TIPS: This was sent to us from someone who saw it on the internet. It was a sign posted in the Colorado Railroad Museum, made from an article in the July 1943 issue of Transportation Magazine.

“This was written for male supervisors of women in the workforce during World War II” it states at the beginning, “tips on getting more efficiency out of women employees.”

With the draft and the manpower shortage, transit companies were going to have to hire women, it stated, and the best bet was to get the more efficient women available to use them to your advantage.

“Pick young married women.” They have more of a sense of responsibility, are less flirtatious, they need the work, they still have pep and zest.

“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 worked with the public are “inclined to be cantankerous and fussy.”

Give them instructions for the whole day so they won’t keep bothering you.

“Give every girl an adequate number of rest periods during the day. You have to make some allowances for female 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.
“Retain a physician to give each woman you hire a special physical examination – one covering female conditions.” This should reveal if any employee-to-be has any “female weaknesses” which would make her mentally or physically “unfit for the job.”

And “stress at the outset the importance of time,”  because “until this point is gotten across, service is likely to be slowed up.”

How far we’ve come — or have we?