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Bible Encyclopedias
Welfare Work in Industry
1911 Encyclopedia Britannica
or "WELFARE WORK IN INDUSTRY. - Human beings possess intelligence, and their well-being depends on psychological as well as on physiological make-up. Mental and physical activity are necessary to health. From the industrial point of view both require to be maintained in order to ensure the efficiency which represents for the employer a contented personnel, and for the employed not merely physical health, but a "worth while" life.
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The development of industrial processes brought about during the last century and a half by the application of mechanical power has introduced greater variations into the conditions of life and of work than formerly existed. During the period while control was being established over the efficiency of mechanical devices, the relation of the worker to these devices, and study of the efficiency of human beings in relation to altered conditions of work, were largely neglected. Nevertheless, industrial development in England, as elsewhere, has been followed step by step by " occupational " legislation, controlling employment in factories, mines, workshops and other places, aimed at protecting physical health. But knowledge of how to protect health lagged for many years behind the rapid alterations which were taking place; and the hurry onward to develop wealth-producing industries left no time for taking full advantage of what knowledge did exist. Certainly no organized effort was made during the 19th century to acquire new knowledge, and little or no recognition was given to the new psychological influences brought into existence even though their effect upon the workers was manifested in riots and strikes.
The commencement of the 10th century saw a few far-seeing employers coming to appreciate that their workers were individuals with whom personal contact must be established and maintained, and that modern industrial concerns were far too large to permit of this contact being established by a busy works manager. These employers delegated this side of their duties to definite persons, entrusted with supervision of the welfare of their workers. The result of this action was in every case markedly successful, and 30 British factories in 1913 sent representatives to a conference held at York. Nevertheless, previous to the World War the possibilities of welfare work were undeveloped. One of its results has been to attract more and more attention to its importance.
Welfare work, as such, may for convenience be considered alone. In practice it cannot be separated from supervision of health. The difference between health supervision and welfare is the difference between supervising the health of domestic animals such as prize cattle and of human beings. Mere provision of healthy surroundings and of means for personal hygiene does not meet the needs; there must be appeal to and coOperation with those concerned. The true spirit of industrial welfare work cannot be fostered merely by enforcing compliance with legal requirements. Welfare work means something different; it means educating and training each individual worker to take an intelligent interest not only in his own health and efficiency but also in that of his fellow workers, and in that of the industrial establishment of which he forms a part. Legal requirements can but seldom go further than fixing a minimum standard of accommodation needed; they cannot deal with the personal idiosyncrasy of workers, or establish a code of healthy etiquette, or ensure personal cooperation.
The unprecedented demand in the United Kingdom for munitions during the World War called for action to meet varying needs more rapid and elastic than that of ordinary peace requirements. In 1915, on the formation of the Ministry of Munitions, Mr. Lloyd George appointed the Health of Munition Workers' Committee who promptly recommended the adoption of welfare supervision for munition workers, using the following words of a well-known employer in support: - " If the welfare workers have the confidence of the employees, and are always in touch with them, they will naturally be the medium whereby matters occasioning dissatisfaction or misunderstanding can be investigated and put right. By suggesting and advising upon improvements in conditions of work that may be helpful on the business side, by initiating and supervising recreative and other clubs, societies and classes, by visiting the sick, by endeavouring to foster the spirit of good fellowship amongst all grades of employees, and by being ready to give advice and assistance in matters affecting individual employees personally and privately - by these and other methods welfare workers may find means of giving practical effect to the desire of employers to realize their obligations towards their workers." The Committee also issued a series of valuable memoranda dealing with workers' food and industrial canteens; employment of women and of juveniles; hours of work; industrial efficiency and fatigue; sickness, injury, and special industrial diseases; ventilation and lighting; washing facilities; and eyesight in industry. These various memoranda formed the basis of work undertaken by a special section established in the Ministry of Munitions entrusted with the welfare and health of workers.
