Employee Engagement in One Sentence

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Feel Good Friday 29

Eleven Tips on Getting More Efficiency Out of Women Employees  (1943)

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. If you can get them, pick young married women. They have these advantages, according to the reports of western companies: they usually have more of a sense of responsibility than do their unmarried sisters; they’re less likely to be flirtatious; as a rule, they need the work or they wouldn’t be doing it – maybe a sick husband or one who’s in the army; 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. Most transportation companies have found that older women who have never contacted the public, have a hard time adapting themselves, are inclined to be cantankerous and fussy. It’s always well to impress upon older women the importance of friendliness and courtesy.

3. While there are exceptions, of course, to this rule, general experience indicates that “husky” girls – those who are just a little on the heavy side – are likely to be 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 also reveals whether the employee-to-be has any female weaknesses which would make her mentally or physically unfit for the job. Transit companies that follow this practice report a surprising number of women turned down for nervous disorders.

5. In breaking in women who haven’t previously done outside work, 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 in garage or office a definite day-long schedule of duties so that she’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 nervous and they’re happier with change.

8. Give every girl an adequate number of rest periods during the day. Companies that are already using large numbers of women stress the fact that you have to make some allowances for feminine psychology. A girl has more confidence and consequently is more efficient if she can keep her hair tidied, apply fresh lipstick and wash her hands several times a day.

9. Be tactful in issuing instructions or in making criticisms. Women are often sensitive; they can’t shrug off harsh words the way that men do. Never ridicule a woman – it breaks her spirit and cuts 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 uniforms that each girl can have a proper fit. This point can’t be stressed too strongly as a means of keeping women happy, according to western properties.

This article is real. It was written by L.H. Sanders and appeared in the July 1943 edition of Mass Transportation magazine.

Feel Good Friday 28

Anxiety can make us do some funny things…

  …and a good laugh relaxes everyone!

This wedding video is a great example of this ‘adaptive mechanism’ in action.

October Newsletter Out Now

The theme for this newsletter is endings and new beginnings:

• Are you ready for the upturn?  Implications for employers.
• Succession planning.  Who will run your business when you’re no longer able to?

Click here to read more.

Feel Good Friday 27

Many items in this series have been about the infinite variety of human creativity and endeavour.

 Today, some photos of artistic plantings of rice paddies in Japan.  You can also read a background article or view a timelapse video of how it was done.

 

 

‘SMART’ Resumes and CVs

Most people in business are familiar with SMART goals.  This simple acronym can also be applied to resumes and CVs – both your own and those of job candidates. 

SMART becomes an easy checklist that will save you a lot of time.  Ask yourself  if the resume is:

Specific – detailing achievements of the individual, not just their team or department and not too vague or generalised;

Measurable – there should be facts and figures to back up the achievements.  For example, ‘increased client base by 20% in 2 years’;

Accurate – provides information that can be substantiated.  For example, academic transcripts, references;

Relevant – the information suppied links directly to the role;

Timeframed – dates are given for different jobs, study, etc, and all time periods are taken into account.

For more help with recruitment and careers, visit our website.

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I want to be able to wake up every morning and say “What a great career I have chosen!  I love what I do!” 

The optimism, exuberance and idealism of youth!  Isn’t it wonderful? 

(This is the opening sentence of an essay I just marked as part of the Managing and Developing Careers course at UWS.  Gives you some idea of why I enjoy it.) 

Similar qualities are demonstrated by Taronga Zoo’s baby elephant Luk Chai in today’s video.

Reports that are job specific, quantified and easy to understand

The following information is an excerpt from the whitepaper ‘Best Practices in Talent Assessment’ by Dan Harrison, PhD, of Harrison Assessments International ©2008 Harrison Assessments International. For a copy of the full report, please email us.

If a behavioural assessment report simply describes the person’s behaviour or personality, each interviewer or interpreter will assign their own meaning to the behaviour or personality trait, usually based on their own bias rather than a formula of job success factors.

This seriously detracts from the benefits of job assessment. The report must be focused on the specific job requirements and provide an overall score related to the suitability of the person’s overall behavioural patterns in relationship to the specific job. This must be such that it is easy to understand and not left to the interpretation of the person reading the report.

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Need a break?

Give your tired brain a couple of minutes’ rest while you enjoy Hugh Laurie’s Bob Dylan impression.

Feel Good Friday 24

You may have read about Hugh Jackman’s reaction to a mobile phone when he was on stage in New York this week.  Here’s the footage, ironically recorded on someone else’s mobile phone – which raises a whole new set of questions…

 

I like the way Hugh and Daniel Craig stay in character throughout – what professionals!

If you agree that there are certain places it’s inappropriate to use a mobile phone, you’ll probably enjoy this ad, recorded in response to the original incident.