motivated me in my job to become one of RAHI’s best TCs, Denise Wartes is the one who inspired me to make a change in rural students’ lives through the program. Although she has retired and handed the throne to a different person, she continues to inspire more people to work in the program to help rural communities to achieve their goals, to send students to college to pursue higher education after graduating from high school. Wartes’ ability to keep everyone motivated is outstanding. She pushes everyone out of their shells to improve their work performance with the students. One of her advice to me during my first summer working as a tutor counselor is to keep socializing with the students to help them feel more comfortable around me. There are certain rules in RAHI that students and TCs should never overlook and that is making sure that everyone gets their sleep. However, when students are stressing about homework and want to keep working on it pass their curfew, that’s when I started breaking the rule because sleep is not going to do their homework for them. Wartes talked to me about how it’s fine to break these rules, as long as its for the students’ benefits and for the best. Wartes is one of those people who would allow rules to be broken as long as it’s not creating negative impacts on the workplace. She would always say the line “students come first’ and that’s what inspired me to continue working as a tutor counselor in RAHI. Denise Wartes’ ability to help her employees become a better version of themselves is the reason why I look up to her as one of the most inspiring and motivating people I know.

Resource:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D3pDWt7GntI&feature=youtu.be

After reviewing the Hawthorne Studies video, for this week’s Class Discussion, what, if any, has been your experience with the Hawthorne effect on a job.

I can defiantly say that the Hawthorne effect can be either a negative or positive in different situations. When I first started working at my job, they were in the transition from having “sections’ to “dynamic floor coverage.’ At first it was terrible, they micromanaged your every move and I felt like I couldn’t get a break. Everything I did, either good or bad, they had something to say about it. Until we got a new SM and “dynamic floor coverage’ wasn’t new anymore, they let us finally learn from our mistakes. They stepped off and let us be our own bosses. Now I work harder and smarter with them supervising me from a far.

1) Describe a supervisor who inspired and motivated you — what were their characteristics or actions that made such a positive impact?

The supervisors I have currently at my job are very inspiring and motivating while making work fun! They treat everyone with respect and truly want what’s best for there team. They always ask how I’m doing and remember details about me, my vision and goals, and life events. They really consider any of my needs and try there best to keep me satisfied. Being how amazing they are and the company itself, I have worked for them for almost three years, and strive to be my best everyday. I hope I can be as caring, determined, goal motivated, and easy going as my supervisors.

After reviewing the Hawthorne Studies video, for this week’s Class Discussion, what, if any, has been your experience with the Hawthorne effect on a job?

I can’t say I’ve experienced the Hawthorne effect within a job setting because the work I get paid for is not supervised. However, I have definitely experienced the Hawthorne effect in the realm of sports. At the start of preseason for Men’s Basketball, we would have player-only open gyms because our head coach had not arrived into town yet. In these open gyms, I was not concerned in the slightest about my shot selection. Additionally, I would take it easy on defense for a couple plays here and there. However, once our new head coach came in I was very selective with my shots (making sure I was taking quality shots) and upped  my defense to an intensity no one could match. This behavior was encouraged by the fact that I knew our head coach was watching and I wanted to make sure I impressed him.

1) Describe a supervisor who inspired and motivated you — what were their characteristics or actions that made such a positive impact?

A supervisor who inspired and motivated me dates back to when I was in high school working as a busser at Amazing Jakes. James, the name of my supervisor, was one of the most upbeat and energetic individuals I have ever met. He never seemed to have a bad day and would make light out of any situation, no matter how bad it was. His ability to be so optimistic and encouraging regardless of the circumstance inspired me to be the same way, not only in the workplace but also in everyday life.

After reviewing the Hawthorne studies video, for this week’s class discussion, what, if any, has even your experience with the Hawthorne effect on the job?

In my past work experiences, I have definitely seen the Hawthorne effect in action. The Hawthorne effect can be either positive or negative depending on the context of your work environment. I have experienced both the positive and negative effects in my past jobs. I remember at a previous job our management was monitoring us very closely and ultimately decided to take our chairs away in an attempt to boost productivity with the expectation of increased sales. This negatively impacted the team to the point where people were considering leaving. Morale was down and the exact opposite result was yielded. People just weren’t as inclined to push sales since they were forced to stand all day with minimal breaks.

