FACTORY PSYCHOLOGY.

Pukekohe & Waiuku Times, Volume 6, Issue 274, 11 May 1917, Page 2 (Supplement)

FACTORY PSYCHOLOGY.

ONE OF WAR'S BY=PROBLEMS.

FUTURE POSSIBILITIES.

When tho late Frederick Taylor of Philadelphia was deep in his studv of workshop efficiency (says Arthur Kitson in Land and Water) he occasionally favoured me with the results of his labours. Ho mentioned tho lone of metal he had used >n ascertaining tho conditions under which tho highest speed efficiency obtained with various machines, iathes, drilling, slotting, and screw-cutting machines, etc. Ho worked out the speed efficiency for every form and variety of workshop tool and machine, including labour itself. From the purely mechanical standpoint Taylor's work is the last word in efficiency. In one of our numerous conversations I asked if he had given any consideration to the psychology of the labour factor. He admitted that up to that time—l 6 years ago—ho had not. He acknowledged that groat variations n the quality of labour existed, but his endeavour was to eliminate as far as possible the personal equation.

rpAYLOII'S work was entirely con- -■- fined to the material s'de. Increased output, reduced costs, greater profits—these were the .solo objective results ho aimed at —and attained —to an extraordinarily high degree. It is a curious commentary on tho human mind to witness how often in our pursuit of certain objects the means for securing them are regarded as the objects themselves. Workshop efficiency should bo merely a means for providing us with those material things nocessary to life, its development and enjoyment, with the least expenditure of energy. But supposing this pursuit ends in debasing the human factors into mere pieces of meohanism? Supposing our mechankial efficiency turns out to bo a Frankenstein? Supposing efficiency ends in crushing the very object for whoso advantage it is created? One of the salutary lessons taught by tho war is the need for improving the condtions of labour. The introduction of female labour into thousands of workshops, and the acquaintance which many of our educated classes have made with* factory conditions, have led to a demand for "humanising" Labour conditions. Probably the jnost debasing feature of theso conditions is the terriblo monotony of repetition work. A man who performs the same operation, the making of the same article day after day and week after week, month after month, becomes ? mero automaton. Not only does-it affect him during tho hours of labour, but eventually he becomes machine-like in all his movements, with disastrous results to his mental and moral stamina.

THE GREAT TASK

The great labour problem is how to make workshop life attractive, interesting, ennobling. The solution of this problem will not only prove of great moral and physical benefit, but economically advantageous. The operator who is interested in his work will do more and bettor work than the one who is fed up with the monotony of h's daily task. Morale is as important a' factor in the workshop as in the army. Tho knowledge that their product is to be ono of the deciding factors in winning the war has braced thousands of machinists to do their level best, and today many engineering establishments aro turning out better and more work per man than at any period in their. history. I am now speaking from experience. I have several men employed on munition work whoso weekly output is one- j third more than the maximum quantity which the makers of the machines believed it was possible to produce! Employees who, prior to the war, grumbled when requested to do overtime, now willingly put in an average of twelve hours a day. And this is not entirely duo to the extra wages paid them. It is tho same spirit that caused hundreds of thousands of all classes to rush to the nearest recruiting station as soon as war was declared. Is it not possible to cultivate this spirit and organise it for tho production of tho munitions of life—when peace is declared ? Such a result would absolutely revolutionise industrial life? THE PERSONAL INTEREST. Ono method for rendering tho operator's task less monotonous is to explain fully to him the functions fulfilled by each particular article lie makes-. la my young days of apprenticeship I remember how dull and stupid certain repetition work appeared. To make the first few screws was interesting, but after several days tho task became monotonous. One day my father took mo to Strood, and we boarded tho Great Eastern steamship—then tho greatest and most famous vessel afloat. 1 was thero shown the purpose of tho screws I was making, which were to be used on the vessel. From that time tho work assumed a totally different aspect. The thought that my product was of some importance in connection with tho greatest ocean leviathan, dispersed all feel'ngs of monotony, and I felt myself of really some importance in tho industrial world. During 30 years i of business experience I have found | that this practice of explaining the U6e ot' tho articles the machinist is engaged in making greatly adds to his interest. During a recent visit to the Whitehead Aircraft works at Richmond, Surrey, Mr. Whitehead said that he made it a rule to call his workpeople together two or three time 1 a week during working hours, and address them on the natgiru and importance of their work. When flying tests and experiments aro carried out, occasionally ho invites the entire works to visit them. "By these and similar moans tho interest of the employee is maintained at the highest i level," 110 added. " Everyone works! with tho same diligence and zeal as if i the business belonged to him or her.'"

