1943 Guide to Hiring Women

liah

http://www.feministing.com/archives/017848.html

FTA:

1. Pick young married women. They usually have more of a sense of responsibility than their unmarried sisters, they're less likely to be flirtatious, they need the work or they wouldn't be doing it, they still have the pep and interest to work hard and to deal with the public efficiently.

2. When you have to use older women, try to get ones who have worked outside the home at some time in their lives. Older women who have never contacted the public have a hard time adapting themselves and are inclined to be cantankerous and fussy. It's always well to impress upon older women the importance of friendliness and courtesy.


3. General experience indicates that "husky" girls - those who are just a little on the heavy side - are more even tempered and efficient than their underweight sisters.


4. Retain a physician to give each woman you hire a special physical examination - one covering female conditions. This step not only protects the property against the possibilities of lawsuit, but reveals whether the employee-to-be has any female weaknesses which would make her mentally or physically unfit for the job.


5. Stress at the outset the importance of time the fact that a minute or two lost here and there makes serious inroads on schedules. Until this point is gotten across, service is likely to be slowed up.


6. Give the female employee a definite day-long schedule of duties so that they'll keep busy without bothering the management for instructions every few minutes. Numerous properties say that women make excellent workers when they have their jobs cut out for them, but that they lack initiative in finding work themselves.


7. Whenever possible, let the inside employee change from one job to another at some time during the day. Women are inclined to be less nervous and happier with change.


8. Give every girl an adequate number of rest periods during the day. You have to make some allowances for feminine psychology. A girl has more confidence and is more efficient if she can keep her hair tidied, apply fresh lipstick and wash her hands several times a day.


9. Be tactful when issuing instructions or in making criticisms. Women are often sensitive; they can't shrug off harsh words the way men do. Never ridicule a woman - it breaks her spirit and cuts off her efficiency.


10. Be reasonably considerate about using strong language around women. Even though a girl's husband or father may swear vociferously, she'll grow to dislike a place of business where she hears too much of this.


11. Get enough size variety in operator's uniforms so that each girl can have a proper fit. This point can't be stressed too much in keeping women happy.

Thoughts?
Chauvinist bullshít or do you think there's some truth in it?

It's just a bit lol tbh

wouldn't waste the energy enough to call it chauvinist BS
we all know better know I'm sure

shellyboo

I actually think the last three have some small grain of truth in them.

Nobody, male or female, should ever be ridiculed in their job; but I do think women have a tendency to take criticism more personally than men, and due to simple hormones, can end up being hurt by something that's happened professionally. That's not to say that men don't; just women are more likely to be, I think.

As for foul language - I wouldn't want to work in an environment where everyone was cussing and blinding all day long, I'd find it hugely unprofessional. Whether that's a female trait I don't know.

And as for well-fitting uniforms, definitely. More important to men than women. I couldn't do my job properly if I felt self-conscious about my appearance every day.

partyguinness

I think there is a lot of sound sensible advice there.

Remember in 1943, the workplace was dominated by men and their 'exposure' to women was minimal. Women were seen almost like aliens.

It was a document for the time. Dont judge by todays standards.

Relax.:cool:

shellyboo

partyguinness wrote: »

Relax.:cool:

Nobody's worked up... we're just discussing it!

Silverfish

Yeah, it is a tad chauvanistic, but it was 66 years ago. Women and men were different creatures back then

Lots of things have changed - sure even smoking was considered grand back then!

Although I think my employer read this and said 'Hmm, we should do the EXACT OPPOSITE! uncomfy illfitting uniforms for all! Bad language for many!"

Nietzschean

quite a few of them seem to have somewhat grain of truth in them, but not in the application to women solely...most of them would seemingly apply just as readily to men. So did we used to pick on women back in the day, or are we all just a big bunch of women now ?

That said 8 - 11(11 in reference to keeping women happy, strides that arn't even considered for male employee's) i have seen in workplaces, though it does seem somewhat un-PC to mention it

MissFlitworth

Not really chauvinistic, more a product of its time. I'm sure there was a similar manual for 'keeping jews out of your office' or 'how to speak to the negro tea girl' or other equally as offensive poo floating around at the same time

Number 11 would be a nice one for places that make you wear a uniform to keep in mind! Especially if they were made take measurements for their variety of uniform sizes from actual women and not from 1950s mannequins. When I worked in Tesco the uniform trousers were designed for people shaped like



to the point where you'd have someone who was a size 6 walking around with trousers flapping comically at the hips and thighs but held together at the waist with a safety pin and some elastic

Wibbs

Nietzschean wrote: »

quite a few of them seem to have somewhat grain of truth in them, but not in the application to women solely...most of them would seemingly apply just as readily to men. So did we used to pick on women back in the day, or are we all just a big bunch of women now ?

Actually I would say men and women today are more going towards the middle as it were, when compared to the social roles of the past, so yes I would say more men are like women were and more women are like men were. In both good and bad ways. Each stereotypical gender notion has bad and good parts attached. The best bet would be to accentuate the good and try and reduce the bad in both notions to make well rounded individuals. The nice thing about today is that both men and women do have more freedom to express what were once considered primarily "male" or "female" traits.

Dudess

I just burst out laughing when I read it - "Women, Know Your Limits" sprang to mind...

There is possibly the odd grain of truth there though, and I've no doubt such mindsets still exist in some quarters.

the_syco

liah wrote: »

Thoughts?
Chauvinist bullshít or do you think there's some truth in it?

What you'd have to ponder is, who wrote this? Man or woman?

shellyboo

In 1943, I doubt many women would have been doing much hiring! I'd say it was definitely written for male employers.