In the case of young workers, especially, it is surprising how quickly the proper devices will induce the correct posture, especially if the betterment staff co-operate to explain the correct posture, and its effect upon health. Where no betterment staff exists, the posters of the Posture League will serve as desirable examples and object lessons. Here again, as in so many other places, “fashion of work” is a most important element. Let correct posture become the fashion, and let the devices make the posture possible, and astonishing results will follow.
It is, of course, always a great aid to make anything that one desires the easiest thing to do. The proper chairs and work places make correct posture the easiest posture to hold. This is a great force towards maintaining it.
The Test of Behaviour and Implied Mental Attitude.
The fourth test is to observe the behaviour of the workers. Do their actions, their resulting work, and whole attitude towards the work indicate that the fatigue eliminating work has been effective? There should be better “habits of work” than have ever existed before. More work should be turned over to the habit processes, and the formation and maintenance of good habits should become a part of the day’s work. It should be noted just exactly what seems to be the kind and amount of incentive that keeps the workers at the work. If the fatigue elimination has done what it should along its line, the reason for doing the work as it is being done will be the belief that this way is the best way yet found, a belief that one is safe in following the method, since proper allowance for fatigue has been made. There should also be present a desire to contribute to the welfare of all by looking for easy ways, as well as scientifically-derived ways, to eliminate fatigue, while at the same time following the best method as yet available.
The question of motivation is one demanding understanding and serious consideration in every field of activity to-day. This is true in education. It is also true in the industries. The motive of getting all that one can for one’s work must always exist, and is a perfectly justifiable motive, but the fatigue-eliminating work cannot be considered successfully, unless this motive of self interest has also with it the motive of interest in the welfare of others, and in cutting out all fatigue that can effect any member of the group in any way. This feeling should express itself in a social attitude, which is another behaviour test. If every member of the organization stands ready to endorse the fatigue elimination, and to co-operate in further fatigue elimination for the good of all, the social attitude shows that the work that has been done is worth while.
The Test of Transference of Skill.
The amount of skill that is successfully transferred may be used as a test of fatigue elimination. Each member of the organization is supposed to transfer skill, and also to acquire skill. He transfers to others the skill in the lines of work in which he is proficient, yet which are not the highest types of work that he can do. He learns from others such types of work as are of the highest type that it is possible for him to learn, that he has never had an opportunity to learn because of the time taken by work requiring less skill, that it was necessary under the old plan for him to do.
It is a fallacy to suppose that work which does not demand all the skill at one’s disposal is less fatiguing than work which does. Work is not less fatiguing because it demands less skill. It is less fatiguing when it is done with ease and when there is a joy of achievement requiring skill; that is, when it is satisfying. Because of lack of opportunity, one may only perform with ease the work which does not demand much skill. As soon as he learns to perform the skilled work with ease, it causes even less fatigue, other things being equal, than does unskilled work, because it holds the interest, hence the attention, more easily.
We enjoy doing that which we can do well. Whether we improve in the doing because we take pleasure in doing it, or simply because the pleasure makes us do more, and we improve with the practice, is not of great importance. Psychologists are divided in their opinions as to the effect of pleasure upon work, but all agree that, directly or indirectly, pleasure in the work does affect the work favourably. Through the transference of skill this pleasure is given to the work, or increased in the work, and, therefore, the amount of skill transferred is a test of fatigue elimination.