11
TIPS ON GETTING MORE EFFICIENCY FROM WOMEN EMPLOYEES
*The following is an excerpt from the July
1943 issue of Transportation. This was serious, and written for male supervisors of women
in the work force during World War II - a mere 54 years ago!
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're less likely
to be flirtatious, they need the work or they wouldn't be doing it, they still have the
pep and interest to work hard 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 female 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 of 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. Whenever 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 criticisms. 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
vociferously, she'll grow to dislike a place of 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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