The workingman's advocate. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1864-1877, 1873-01-18
A Pew Hints to Foremen.

To manage a gang u men properly u I
matter that requires a more thorough
know ledge If human nature than falls Il
the lot ii the majority of foremen. The
Riiirodd Ga-stte says There are hundred,
Of tOrne who imagine that a great deal Of
noise, buster and profanity is necessary e
secure the performance of the greatest
amount of honest labor This is a griev
ou error.
If any one will take notice Of gang "
men whose foreman Is sour, cross and surly,
whose mouth is always full Of oaths on the
slightest provocation, either fancied OF real,
it will be seen that the men care little fol
what they are doing They always keep al
least one eye on the boss, and as soon al
his back a turned they commence to
''soldier" at once If he leaves them q
while, they are not anxious to make good
showing on his return, for they are sure OF
a season If abuse, however faithful they
may have been in his absence, There IA
nothing to encourage them to extra exer-
tions, and all they care about is to get
along az easily az possible until pay day.
Honest, sklllful WOrkmen are not likely
to stay with such man any longer they
are obliged to, and such foreman can sell
dom keep other than a gang Of reckless,
third-rate workmen together. They are
continually in trouble hut little work is
done, and that in a slovenly manner. These
kind ~ men usually manage their work
without system or regularity The men 70
in each others way they get each other u
tools they take hold Of things at the
wrong end everything is hurry and con-
fusion, and the foreman imagines that be-
cause he has made great deal Of noise
and the men have eXerteO themselves tre-
mendously he has accomplished wonders,
vile in reality he has done but little.
AT times dozen men are set to perform
what might easily he done by half that
number at another time a halt dozen men
are expected to DO what would require the
united effort Of twice that number. These
foremen do not know how much a man cal
or ought t. do. They 20 to work on a Jot
headlOng without exercising forethoughi
or judgment, and the latter IL seldom pos
sessed by the class Of men in question.
These men have high opinion Of theil
ability, when the fact is they are a positive
injury TO persons who may be 10 unfortu-
nate as to employ them
If foreman Is uf kind disposition,
possessed Of a cool head and good judg
ment, with a friendly feeling existing be-
tween himself and the men under his
charge, they need no urging i'll case Of
emergency. cool headed man is usually
possessed of good judgment, and knows
how to place men 80 that they can work to
good advantage Every move counts, and
work is rapidly performed without any
seeming hurry. whereas the snarly, quick
tempered man vii worry and fret botl
himself and every one around him, and
accomplish but little. Good nature il in
dispensable to the successful management
of workmen, but 1t should be accompanied
with sufficient tirmness and decision to pre-
I vent any undue liberties on the part Of tht
workmen.
In the machine shop, the foreman VII,
has the last mentioned qualifications vii
have everything shIp-shape. Every work
man knows what would dlsplease the
boss, and takes especial pains to have
everything in good order. He does hi
work in the best manner, both for thu
praise he expects to receive from his fore
man and the interest he feels in the vel
fare Of hiS employers.
When a workman knows that faithful
honest labor is appreciated, he is not sloV
to take lively interest III the work il
hand, and ii Is ii great Importance tina
individuals Ur corporations employ no fore
men who are continually at war with tn
men under their charge.