Officers of the factory department (lent for the purpose by the Home Office) directed the work, which is historically important since thereby the foundations of industrial welfare were laid, and for the first time official propaganda going ahead of legal requirements and statute law were largely and successfully employed. The work was essentially advisory rather than punitive; it aimed at pointing out the lines reforms should take, and assisting and expediting in every way the carrying out of improvements. The following memoranda, issued by the Ministry of Munitions, indicate the scope of the work which was being initiated: I. Welfare For Women And Girls The experience which has now been obtained in National and other factories making munitions of war has demonstrated that the post of welfare supervisor is a valuable asset to factory management wherever women are employed. Through this channel attention has been drawn to conditions of work, previously unnoted, which were inimical to the well-being of those employed. The following notes; have, therefore, been prepared for the information of employers who have not hitherto engaged such officers, but who desire to know the position a welfare supervisor should take and the duties and authority which, it is suggested, might be delegated to her.
It has generally been found convenient that the welfare supervisor should be directly responsible to the general manager, and should be given a definite position on the managerial staff in connexion with the Labour Employment Department of the factory. She is thus able to refer all matters calling for attention direct to the general manager and may be regarded by him as a liaison between him and the various departments dealing with the women employees. The duty of a welfare supervisor is to obtain and to maintain a healthy staff of workers and to help in maintaining satisfactory conditions for the work. In order to obtain both a satisfactory staff from the point of view of health and technical efficiency, it has been found to be an advantage to bring the welfare supervisor into the business of selecting women and girls for employment.
Her function is to consider the general health, physical capacity and character of each applicant. As regards those under 16 years of age, she could obtain useful advice as to health from the certifying surgeon when he grants certificates of fitness. The management can, if they think fit, empower her to refer for medical advice to their panel doctor other applicants concerning whose general fitness she is in doubt. The selection of employees furnishes the welfare supervisor with a valuable opportunity for establishing a personal link with the workers. Her function is thus concerned with selec-
tion on general grounds, while the actual engaging of those selected may be carried out by the overlooker or other person responsible for the technical side of the work. In this way both aspects of appointment receive full consideration.
The management may find further that it is useful to consult the welfare supervisor as to promotions of women in the factory, thus continuing the principle of regarding not only technical efficiency but also general considerations in the control in the factory.
The welfare supervisor should ascertain what are the particular needs of the workers. These needs will then be found to group themselves under two headings :- (a) Needs within the factory - Intramural Welfare.
(b) Needs outside the factory - Extramural Welfare.
Intramural Welfare. The welfare supervisor may be made responsible for the following matters (a )General behaviour of women and girls inside the factory. - While responsibility for the technical side of the work must rest with the technical staff, the welfare supervisor should be responsible for all questions of general behaviour.
(b ) Transfer. - The welfare supervisor would, if the health of a woman was affected by the particular process on which she is engaged, be allowed, after having consulted the foreman concerned, to suggest to the management the possibility of transfer of the woman to work more suited to the state of health.
(c) Night Supervision. - The welfare supervisor should have a deputy for night-work and should herself occasionally visit the factory at night to see that satisfactory conditions are maintained.
(d) Dismissal. - It will be in keeping with the general suggestions as to the functions of the welfare supervisor if she is consulted on general grounds with regard to the dismissal of women and girls.
(e) The maintenance of healthy conditions.-This implies that she should, from the point of view of the health of the female employees, see to the general cleanliness, ventilation and warmth of the factory and keep the management informed of the results of her observations.
(f) The provision of seats.-She should study working conditions so as to be able to bring to the notice of the management the necessity for the provision of seats where these are possible.
Unless the factory is a small one it would hardly be possible for the welfare supervisor to manage the canteen. The management will probably prefer to entrust the matter to an expert who should satisfy the management in consultation with the welfare supervisor on the following matters: I. That the canteen provides all the necessary facilities for the women workers; that is to say, suitable food, rapidly and punctually served.
2. That canteen facilities are provided when necessary for the women before they begin work so that no one need start work without having taken food.
