ABSENTEEISM CURED

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 6, Issue 87, 6 July 1943, Page 6

ABSENTEEISM CURED

BRITISH WAR FACTORIES NEW COLOUR SCHEMES In many British Avar factories women workers were irritable. They had headaches. Their fingers fumbled. The}' were easily fatigued. Absenteeism was high. investigating British scientists, who wanted to step lip production, found colour was to blameThey experimented in 20 such factories. and. announced triumphantly that complaints of absenteeism had ceased and production had rocketed. Some tests: Girls- working on general office Accounting machines suffered continually from nervous, tension and irritability. They felt better when the glaring Avhite walls were repainted bluish-green. . The whit© Avails in the. drafting room of another factory Ave re repainted dove grey. Girl employees ceased having headaches. j Girls Avere falling asleep over benches in a hosiery mill, turning out woollen socks for soldiers. Their job Avas to loop a thread through superfine needles. Sleepiness ended when benches were equipped Avith grey-blue sides and back panels. Accident rates, both for men and women,; dropped when maclxhiery was painted a neutral colour,, such as yellow 01* grey. Other amenities introduced into factories to prevent absenteeism:— Hairdressing saloons for men and beauty parlours for women. These Avill probably become standard throughout the country.