35 8 
EMPLOYMENT PSYCHOLOGY 
procedure, it is evident that in order to carry it out intel 
ligently, a past history of each employee must be kept 
so that the employment manager can, when the emergency 
arises, quickly and reliably learn about an employee’s 
average earnings, attendance, general ability, and so 
forth. 
The problem of transfers is a comparatively recent and 
troublesome employment problem. Practically every 
transfer from one kind of work to another is a turnover, 
and is economically equivalent to the hiring of a new 
worker. Transfers are due to many causes beyond and 
within the scope of the employment function. However, 
transfers can not be made intelligently unless they are 
based upon a worker’s past performance. In addition to 
this, every transfer should be regarded as a case of rehiring, 
and the individual should be as carefully examined for 
his new work as he originally was. This will to a large 
extent reduce the number of transfers and will help solve 
a problem which has been reaching alarming proportions. 
In summarizing thus the various phases of employment 
which have been previously taken up in detail, it has 
naturally been necessary to be somewhat sketchy. How 
ever, the individual who has had any experience whatso 
ever in employment work will recognize the significance 
of the procedure here outlined. Very little emphasis has 
been placed upon the observational method, because that 
method is so limited in its scope. Frequently, indeed, 
it fails even to enable the employment interviewer to 
distinguish between the unskilled laborer and the skilled 
operative; and as a basis for making the fine distinctions 
which are required by the division of labor to-day, it is 
entirely inadequate. As has been already pointed out, 
observation may tell us whether an applicant looks good