3. That the canteen is as restful and as comfortable as possible so that it serves a double purpose of providing rest as well as food. Supervision of Ambulance, Rest Room and First Aid.-While not responsible for actually attending to accidents, except in small factories, the welfare supervisor should work in close touch with the factory doctor and nurses. She should, however, be responsible for the following matters: I. She should help in the selection of nurses, who should be recognized as belonging to the welfare staff.
2. While not interfering with the nurses in the discharge of their professional duties, she should see that their work is carried out promptly, and that the workers are not kept waiting long before they receive attention.
3. She should supervise the keeping of all records of accident and illness in the ambulance room.
4. She should keep in touch with all cases of serious accident or illness.
It would further be useful if she were allowed to be kept in touch with the Compensation Department inside the factory with a view to advising on any cases of hardship that may arise.
Supervision of Cloak-rooms and Sanitary Conveniences.-The welfare supervisor should be held responsible for the following matters: i. General cleanliness.
2. Prevention of loitering.
3. Prevention of pilfering.
The management will decide what staff is necessary to assist her, and it should be her duty to report to the management on these matters.
Provision of Overalls.-The welfare supervisor should have the duty of supervising the protective clothing supplied to the women for their work.
Extramural Welfare. The welfare supervisor should keep in touch with all outside agencies responsible for: I. Housing.
2. Transit facilities.
3. Sickness and maternity cases.
4. Recreation.
5. Day nurseries.
In communicating with any of these agencies it will no doubt be preferable that she should do so through the management.1 Records. A. The welfare supervisor should for the purpose of her work have some personal records of every woman employee. A cardindex system is recommended.
B. The welfare supervisor should have some way of observing the health in relation to the efficiency of the workers, and if the management approved this could be done: (a) By allowing her to keep in touch with the Wages Department. She could then watch the rise and fall of wages earned by individual employees from the point of view that a steady fall in earnings may be the first indication of an impending breakdown in health.
(b) By allowing her to keep in touch with the Time Office she should be able to obtain records of all reasons for lost time. From such records information can be obtained of sickness, inadequate transit and urgent domestic duties, which might otherwise not be discovered.
(c) By keeping records of all cases of accident and sickness occurring in the factory.
II. Welfare Supervision For Boys The suggestions contained in this memorandum are founded on the experience of employers who have in actual operation the whole or part of the scheme. Nothing is suggested that has not been proved to be successful in its result.
1 The work referred to above as " extramural " was the direct outcome in many of its features of the activities initiated by the Women's Employment Committee, appointed at an early period of the war by the Home Office and the Board of Trade.
The essence of the scheme lies in placing on some member of the staff the responsibility for the general well-being of the boys. In large firms there is enough work to occupy the whole time of an officer.
In smaller firms various alternatives have been adopted: I. The services of an officer are shared by two or more firms.
2. An officer already on the staff is given special duties as regards the boys.
3. An officer is specially appointed, but has placed on him other duties in addition to those connected with the supervision of the boys.
Among the duties performed by such an officer the following are the more important of those usually placed upon him :- Engagement.-i. He will keep in touch with the employment exchanges and the special advisory committees frequently attached to such exchanges. In this way he will secure valuable information relating to the health and school career of the boy.
2. He will interview boys and parents, explain to them the nature of the work and the importance of good time-keeping, and will take up references.
3. He will arrange for suitable boys to be brought before the heads of departments who will decide whether the boys shall be engaged. In some cases the actual engagement is left to him.
4. He will see that an Engagement Form is filled up; and in the case of indentured apprentices, carry through the indenture.
5. He will, especially during the first weeks of employment, keep in close touch with the boy, and assist him in the various difficulties which confront a boy on first entering industry. He will consult with the foreman as to the suitability of the boy for the work on which he is engaged.
Progress and Discipline.-i. He will receive reports from foremen on the boys' progress; will consider complaints, and, in the event of threatened dismissal, will see the boy before a decision is reached. (In no case has the Department discovered any evidence to show that foremen resent this procedure.) 2. He will see the boys from time to time and afford them opportunity of making complaints to him.