KEY TO SUCCESS

The key to success will be found in satisfying the natural longing and hope of everyone to !>e of sumo recognised value in the world. The great incentive which causes men joyfully to Mjx*nd days an dnights in working out. inventions, in making discoveries, in writing books, is not the more hope of pecuniary gain, but the determination to obtain r< ogn'tion among their fellows as having done their liit in life. Indeed, tlie way to light-on toil and humanise labour conditions is to fcdlopt Mich means as well engender the spirit of i victorious army, where every man

shares the glory of success. There is the excellent story of the organ blower, who, when the organist was bowing profuseliy in .acknowledgment, of the plaudits of his audience after .a famous recital, insisted on sharing the honours by standing beside tlie performer and making his bows. For had he not aIM) contributed his share to the performance?

DISTINCTIONS FOR INDUSTRY

Tho ent'ro industrial spirit would be changed completely if every factory employee from the humblest lalwurer to the manager was made to feel that each is an important and necessary link in tile chain of production. Accompanying this should be a system of badging for good conduct and special achievement. Tho Ministry of Munitions did a wise thing; when it adopted tho badge system. It gave a tone and standing to thosj so badged which lias done nut a little in stimulating output. Soon after the beginning of the war, when my works received its first contract tor munitions, nothing was said at first to the operators as to their being employed on munition work. There was a tendency on the part of several to dawdle. As soon as it Mas explained that rapidity of output means tho saving of men's lives, at the front, all sjgns of malingering disappeared. There are innumerable opportunities for the display of heroism in the workshop as well as on the field of battle. Could not tho Government extend the distinguished service orders to include every department of life, and give munition workers an eoual chanc« with the soldier for gaining tho equivalent of the V.C. or the D.C.M.?

Another method for alleviating the natural feeling of monotony is to trans* poso operators from time to time by putting them on different operation.". My experience proves that the mechanic who is generally skilled—that is, skilled in several operations—is usually better in each than the mere specialist. Change of occupation periodically is beneficial to both the employer ana the employee. In large works where gymnasia, cricket grounds, lawn tennis courts, and even libraries, are provided, occasional breaks in the working hours to enable employees to enjoy a few minutes' recreation, will bo found of immense value.

The excessive use of stimulants, spirits, beer, and tobacco, amongst tiio working classes may often be traced to the desire to get rid of the monotony of existence. Temperance advocates, as. a rule, fail to get to the root of the evils of intemperance. They blame tho people who manufacture tho intoxicants and sell them, as well as the Government that permits the traffic. But they do not seem to realise that the existence of tho evil arises from tho persistence of the demand, for whicn some good reason exists. To get rid of drunkenness we must first ascertain its cause— by studying the motives and conditions of those who insist upon getting drunk. Whilst intemperance may be due to mere habit or hereditary desire, I believe a vast amount, especially among tho working classes, is directly due to the desire to escape for a time from the dreariness and the monotony of their lives. And tho surest cure is to find some healthy means of making their lives bright an dinteresting.

TWO GREAT AIDS. Two modern inventions provide method for assisting n this task. The enormous success which has attended tho cinema and the gramophone prov the public appreciation of the need for theso diversions. If the Ministry of Munitions could have employed 200 or 300 lecturers provided with films giving views from tho battlefields taken on all the various fronts, etc., to visit the 1 various engineering works, and exhibit them to munition ied by appropriate descriptions of what ou r men were doing and the part played by munitions, it would have done much to increase output. Tho psychological effect of music is known too well to require more than a passing reference. Gramophones in factories might afford as powerful a stimulus to labour as a military brass band giv.es to an army marching to tattle. The greatest factor in maintaining tho moralo of factories, however, will be found in the personal relations existing between tho masters and the'r men, between the managers and foremen and those under them. An American friend, employing over 700 people, requires but one overseer. Tho relations of himself and his manager to liis poople are of such a nature that his employees never require watching. They :;re so satisfied with their treatment that their 'VI fear is lest they should get discharged. Excellent as mechanical efficiency methods hare proved, far greater economic results remain to bo achieved in the domain of psychology—in knowing tho conditions under which the human factor is "apable of the highest achievements. 1 venture to say that the highest degree of efficiency wil ll>e lound wherci labour conditions are the most healthful, and the welfare and happiness of the workers is the chief consideration. Some day the world's statesmen will awaken' to the fact that any economic system which breeds poverty and mi wry among the masses is neither! u.oral nor ccononi'c, and that the surest, plan for making a nation rMi and prosperous is to ensure first the well-being' of the working classes. The true .science' ol economics must harmon'w with tuoj 'aws of ethics.