CHAPTEE V
PERSONNEL
35.
AFACTORY foreman explained to me his method
of securing and keeping proper help. If possible,
he hired only unskilled labor; that is, he took on
only laborers and boys. A newly hired, unskilled
worker was shifted about all over the department,
wherever there might be need of his labor. Whenever
there was an opportunity, this foreman would
place some of his unskilled workers as learners with
men who were doing skilled work. He kept some kind
of a record, perhaps only mental, of the proficiency
shown by these learners at the various operations of
the department. If one of them showed more ability
along one line than along others, his instruction was
specialized as much as possible along the line of his
fitness. When a vacancy occurred among the helpers,
or among other workers having a small degree of skill,
the boy or laborer who had shown the most skill in that
work was moved up into it, and a new unskilled worker
was taken on. Similarly, vacancies among the skilled
men were filled from among the helpers.
By this means the foreman had built up a department
in which he thoroughly knew all of his workers,
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