The following is an excerpt from the July 1943 issue of Transportation. 
This was serious and written for male supervisors of women in the work 
force during World War II-a mere 54 years ago! For those of you with 
efficiency issues, pay attention to #8: 


Eleven Tips on Getting More Efficiency Out of Women Employees: 

There's no longer any question whether transit companies should hire 
women for jobs formerly held by men. The draft and manpower shortage has 
settled that point. The important things now are to select the most 
efficient 
women available and how to use them to the best advantage. 

Here are eleven helpful tips on the subject from Western Properties: 

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.