Vol. 54 No. 1 (2026): Published March 30, 2025
DOI https://doi.org/10.18799/26584956/2026/1/2050
The Hawthorne effect in contemporary mentoring: how engagement and trust shape organizational social capital
Relevance. Personnel crisis and demographic challenges. The authors conduct a comprehensive analysis of the factors influencing the effectiveness of mentoring, based on the historical example of the Hawthorne Experiment (1924–1932), which first demonstrated the importance of socio-psychological aspects in increasing labor productivity. Aim. To analyze the relevance and effectiveness of the mentoring system in modern socio-economic conditions, as well as to study the influence of socio-psychological factors on the decision of young professionals to stay at enterprises after graduation. Methods. Based on an empirical study conducted at the enterprises of the Novolipetsk Iron and Steel Works group in 2022–2024, the authors identify the key conditions contributing to the retention of young professionals in production. The study involved 60 final-year students of higher and secondary vocational education institutions and their mentors. They assessed the importance of various factors (on a 9-point scale) influencing the decision of young people to stay at the enterprise after completing their studies. Results. The results showed that the important factors for students are the mentor's professionalism (1st place), his patience (2nd place) and a comfortable atmosphere in the team (5th place). Mentors primarily highlighted social guarantees and financial incentives. The findings of the article confirm that effective mentoring requires not only the transfer of professional skills, but also the creation of a favorable psychological environment. The work is of practical value for HR managers and enterprise executives, demonstrating that investments in the socio-psychological aspects of work can become a decisive factor in the fight against personnel shortages.
For citation: Seletsky E.B., Nedospasova O.P. The Hawthorne effect in contemporary mentoring: how engagement and trust shape organizational social capital. Journal of Wellbeing Technologies. 2026, vol. 54, no. 1, pp. 49−64. https://doi.org/10.18799/26584956/2026/1/2050
Keywords:
mentoring, Hawthorne experiment, labor potential, socio-psychological factors, employee motivation, labor efficiency, young professionals, labor shortage
References:
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