3. He will send reports to parents on the boys' general progress, wages, and time-keeping; and occasionally visit their homes.
4. He will discuss with heads of departments schemes of transfer, promotion and training. In the case of indentured apprentices he will see that undertakings are carried out.
Continued Education.-i. He will consider schemes for securing attendance at Continuation Classes.
2. He will offer inducements to secure regular attendance.
3. He will discuss with the Education Authority: (a) The question of technical training in the cases of boys who are learning a trade.
(b) The question of general education of other boys.
4. He will obtain from the head of the school reports on the boys' progress and attendance.
Health.-I. He will endeavour to become acquainted with the information contained in the report of the school doctor.
2. He will be present at the medical examination of the boys at the factory, and note the doctor's recommendations.
3. He will give special attention to ailing boys and cases of sickness, and endeavour to ascertain the cause.
4. Where lodgings are in demand, he will keep a list of suitable lodgings.
5. He will endeavour to secure that the boys obtain suitable food; and may be made responsible for the general supervision of the canteen and messroom, and for the arrangements for heating carried food.
6. He will be responsible for seeing that boys obtain First Aid in case of accident; and may be entrusted with the duty of supervising the First Aid equipment.
7. He will encourage boys to use overalls; will see that the washing and sanitary arrangements are adequate and in good condition, and will supervise order and decency in their use.
Thrift.-He will be responsible for the initiation and carrying out of thrift schemes, as for example: I. By the voluntary stoppage of a certain weekly sum from wages.
2. By weekly collection.
3. By payment of good conduct bonus to the boys' credit. Recreation.-i. He will be responsible for organizing outdoor games; and for the management of a recreation room, if such exists. 2. He will consider the question of forming a Cadet Corps or Scout Troop.
Records.-He will keep systematic records of each boy.
The work was throughout closely interlocked with action taken from the summer of 1915 onwards by the Central Control Board (Liquor Traffic) to establish and maintain (by themselves or through agents) refreshment rooms for the sale or supply of refreshments. Employers in England were during the war stimulated to pursue welfare schemes and erect canteens by being permitted to write off expenses against excess profits duty.
Welfare schemes were found to be best conducted through the assistance of welfare committees elected by the workers themselves and representative of all classes of labour employed. In this way is obtained from the beginning the support and codperation of those for whom the work exists. A strong welfare committee is invaluable; through it an ambulance corps and shop committee for accident prevention can be formed; sickness and emergency funds can be raised and administered; recreation, mental and physical, can be organized; grievances real and imaginary, can be settled; order and discipline maintained; etiquette and a high moral tone established; and canteen complaints discussed and remedied.
A standard has been suggested for the staff necessary for a welfare department, as follows: Welfare supervisors for women and girls: - up to 300 workers, one welfare supervisor a further 300 workers, one assistant supervisor a further 450 workers, a second assistant supervisor a further 600 workers, a third assistant supervisor Total 1,650 women and girls, one senior welfare supervisor and 3 assistants. After this number one assistant should be added for every 600 workers.
Welfare supervisors or apprentice masters for boys: - up to Ioo boys, one welfare supervisor a further 200 boys, one assistant supervisor a further 350 boys, a second assistant supervisor a further 500 boys, a third assistant supervisor Total 1,150 boys, one senior welfare supervisor and 3 assistants. After this number one assistant should be added for every 500 boys.
Welfare supervisors for men: - These officers are usually combined with those acting for boys; and in such cases the scale suggested in the case of women and girls may be taken as a guide. Examples of officers acting for men only are not yet sufficiently numerous to base a scale upon.
While activity on these lines (which came to an abrupt termination on the cessation of hostilities) was still in progress, the Home Office in 1916 consolidated much of the ground won by obtaining powers under the Police, Factories, etc. (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act, Section 7, enabling the Secretary of State by order to require occupiers of factories to make reasonable provisions relating to " arrangements for preparing or heating, and taking, meals; the supply of drinking water; the supply of protective clothing; ambulance and first-aid arrangements; the supply and use of seats in workrooms; facilities for washing; accommodation for clothing; arrangements for supervision of workers." Under these powers a number of orders were made referring to: Ambulance and First-Aid at blast furnaces, copper mills, iron mills, foundries and metal works.