2) Describe a supervisor who was a poor supervisor (un-motivating, indecisive, uncaring, etc.) — what were their characteristics or actions that made you feel that way?  

I used to work for the Food & Beverage department of a catering company. This was literally the worst experience I have ever had with a manager/supervisor. My manager was always in such a mood and could never tone her voice down so she was always yelling at her employees. She never understood that employees have limits and would constantly be putting the pressure on you to work faster and harder even though there was no incentive to do so. It was obvious that she let her feelings and personal matters affect her behavior at work. There were times where it was clear she had been drinking which put her into an even worse state. Upper management never did anything to address her since she was there for so long. She was un-motivating, uncaring, reckless, and above all rude. I am glad to no longer be apart of that destructive environment.

I’m a firm believer in the Hawthorne study/effect and have been practicing it for the past twenty years in my own business.   By just paying attention, listening, and including your employees (individuals) one can expect dedication and loyalty in return. Not to mention increased productivity.   My belief to being a successful manager is having, or developing, the ability to listen, and respect, the individuals you work with.   I developed this management style only after working with a number of unskilled supervisors, promising myself I would not repeat the same poor methods once starting my own business.

**Describe a supervisor who was a poor supervisor (un-motivating, indecisive, uncaring, etc.) — what were their characteristics or actions that made you feel that way?

I’ve had a number of poor supervisors over the years.   Ones that leave little room for growth; micro-manage every move; no one is right except the manager; input refused; the supervisor’s way or the highway.   Supervisors of this nature in turn receive little to no respect, lack of loyalty, see a high turnover rate in staffing.   Managers of this style also see little respect from upper management which in turn only fuels the manager to take it out on their subordinates.   In all reality I owe my success to all the lack luster managers I ever worked with.

After reviewing the Hawthorne Studies video, for this week’s Class Discussion, what, if any, has been your experience with the Hawthorne effect on a job?

I tend to do my best work when I don’t have someone looking over my shoulder. I feel as though whoever is watching me is trying to micromanage me. I find that if someone is micromanaging me, I am less likely to want to do a good job because I perceive it as their work not my own. So, in these terms the when I feel I am being watched I am less productive. This is due to me feeling like I can’t make something that is mine. Personally, when I can take ownership over something, I get invested and do a better job. In this regard this the Hawthorne Effect has the opposite impact on me as it did on the people in the video.

Describe a supervisor who inspired and motivated you — what were their characteristics or actions that made such a positive impact?

I worked at McDonalds when I was about 16 to buy my first car. I had a boss that really help motivate me to do a good job. He was super charismatic and always cheerful. He was always happy to see his employees and would always make sure to let them know they are doing a good job. When someone would mess up, he would never lose his temper. Instead he would give constructive criticism and would help them out to make sure they know how to do it properly next time. This helped motivate the team to work harder and really improved morale. He also treated me as an equal and as a teenager that respect was something, I desired from adults but never really got. All of these things made him a really good boss.

After reviewing the Hawthorne Studies video, for this week’s Class Discussion, what, if any, has been your experience with the Hawthorne effect on a job?   Answer this question and then choose one of the following to answer:

I do notice that I am more productive when my supervisors are around and are monitoring my work. My supervisor does a great job of motivating everyone at work and keeping the mood positive. That is why I have been at my current position for almost 4 years.

1) Describe a supervisor who inspired and motivated you — what were their characteristics or actions that made such a positive impact?

The supervisors I have had in the past that were the most motivating were very friendly, funny, and helpful. I felt like they cared about me and every worker as a person instead of looking at us as if we were slaves to the job. My current supervisor has been incredibly flexible with my school schedule and ensures I am consistently scheduled, even though I am not guarenteed hours as a PRN technician. Her willingness to work with me over the years has motivated me to work hard while at work and to stay employed there up until moving next year. I know I can rely on her to schedule me so that I stay financially supported.

What, if any, has been your experience with the Hawthorne effect on a job?

