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1943 GUIDE TO HIRING WOMEN
The
following is an excerpt from the July 1943 issue of "Transportation Magazine".
This
was written for male supervisors of women in the work force during World War
II.
Eleven
Tips on Getting More Efficiency Out of Women Employees;
There's
no longer any question whether transit companies should hire women for jobs
formerly held by men. The draft and manpower shortage has settled that point.
The important things now are to select the most efficient women available and
how to use them to the best advantage.
Here
are eleven helpful tips on the subject from Western Properties.
1. Pick young
married women. They usually have more of a sense of responsibility than their
unmarried sisters, They are less likely to be flirtatious, they need the work
or they wouldn't be doing it, they still have the pep and interest to hard work
and to deal with the public efficiently.
2. When you
have to use older women try to get ones who have worked outside the home at
some time in their lives. Older women who have never contacted the public have
a hard time adapting themselves and are inclined to be cantankerous and fussy.
It's always well to impress upon older women the importance of friendliness and
courtesy.
3. General
experience indicates that "husky" girls - those who are just a little
on the heavy side - are more even tempered and efficient than their underweight
sisters.
4. Retain a
physician to give each woman you hire a special physical examination - one
covering feminine conditions. This step not only protects the property against
the possibilities of lawsuit, but reveals whether the employee-to-be has any
female weaknesses which would make her mentally or physically unfit for the job.
5. Stress at
the outset the importance of time, the fact that a minute or two lost here and there makes serious inroads on schedules. Until this point is gotten across,
service is likely to be slowed up.
6. Give the
female employee a definite day-long schedule duties so that they'll keep busy
without bothering the management for instructions every few minutes. Numerous
properties say that women make excellent workers when they have their jobs cut
out for them but that they lack initiative in finding work themselves.
7. Wherever
possible let the inside employee change from one job to another at some time
during the day. Women are inclined to be less nervous and happier with change.
8. Give every
girl an adequate number of rest periods during the day. You have to make some
allowances for feminine psychology. A girl has more confidence and is more
efficient if she can keep her hair tidied, apply fresh lipstick and wash her
hands several times a day.
9. Be tactful
when issuing instructions or in making critisims. Women are often sensitive: they can't shrug off harsh words the way men do. Never ridicule a woman - it
breaks her spirit and cuts off her efficiency.
10. Be
reasonably considerate about using strong language around women. Even though a
girl's husband or father may swear, she'll grow to dislike a place or business
where she hears too much of this.
11. Get enough
size variety in operator's uniforms so that each girl can have a proper fit.
This point can't be stressed too much in keeping women happy.
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