What does Human Relations Theory emphasize regarding job design and its impact on staff?

• A. Job requirements and conditions have profound psychological consequences on staff, affecting their attitude toward the job and coworkers and thereby job performance.
• B. Profit maximization is the primary driver of organizational systems.
• C. Strict hierarchical control is sufficient to ensure high morale.
• D. Training and development are irrelevant to job attitudes.

Answer: (A)

Human Relations theory stresses that how a job is designed and the social context of work shape workers' feelings, attitudes, and performance. When tasks are meaningful, offer some autonomy, provide clear feedback, and foster positive coworker relationships, employees become more engaged and motivated, which improves both their attitude toward the job and their actual performance. This is why the statement about job requirements and conditions having profound psychological consequences on staff, affecting their attitude toward the job and coworkers and thereby job performance, is the best description. The other ideas miss the human-centered focus: profit maximization overlooks people; strict hierarchical control undervalues social factors that influence morale; and claiming training and development are irrelevant ignores how growth and learning affect attitudes.