What are the material and psychological considerations which should be taken into account in the establishment of a logical system of promotion and up to what point has this already been carried out in private business and government service? : methods of promotion / prepared by C.S. Myers and G.H. Miles.

  • Myers, Charles S. (Charles Samuel), 1873-1946
Date:
[1932?]
Catalogue details

Licence: In copyright

Credit: What are the material and psychological considerations which should be taken into account in the establishment of a logical system of promotion and up to what point has this already been carried out in private business and government service? : methods of promotion / prepared by C.S. Myers and G.H. Miles. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    particular occupation or department. It is usual¬ ly an advantage tor the man who is to be pro¬ moted to be temporarily in touch with the man he is to replace. Training schemes are of the greatest importance and need to be established in order to develop both technical, executive and administrative qualities in those who show themselves fitted in any. of these respects for later promotion. Consideration must be paid to the advisa¬ bility or inadvisability of engaging persons from outside to fill the higher posts in an organiza¬ tion, due regard being paid on the one hand (a) to the advantages of obtaining a person who through his past experience and reputa¬ tion enjoys high prestige, possesses a wide “outside” knowledge and enters with a fresh viewpoint and with an unbiassed outlook, and on the other hand (b) to the disadvantages which arise from the discouragement and dis¬ appointment of those in the organization who fail to be promoted to this post, from their natural antagonism to a stranger, and from the latter’s ignorance of the history, policy, details of work and personnel of the organization which he newly enters. With these effects and considerations in view, we should clearly take the following steps in formulating any systematic plan of promotion. 1. Periodically obtain and systematically record information concerning each of the oc¬ cupations occuring in different departments, in regard to: a. the processes and duties involved in each occupation; b. the gradation of different occupations in importance and difficulty; c. the gradation of salaries in relation to (b); d. the definition of normal lines of pro¬ motion; e. the type of person required for each occupation, — (1) physical and mental characters, (ii) previous education and technical training, and (iii) experience (if any) in other occupations needed in order to undertake each occupation. 2. Periodically obtain and systematically record information concerning each of the em¬ ployees in different departments, in regard to a. his physical health, mental abilities, temperamental and character traits; b. his absenteeism, efficiency, length of service, promotions and wages; c. his education and training; d. his eligibility for certain occupations, for promotion, responsibility, etc.; e. his desire for promotion and his reasons (if any) for not desiring promotion. Clearly this information can be properly ob¬ tained only by the cooperation of technical, ad¬ ministrative, and psychological experts. With¬ out it any systematic scheme of promotion is impossible. Promotion should not be left in the hands of any one manager or his foreman. An employee may be best known to his foreman or manager; but the latter are too apt, even if un¬ consciously, to be influenced by favouritism or by prejudice. If an employee is to be promoted to some other department, they may be swayed by the desire to get rid of him if he appear harmful, or to keep him where he is if he appear useful. Good reasons may exist for not promot¬ ing him to take charge of a department in which he has hitherto been working; but jealousy or fear may prevent a manager from training a sub¬ ordinate to be qualified to do so. The final choice of any candidate for pro¬ motion should be left in the hands of personnel officers in collaboration with higher authorities. It should be the duty of these personnel officers to form their own opinion of his merits, by con¬ sultation among themselves and with as many persons as possible, by tests and interviews, and by reference to the history card which should be kept of each employee, on which the data enumerated above under (2) are systema¬ tically and periodically recorded. Rating scales, based on the interviews given, should be kept; and the follow-up, conducted under (2), should serve to determine the justification of every decision. When no further promotion appears likely to be possible for a worker because he is reaching a “dead end” in his particular line of work and is unsuited for training in some other line, es¬ pecial attention is needed in order to prevent a sense of injustice and discontent. For instance, it may be possible to enlarge the scope of his department, to establish a fictitious promotion,