New Britain herald. [microfilm reel] (New Britain, Conn.) 1890-1976, 1919-01-18
CONCERN OF CITY IN LABOR TURNOVER

(By Francis P. O'Brien, director of
Americanization program IN New
Brittany
Is it worth while to attempt TO
reduce the labor turnover in factory
employment? If so, how can IT be
done? The usual experience Of the
employer is that he must in the
course of a year hire and tram q
number of employees that is much
greater than his full working force,
in order to replace the ever recur-
ring losses. There is consequently q
tremendous expense attached to such
continuous shifting Of EN- plONment,
and to the necessity Of paying new
help more than they can earn while
learning the new work, especially
since the same need is repeated in
definitely Now there is a portion of
this labor turnover which cannot and
should not be prevented. But we do
not know what that portion is. for
there is good assurance that much Of
it is undesirable and preventable.
Neither do we have any means of
reckoning the appalling disturbance
which such wholesale transiency may
bring to the social and community
welfare There is however a COM
pIete certainty that each Of us must
help to pay the cost as we buy the
manufa ctured article. and continue
to meet the high cost of living.
Perhaps many of are unin-
formed and others more or less
skeptical as to the actual cost Of the
great labor turnover. IF this is true
we do not fully appreciate the i'm
portance Of seeking a solution of this
problem. Indeed. there are many
employers who have made no care
full analysis of how many men they
hire and lose for the one that re
mains a full year. It was found
through an investigat ton reported
for one depa rtment for Favette r.
PIonb Inc. of Philadelphia, that the
excess cost to the plant of bringing
a man in off the streets and plac-
ing him in a position that was only
semi-skilled. where the average man
becomes an effective worker in
twelve weeks exceeds 500 per ex-
perienced man. A gra duated scale
of wages was in use. SO that full pay
was not reached before twelve weeks
It is also Illuminating to note that
six men were hired by this employer
for the same kind of job before OBJ
tanning one who STAYED long enough
to become skilled IT may be borne
in mind that the report states that
500 men are employed in this plant,
and its executive control as we'll as
it's factory procedure are regarded
as progressive and efficient.
The difficulty Is frequently not so
simple as is q, com plant about wages
or the kind and amount Of work.
Som etme a complete revision of the
method of hiring and firing is de-
manded. or definite reforms within
department are required. Trans
fers within plant may indicate a
practical form of wisdom is making
adjustm ents. although il is som eth hing
never ATTEMPTED by some employers.
Frequently, the changes and the loss
resolve them selves into a situation
calling for an individual interview.
a personal und acknowledgement for
meeting the needs of home or IA milv.
Here is where the human touch. that
has been wel1-nigh effectively
crowded out of big business organiza-
ton, might we'll be expected to func-
ton. Put With non-En glish- speak
ing employees the IA Glory is very
often helpless Just where the agita'
tor is most successful--in their own