H—34

In the organization where our investigation was carried out the following points were noted: — (a) Class distinctions may be revealed in personal attitudes. A girl worker may be conscious that a girl from the office speaks differently to other office girls than she does to workers. Although the difference may be slight, it need be none the less obvious to a sensitive girl: (b) Class distinctions may be revealed in material circumstances — e.g., inferior cloakrooms, inferior uniforms, inferior crockery in the canteen : (c) Class distinction may be revealed in manner of address. Several girls objected to being called by their Christian names, while the office staff, &c, were all " Miss ....": (d) Class distinctions may be revealed in the policy of the supervisors, who in small ways treat the various grades differently, and frame rules designed to prevent easy mixing : (e) Class distinctions may be revealed in behavour outside working-hours — e.g., nonrecognition of a worker on the street: (/) Class distinctions may be revealed in the attitude of people outside. All* these factors add up to what may be called the atmosphere of the organization—an atmosphere of class distinction and social hierarchy. The net effect of these minor distinctions is to make the worker's status seem an inferior one in the eyes of the worker herself, in the eyes of those " higher-up " the ladder, and in the eyes of the community. Although other grades of work may be no more remunerative, not intrinsically more interesting, and often socially less valuable, they are preferred by the young person entering a career. This is perhaps the major reason for the unpopularity of manual work. It should not be impossible to remove some of these minor distinctions and gradually to improve the status of the manual worker. If this could be done there is reason to believe that manual jobs would be less starved for recruits. Although the task of improving the status of the worker would not be easy, as social forces of a deep-seated character are sometimes involved, a management that was determined to do so should be able to achieve a certain measure of success. (2) Staff Selection. —Vocational examinations involving the use of psychological tests were carried out for seven private firms and one Government organization during the year as follows : (a) The vocational examination of several applicants for machine-shop apprenticeships : (6) Vocational examinations of a prospective production manager and of a prospective personnel supervisor (female): (c) The examination of eight candidates for an important position in connection with staff training in a large organization : (d) The testing of all the applicants for work at a new branch clothing-factory with a view to allocating them to the most suitable jobs in the workroom. None of the applicants had any previous experience, and the tests were therefore a considerable help in placing the applicants : (e) The examination for two firms of problem juveniles who were suspected of being vocational misfits : (/) The examination of seven applicants for supervisory positions and one applicant for the position of instructress at a clothing-factory. (3) Training. —A plan for a training school was drawn up in some detail for one elothing firm with the aim of substituting the systematic and thorough instruction of beginners for the haphazard trial-and-error methods which are the rule.

29