A PRACTICAL COMBINATION OF EMPLOYMENT METHODS ^57 
depends upon such a wide range of factors that it is absurd 
to offer ideal forms at this point. Every industry has 
its peculiarities and its differences, and the details of 
its forms must be worked out with reference to them. The 
use of the individual-activity record has already been 
described. No employment process is complete unless 
it includes a thoroughgoing and systematic follow up of 
its results; and no such follow up is of more than inciden 
tal value if it is not based upon a uniform and well-defined 
set of facts properly recorded on a standard form. Very 
few employment offices at the present time follow up the 
results of their selections. Once a man has been selected, 
their work is ended. Even if they desired to institute a 
follow up, it would be of little avail because the systematic 
record of those facts upon which a follow up must be 
based is lacking. Such a record must become the very 
foundation of all employment work, and the basis upon 
which the relative merits of the various phases of employ 
ment shall be determined. 
The conduct of two additional phases of employment 
rests directly upon such a record; namely, the transfer of 
employees and the attempt to prevent old employees 
from leaving. To prevent old employees from leaving 
is distinctly an employment activity, even though it does 
seem to take place at the wrong end of the process. Enter 
prising concerns are finding it much more profitable and 
satisfactory to expend energy on the retention of old 
employees than on the selection of new. In at least one 
company this activity has been carried so far that every 
foreman rushes to the employment manager as soon as a 
good man gives in his notice and the employment manager 
is compelled to make an attempt to stave off the em 
ployee’s leaving. Although obviously a very sensible