What Is Classical Vs Human Relation Approaches To Management?

The two approaches to management differ in their methods of going about their business. The classical approach looks more towards getting the job done. However, the human relation approach (otherwise known as behavioural) looks at the wellbeing of the workforce and their needs.

Developed through the Industrial Revolution, the classical approach to management originated from having to deal with any complications that arose in the new factories. They were using this method to establish the most efficient way of completing the tasks that were set in front of them.

The classical approach was used to tell workers how to do their job in a way that gets the most amount of work done. In retrospect, the modern day has recognised that this was not sustainable to treat a workforce like they were merely another set of machines in the factory.

The human relation approach took virtually the opposite spin on management. This method focuses much more on the workforce themselves and their needs. It was theorised that if the management were to find the best and most comfortable way for the employees to work, this in turn would promote a great degree of work ethic and productivity.

In doing this they focused very much on the needs of the workforce. They ensured that the environment they worked in was completely safe; that the workers were did not have their physical or mental health compromised as a result of their working environment.

They also worked on improving the self-esteem and self-confidence of their workforce. This would involve a great degree of encouragement and recognition for the work that they were doing. It was suggested that this was a far greater approach to securing more productivity because the workforce felt much more motivated and obliged to do their very best for the management.

The classical management approach was developed during the Industrial Revolution in order to cope with the problems that arose in the factories. The classical approach attempted to find the best way form performing and managing tasks. It consisted of classical scientific school and the classical administrative school. This approach suggested the development of standard methods for doing jobs and the people were trained and they worked more like machines. Every person has his own specialized work and he had to do it. This approach emphasized on the work element and did not see the workers as human beings but machines.

The Human Relations school of management started focusing on the humans working on the tasks. This aimed at increasing the work productivity through collaboration and it saw work as a group activity. This approach also used the most popular Maslow’s hierarchy of needs which stated that every human being has some needs which affects his performance and motivation. These needs in the order from the most basic are Physiological needs, Safety needs, Social needs, Esteem needs and Self-actualization needs.

In education management discuss briefly the views of classical theories and human relation theories in relation with educational management.

Behavioral approach to management