Ambulance and First-Aid at saw-mills and wood-working factories.
Drinking water.
Dyeing, use of bichromate of potassium or sodium in. Fruit preserving.
Glass bottles and pressed glass articles, manufacture. Laundries.
Oil-cake mills.
Seats in shell factories.
Tanning, use of bichromate of potassium or sodium in. Tin or terne plates, manufacture of.
All textile factories, printworks, bleaching and dyeing works, and rope-spinning works with reference to providing protective clothing, cloakrooms, messrooms, washing facilities, seats, First-Aid and ambulance.
Not only did the Home Office through these orders proceed to enforce the provision of welfare accommodation but the way was prepared for further action by issuing a series of valuable advisory pamphlets, well illustrated, which set forth in a practical way how the orders can be complied with. The titles of these pamphlets suggest their contents: - Welfare and Welfare Supervision in Factories and Workshops; Messrooms and Canteens at Small Factories and Workshops; Protective Clothing for Women and Girl Workers; Seats for Workers in Factories and Workshops; First-Aid and Ambulance in Factories and Workshops; Ventilation in Factories and Workshops.
Evidence of the way in which the extension of welfare work has been stimulated is to be found in the coming into existence of (i.) the Welfare Workers' Institute with headquarters at II, Adam St., Adelphi, W.C.2, and (ii.) the Industrial Welfare Society, 51, Palace St., Westminster, S.W.I. Both bodies have a large membership and local branches in industrial areas; women supervisors mainly support the former and men the latter. Both publish good monthly journals, Welfare Work and The Journal of Industrial Welfare. The effect now exerted upon conditions of labour, social contentment and general betterment in industry is hard to overestimate.
Reference has so far been confined to the welfare movement in reference to factory employment, where it has been most pronounced; but action has not been confined entirely to this field. As long ago in England as 1872 the Metalliferous Mines Regulation Act called for the provision of accommodation for enabling persons employed in metalliferous mines to dry conveniently and change their clothes. In 1910 the Mines Accidents (Rescue & Aid) Act gave power to make orders relating to: (a) The supply and maintenance of appliances for use in rescue work and the formation and training of rescue brigades.
(b) The supply and maintenance of ambulance appliances and the training of men in ambulance work.
The Coal Mines Act of 1911 contained, too, an important clause providing for accommodation and facilities for takin$ baths and drying clothes where the majority of workmen eml ployed in a mine desire such. Unfortunately this clause was a dead letter except at some half-dozen collieries. But under the Mining Industry Act, 1920, welfare work for miners should receive a great impetus. This Act provides a fund, derived from a levy of id. a ton on the output of each mine every year, to be applied for purposes connected with social well-being, recreation, and conditions of living of workers, and with mining education and research. This fund may amount to about i,000,000 a year and its allocation is entrusted to an expert committee. The result cannot fail to be of intense interest.
For welfare work in the United States, see section V. of the article United States.
BIBLIOGRAPHY
Welfare Supervision, Health of Munition Workers' Committee. Memo. No. 2.1915 (Ccl. 8151); Final Report of Health of Munition Workers' Committee 1918 (Cd. 9065); Handbook for Welfare Supervisors and Apprentice Masters, Ministry of Labour, 1919; Collis, E. L., Welfare Work in Factories, Jnl. of Royal Sanitary Institute, June 1919; Anderson, A. M., Welfare in Factories and Workshops, Jnl. of Industrial Hygiene, Aug. 1920. See also INDUSTRIAL MEDICINE. (E. L. C.)
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Chisholm, Hugh, General Editor. Entry for 'Welfare Work in Industry'. 1911 Encyclopedia Britanica. https://www.studylight.org/encyclopedias/eng/bri/w/welfare-work-in-industry.html. 1910.
