Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1925-05-14

management-for LABOR turnover
expensive. You must also safeguard
the interests of your workers-ior
every contented worker Will wish 10
keep a permanent JOB.
1t may be that in the final reckon
ing we will be held responsible not
only for what we are but for our snare
in making others what they are.
When the labor turnover grows 1t IS
time for the management to check up
on Won men to see whether the respon-
sibiIity is on you. Do not be AFRAID
to put forward requests for wage in
creases or better working conditions
IF wage increases or better working
conditions will increase production,
they mean increased profits. See that
every worker is given due apprecla-
ton for any recommendations or sug-
gestions which he may make for IN
creased efficiency. Give the man
credit. You will thus gain credit
yourself. We all like appreciation.
You like it. The men in your manage
ment like it. The President of your
concern likes it. Why shouldn't your
men like it? Your stockholders Will
be glad to know that your men are
treated fairly, that they are contented
and loyal. That means dividends
Do not forget that today in many in
dustries the man at the bench or the
machine is very likely to be himself
a stakeholder in the concern for which
he works. He may be both part own
er and worker. There are thousands
of them throughout our industry who
own securities.
But beware of the loafer on the job.
Get rid of him and get rid of him
quick. You might as well turn loose
a burglar in the vault of your COM
pany as to permit the workers to shirl<
on the job. The loafer is the real
highwayman of industry. He is
burden not alone on management,
but on his fellow workers who are in
dustrious and on the public which
your product goes to. Let your own
ers get the idea that industry will not
go to the dogs if the worker gets
good wages. 1t will only go to the
dogs when you fail to obtain a good
days work in return for good days
pay. Insist upon the good days work.
The worker knows when the boss Is
being imposed upon. He is nobody's
fool. If you let him neglect his work
he will lose respect for you, his job
and himself.
Contented loyal workers constitute
industrys greatest asset. Discomfort
ed, disgruntled workers form indus
try's greatest liability. Much depends
upon the intelligence Of the worker.
There is danger and doom in situa-
ton which places side by side in in
dustry men who can not understand
each others language. l have known
plants where many different languages
were spoken. You can not arouse en-
thusiasm and loyalty through an army
of interpreters. l for one favor not
cheap, but intelligent labor. 1t is bet
ter to deal with men who know and
respect the sanctity of contract than
to struggle with the worker who
knows not the meaning of that sane
tity and who can not be held respon-
sible.
We need to rebuild In our industry
today that pride in the job which was
one of the great characteristics of our
skilled workers of quarter of CEN
fury ago. In my day can remember
the pride with which men told of a
good days work performed, of a pro-
duction record established. Without
this pride in work no industry can
long succeed. For in that pride lies
loyalty. You will not find the loyal
contentsd workman following the
teachings of the red or the communist
or clamoring for the government own
ership of industry. He follows no po-
litical or economic will-o-the-wisps.