NAB reports (Jan-Dec 1942)

tion or conspiracy, to refuse to make or manufacture or refuse to eng-age in the making or manufacture of phono¬ graph records, electrical transcriptions, or other forms of recordation, if a purpose or effect of the contract, agree¬ ment, conspiracy, or combination is to limit or curtail the supply or use of phonograph records, electrical transcrip¬ tions, or other form of recordation by radio-broadcasting stations or coin-operated phonographs: Provided, That no such contract, agreement, conspiracy, or combination shall bo considered unlawful if it is based on a dispute concern¬ ing' compensation, hours, health, safety, or conditions of employment. Sec. 2. Any violation of the provisions of this Act shall be punishable by a fine not exceeding $5,000 or by impris¬ onment for not more than one year, or both. Sec. 3. This Act shall remain in force during the con¬ tinuance of the present war and for six months after termi¬ nation of the war, or until such earlier time as the Con¬ gress by concurrent resolution or the President may desig¬ nate. War Problems MANPOWER An official of Selective Service National Headquarters, testifying before the Senate Military Affairs Committee early this week, stated the manpower problems of the na¬ tion can be expected to become critical in January or February of 1943. As the manpower situation becomes more acute it is be¬ lieved that broadcasters, along with other industries, vrill broaden the employment opportunities for women. Partial tabulation of the early replies to the NAB Man¬ power Survey indicate an increase in the employment of w'omen technicians and operators of more than 1200%, during the period covered by the survey. This trend clearly indicates the importance of proper selection and training of women for these and other positions in broad¬ cast stations. An article entitled “Do You Understand Women?” ap¬ pearing in the September 1942 issue of RADIO RETAIL¬ ING TODAY contains many helpful suggestions and is repi'inted with the publisher’s permission. “Day by day, more and more men are giving up their peacetime pursuits to ‘join the colors’ and take an active part in fighting to preserve our way of life. Yet business and industry, must go on. It must go on to provide the civil population with the necessities of life and of living. Men must do our fighting on the battle fronts, and women must do their full share in business, in produc¬ tion and in taking a man’s job on the home front. Women are taking the places of more fighting men in the Army. The WAACs will make a real contribution to Army administration. The WAVES are soon to take their places in the shore establishment of the Navy. Women are taking the places of men in industry, in manufacturing everything from zippers to airplanes, and doing a fine job. Women have made more radio tubes and radio sets than men ever will. Many business men still harbor some prejudices against women in some jobs, but these are fast disappearing in the lig:ht of their performance. Light work, hard work, hand work, head work, machine work, office work, all now are women’s work. Certainly, you have to train them, thoroughly and care¬ fully. But first you have to select them. Natural Aptitudes Most women have a high degree of hand dexterity, and fine coordination of hand and eye. But some are clumsy 622 — October 30, 1942 and awkward. Most women have infinite patience, and excel at detail and repetitive work. But many do not. You’ll run into just as much trouble putting the wrong woman on a job as you would in putting the wrong man on the same job. Because most women have not had the experience, you must be prepared to train them to bring out the full ad¬ vantage of their natural aptitudes. In the selection of personnel there is no good reason why sex should be any more important a factor than nationality, or religion, given equal education and intelli¬ gence. Seek Necessary Qualifications Bear in mind when selecting women to replace men, that “beauty” is the poorest of all measures of ability. Very often, you will find, that “beauty and brains” are like “oil and water.” Neatness is highly desirable in any employee. Women must be selected for their job as workers, not as women and they must be trained, disciplined and super¬ vised on the same basis. It’s true, of course, that the female psychology is some¬ what different from that of the male. And so the meth¬ ods of discipline and supervision must be adjusted accord¬ ingly. Women should be tested and fitted to their jobs by the same standards as men. That is, the same qualities are necessary to fit a woman for a particular job as for a man. You may find that quality more frequently in women than in men. But they may not always be present. So you must look for them. Careful Supervision Women in business expect to be treated like the work¬ ers and humans they are, with respect and impersonally. Preferences to some are quickly resented by others and in a way which can quickly cause trouble and confusion. Rules, regulations, privileges must be uniform. Most women do not have as high a sense of safety as do men ; they shortcut the safety rules, have more minor accidents, fewer really serious ones, than do men. Thus they create the necessity for moi-e constant and careful supervision on machine or productive work. And this supervision presents a different problem where women are involved. They are more sensitive, more nervous than men. Sharp criticism for an error may produce hysterics which lasts for 10 minutes, “nerves” which lasts for 10 days and resentment which lasts for 10 weeks. A woman is always to be preferred to a man, as a supervisor of women. More women are working today than ever before, and their number is fast increasing. Women have tackled every job within their physical ability, and their records of performance are outstanding, in every line of endeavor. Getting Results These records are uniformly better in the larger or¬ ganizations than in the smaller ones. This is true because in the larger organizations women are more carefully selected, their individual abilities more accurately meas¬ ured, their assignment to jobs more scientifically done, their training more thoroughly given. And this boils down to the fact that in most jobs, the factors of intelligence, education, training, are far more important than sex in fitting a worker to a job. Not Permanent Prospects But women are women — for all that, and differ from men in viewpoint, and in emotional equilibrium. These factors must always be kept in mind. Business, or industry to most women is a temporary thing. For nature has endowed w'omen with the maternal instinct, which must look upon home, and mate, and family, as the permanent state to which they aspire. There are some exceptions, of course. And so, in employing women, do not make the mistake of placing too much dependence upon any one, so far as certainty of continuity of service is concerned.