Radio age research, manufacturing, communications, broadcasting, television (1941)

job. In order to match the two, the personal specifications setting forth the duties of the job must be as complete as the job analysis. No matter how carefully women are selected, we may fail to make maximum use of them unless we remember two other points. Men and women differ not only in mus- cular strength, but also in emotion- al and social attitudes. Women also differ from men in that they have had less industrial experience than men. and have, therefore, a lack of mechanical familiarity—not neces- sarily less mechanical ability than men. The supervisor who recognizes and allows for the natural charac- teristics of women, at the same time carefully observing the quality of their job performance, is the one who will find his increased force of women employees most valuable. As evidence of the company's def- inite interest in using woman- power most effectively. Miss Fran- ces R. Whitney has been added to the staff of the Division of Person- nel Planning and Research. Her definite responsibility will be that of serving as consultant and advisor to plant managers, personnel di- rectors and others on personnel re- lations, skill utilization and train- ing methods for women. Miss Whitney has had a rich experience in employment, training, and re- search fields. She is a graduate of Mount Holyoke. It might be noted that in the eleven-month period ending late last year, prior to the full-swing in- auguration of the present educa- tional program, the number of women employees at all RCA Victor plants increased from approximate- ly 10,UOO to more than 13,.">00. That increase came about through rou- tine methods of employment: help wanted ads, the United States Em- [iloyment Service, recommendations by present employees and similarly obvious channels. Now the intensive training courses are being supplied by a well-planned employment depart- ment search for available women, reaching out among high school graduates, the Y.W.C.A., women's clubs, churches and related organi- zations. Assuming an increasing shortage of man-power, it is more than likely that the rate of employ- ment of women workers also will increase. Vestibule Training Used More than two-thirds of all the employees at the Harrison plant are women, and, since they are particu- larly fitted for the work of radio tube making performed there, that percentage may also be expected to increase. It was at Harrison, inci- dentally, that RCA Victor first in- stituted "vestibule training." As the name implies, this is designed to point the applicant to many doors of opportunity and to shorten the time between initial employment and full productive capacity. Though statistics are not yet avail- able, there is plenty of evidence that a tremendous savings of time al- ready has been made, and this will increase with experience. Vestibule training is also being used at the Bloomington plant. Some industrialists have been ap- prehensive—and man.v still may be —that the presence of women in the shops would reduce the efficiency of the male workers, either by dis- tracting their attention or stirring up resentment. The experience of RCA Victor has Ijeen directly to the contrary, when the women are properly placed. A woman at a task she likes adds to her initial patri- otic enthusiasm a power of concen- tration that in many instances acts as an incentive to the men. This spirit of patriotism also is a poten- tial inspirational force. A man working in the same shop as a woman with sons and perh.ips grandsons in the services, or a boy friend in the Marines, is not likely to feel like taking it easy. There are certain other contribu- tions women workers make as oper- ators in the shops, other than their output. As a rule their benches are likely to be cleaner, and more neat and orderly, than those occupied by men. This makes for higher effi- ciency, because it helps reduce lost motion in looking for tools and parts which are not in their proper places. That women, by and large, have less physical strength than men is a recognized fact. It has been found, however, that engineering adjustments made to offset this fac- tor have at times made possible an increase in production by male em- ployees engaged on similar opera- tions. Such adjustments have also reduced accident rates, thus proving of double benefit to the depart- ment's production record. All in all, women in industry are more than measuring up to their job standards: they are even setting new high standards in spir- it, skill and efliciency. RCA Victoi welcomes them. ALL THROUGH THE RCA VICTOR ORGANIZATION. AS MORE MEN ENTER THE ARMED SERVICES, WOMEN ARE BEING GIVEN NEW RESPONSIBILITIES. MISS LUCY GRACICK (LEFT) SUPERVISES A GROUP OF TWENTY GIRLS AT CAMDEN; MISS MARY FRANCES ROLL (CENTER) IS EMPLOYMENT MANAGER AT BLOOMINGTON, AND MISS MARY M. RUPP IS SENIOR INTERVIEWER AT LANCASTER. PENN.