I am currently an intern with the Department of Transportation & Public Facilities and have been pleasantly surprised by the way the state treats their employees. During a normal work day, we get two fifteen minute breaks and an hour lunch break. These breaks allow us to refresh our minds and come back focused. Research shows that a 15-20 minute break increases focus and energy levels. The person is more productive, creative, and efficient with breaks throughout the day than not. Even the smallest break away from one’s screen or a moment of distraction can reenergize the brain (Harness, 2013). I have yet to experience a job without breaks, but I do know that I can’t handle a brain overload. When I have long homework days during the weekend, I take a lap around the building every hour. The break gives my brain time to retain the previous information and clear up for more. The breaks on paper may seem unproductive at a corporate level, but humans aren’t machines and they benefit greatly from workplace changes that cater to human needs.

1) Describe a supervisor who inspired and motivated you — what were their characteristics or actions that made such a positive impact?

I haven’t had a great or poor supervisor. Most of my jobs have consisted of independent work and general supervision. I haven’t needed much from them; and as long as I did my job, they didn’t need much from me. So far, the supervisors I have worked under have cared about my needs and have been supportive of my plans. They listen to my ideas and give me a chance to better the workplace. I’ve been given raises due to my work initiative and ability to find something beneficial to do even during down times. I think the greatest supervisors are the ones who have the experience to teach you, but also are able to stand on equal grounds with you. The supervisors who see you more than just a worker and understand that life throws curve balls, are the ones who have employees that want to come back to work everyday and work hard. The jobs I have had so far are seasonal with a lot of turnover. Developing a relationship is hard, but I leave the job on good terms and always receive a great reference from previous employers. I think the relationship is a two way street and you have to give back what you want to receive.

Citation:

Harness, Jill. “The Importance of Breaks At Work.’ Lifehack, Lifehack, 9 June 2013, www.lifehack.org/articles/work/the-importance-breaks-work.html.

After reviewing the Hawthorne studies video, for this week’s class discussion, what, if any, has even your experience with the Hawthorne effect on the job?

The Hawthorne effect can have a great effect on a work environment if used correctly. Unfortunately, I have experienced when a management team of a preschool I worked for tried to improve the work environment with small changes, but the one factor they missed was making changes that employees did not ask for. Instead of trying to work schedules that caused less havoc in the classroom they just continued to float people around making it harder for children to create a bond with teachers because they never knew who was going to be in the classroom on any given day. Not only did this effect the children but also the parents would become frustrated while who to give information to about their child, and of course the staff resulting in increasingly high turn over rate. Instead of making changes like different coffee in the break room that seemed to increase moral a productivity for maybe a week, the management team would have accomplished more if finding a way to get to the root of the problem.  

1. Describe a supervisor who was a poor supervisor (un-motivating, indecisive, uncaring, etc) – what were their characteristics or actions that made you feel that way?

Unfortunately, my first experience with a “grown-up job’ was with a poor supervisor. I worked in a preschool staffed with over 20 females and only 1 male. This proved to be a very interesting atmosphere that was typically not very positive solely because the women were extremely gossipy. I ended up working there for over 3 years and continually became more and more run down with each passing year. By my one and half year mark I had become a lead teacher for a classroom and was reporting directly to the supervisor of the center. When I would come to her with concerns she did not validate my concerns and in response would reverse the situation back to me and make me feel like I was being selfish, or that I did not have a valued opinion because I did not have children so “I could not understand how it feels to be a Mother or have a child’.  

Not only did this make me more frustrated, but if similar situations would arise I would not want to share them with my supervisor because I knew my concerns would not be addressed and my voice would not be validated or even heard, simply because I am not a Mother.  

It was worse because the problem was not just happening to myself but other teachers in my same situation of not having children of our own, ever though we cared for the children in our classrooms as our own. The supervisor and management team would try to up the moral of the center by having lunch ins or having small parties around lunchtime but these quickly burned out as most people would just sneak in for the food and sneak back out without actually socializing.  

At the time I knew the job was causing tremendous stress on myself and my partner. Thankfully I know have a new job that has been a dream of my for as long as I could remember that I never thought would come true and I have never once looked back.  

One thing that I have experienced is that when people have a supervisor that is willing to discuss the job with them, the workers are more willing to ask questions and comment on different parts of the job. In past jobs, this has allowed me to have a better understanding of the bigger picture. One such job involved digging trenches between two poles. Because of the interactions I had with the supervisor, I knew that the trenches were being dug to help replace the ground system for a radio tower. As a result, digging the trenches did not seem like busy work and it allowed me to learn about things that are involved in replacing a radio tower.

