EMPLOYMENT  PSYCHOLOGY

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For  example,  we  might  follow  the  analogy  of  production
and  choose,  as  a  leading  quality,  industry.  Industry  is
the  quality  most  closely  corresponding  to  production,
and  although  it  is  not  subject  to  measurement,  certain
impressions  as  to  an  employee’s  industry  can  be  gained
by  observation.
Numberless  other  qualities  might  be  chosen,  such  as
honesty,  neatness,  initiative,  diplomacy,  attention,  personal ­
  appearance,  temperament,  intelligence,  responsibility, ­
  etc.,  etc.  Probably  no  two  men  will  agree  as  to  which
are  the  most  important  qualities,  and,  as  a  matter  of  fact,
it  is  not  essential  that  they  should.  For  practical  purposes,
it  is  much  more  important  that  a  limited  number  of  fairly
well-recognized  qualities  be  selected,  and,  above  all,  that
the  qualities  selected  be  adequately  defined.  It  avails
little  how  many  are  chosen  if  those  which  are  chosen  are
not  carefully  explained.  As  a  tentative  step,  the  following ­
  qualities  are  suggested  and  defined:
i.  Attendance:  To  be  estimated  by  the  method  described ­
  in  the  preceding  chapter.
i.  Industry:  The  degree  of  concentration  and  energy
which  the  worker  habitually  brings  to  bear  on  his
duties.
3.  Intelligence:  The  quickness  and  thoroughness  with
which  an  employee  grasps  and  executes  tasks  and  directions. ­

4.  Reliability:  The  accuracy  and  care  with  which  an
employee  carries  out  his  assignments.
5.  Speed:  The  despatch  with  which  the  worker  accomplishes ­
  his  tasks.
6.  Initiative:  The  degree  of  originality  and  inventiveness ­
  which  the  employee  brings  to  bear  upon  new  problems
directly  or  indirectly  connected  with  his  work.