Perth Amboy evening news., 1922-05-17
ELLEN YOUNG
DOCTOR OF SALES
BY Ruth Leigh
Author OF "The Human Side of Re-
tail Selling" The A B c Of Retail
ing" etc.

When a Rey, general manager
of Williams & Gum store. told Ellen
Young hat three employees had left
the night before without giving any
reason, the sales doctor was amazed
that Mr.. 1vey did not try to find out
the reason.
why. it's tremendously impor-
tant to any concern to learn the
reason for its labor turnover. Per-
, haps there's something wrong with
your store. Did you ever think oi
that?"
"Oh, 1 don't know. We're pretty
decent to our people"
Yes, but consider the expense OF
this neutrality-suspicious. bus
iness," Ellen Young pointed out
Don't you realize, Mr.. Ivey, thai
every time a worker leaves yoaI
store you have to hire. train AMI
break in another worker? Labor
experts find that it costs a store
from $25 to $3.50 for each e en-
| ploye.A This takes into consideration
executive time in hiring the worker
some ones time in breaking her in
as well as the mistakes that any new
| worker is bound to make"
81 never thought of that" unused
the general manager.
Most people don't. Nevertheless
the hiring and firing of workers to-
| day is one Of the most expensive
items OF any business organization
In some concerns, where the labor
turnover has been very high, the
management has been obliged to
hire experts to determine the, rea-
SON."
"Well. what do you suggest?
can't keep a worker here IL he
doesn't want to stay"
mo. but you can find out the rea-
o why he's leaving. and IL its
through some fault of the store. you
can remedy that fault, or at least
know what II Is. Here's my point,
Mr. Ivey." Ellen Young explained,
Regard the leaving of workers
| from your employ as a separation.
Separation can be divided into tive
divisions: resignation and dis
charges Well talk first of resig-
nations. You divide designations in
to
First. Reasons within control.
Second. Reasons beyond control
Reasons within control 1t will pay
| you to study. These include a work.
er's getting more pay elsewhere do
ing the same work, or doing Other
work and getting more pay. 1t also
refers to a worker being dissatisfied
with the treatment he has received
in your employ or dissatisfaction
with the work. Reasons beyond
| your control are death, marriage
illness. leaving city and so on"
But what shall ! do them"
IF a worker is leaving for some
fault which you can control. isn't il
, far more inexpensive to keep thai
worker, if she is desirable. and to
remedy the cause of her dissatisfac.
ton. rather than go to all the
trouble of hiring and breaking In q
new worker? Suppose it costs you
s25 or $50 for that n turnover oil
a worker. Isn't it cheaper to a V
that amount and to keep that work
| err by remedying the u ?"
Gosh, that's an idea" Ivey re
marked, thoughtfully.
zone store | know has made 1t a
rule that all employees are obliged &c
have leave slips approved by the
employment manager. At this time
the latter starts a little conversation
| ana gives the worker an opportunity
to confess frankly his troubles and
difficulties in the store. By means
of a frank, hearty talk many diff
| c~ulties. MISUNDERSTANDING and OBJ
I JCCliOls arc lcdIt UP, h lHt
manager is often able to resell the
worker to his old job. In that way
the concern saves the money of the
labor turnover"
81 guess 1t does pay to bother with
workers who are leaving" Ivey
agreed.
DO you believe in frankness In
business. Miss Young. as against
'blrffs'?" asked Christine Green, a
young statistical worker.
You will get some valuable point.
RS from Miss YOung's answer In to.
morrOw's paper.
Let Miss Leigh answer your busl-
ness questions on selling, buying
advertising, employment, etc. Ask
your questions clearly and give al
| the facts. Questions requiring tech
meal will be sent by mali
| Others will be answered in this col
umn.