One supervisor who inspires and motivates me is the one that I worked under when I helped out with a children’s program. Our job was to provide snacks to the children. Through this job, she taught me that is important to respect everyone’s opinion. My supervisor would asked me about my opinion involving the size of the snack and about future snack ideas. While children preferred sugary snacks like cookies, the teachers preferred snacks like pretzels. In order to try to satisfy both preferences, my supervisor would arrange a sugary snack one week and a healthier snack the following week. As a result, she inspired me to ask others for their opinions and then respect those opinions.

1) It was a tough decision to choose one supervisor who motivated me because I had two leaders who inspired me too improve, as a workers and person. The most current of the two is a former store manager at Walmart here in Fairbanks, now the GM at Cold Spot, “Timbo.” Timbo was a guest speaker in my International Business class last semester so I thought too write about some of the traits he demonstrated as my former boss. Timbo was very people first oriented, the customers and associates come before the bottom line, which is why he doesn’t work at Walmart anymore. As a manager, Timbo lead by example. The former store manager came from the humbling bottom of the store position ranks, dedication to hard work and adaptability allowed his ascension. He recognized it took a team to get him where he is and where the store needs to be so we were treated like a team. Working for Timbo felt like working with him, as Hawthorne improved productivity by giving a voice to the employees, Timbo listened to feedback and genuinely cared. Empathy and understanding are two of the many ingredient in elevating moral. Bosses are everywhere, but leaders like Timbo are hard to find. I took a couple traits from him and I even improved a couple others with him influence. It was a pleasure, if I owned a dog I’d visit him more.

2) This was also a tough decision because there are so many. Sometimes I learn from other peoples mistakes, even if they don’t think it is a mistake. I can stick with Walmart for this part too. Some bosses rule by fear and demands instead of respect and teamwork, using their position to demonstrate the negativity of egoism. This particular former Co-manager and I butted heads a lot, most because his demands involved self-interest and lack of knowledge. As the front end manager my style focused on the customer and front end employees, while he focused on himself. A know it all of all trades, he wouldn’t except input and made changes to plans that we constantly corrected later. He was unapproachable and many avoided prolong interactions with him. I learned from him the results of not treating others with respect, unaware narcissist isn’t ideal for moral building. He ones overestimated his perceived retail power, approving something only state law power can do, and after he fired me for me calling out his mistake. After he approved an expired state license he was let go because it wasn’t a store policy he broke, it was a law. I became a lead at Lowes where I continued to practice customer service and he moved to Florida. That full story taught me to never give up my ethics, it did cost me a job but stuck to my job instead of compromising. I learn from the ghost of supervisors past, even the bad ones.

What, if any, has been your experience with the Hawthorne effect on a job?

The Hawthorne effect in the job setting is when worker productivity increases as improvements are made to the work environment. I have experienced this effect within a job before working in food service at a restaurant. When I first started the job, the work schedule was unorganized and there was a lot of miscommunication between employees. The work environment was also messy most of the time and not being cleaned as much as it should have. The boss did not seem to have much concern for these issues at the time. Once he realized how out of hand things were getting, he decided to step in and communicate with all employees. After a staff meeting, we came up with solutions to each of these issues. A cleaning schedule was implemented and two employees took the responsibility of making the work schedule. Once these solutions were implemented, all employees became more productive and it felt like a friendly environment to work in. We all felt respected because we all voiced how we felt and changes were made immediately.

2) Describe a supervisor who was a poor supervisor (un-motivating, indecisive, uncaring, etc.) — what were their characteristics or actions that made you feel that way?

I have had a poor supervisor that seemed to take on the theory X managerial style. They had poor communicating skills with employees and when confronted about issues, the supervisor only seemed to make the situation worse. This supervisor would leave passive aggressive messages about an employee that was made available for other employees to view. The supervisor would talk negatively about past employees to current ones. When asked for help or clarification, this supervisor would expect us to know these things without asking and became frustrated when we did ask. When discussing with other employees about the situation, we all agreed that we felt fearful when the supervisor was around and that some of us have tried communicating with the supervisor, but that only seemed to anger this supervisor even more. Although this job experience was not the most positive, it taught me how to work with others under such circumstances and appreciate future bosses. I learned early on that every job will have its downfalls, but it is important to look at the positives and try to communicate in the most effective way possible.