13
ployees faBl^|than ^ m adfjjl^ O gggg&a
prior to that time. I
Let us consider here how Oregon
compares' with successful industry in
dealing with its employees at the prj?s:£?;
ent time. The test is made on the basis
• ^^>f the thinking and attitudes , of the
■ fc a te ’s .administrative and supervisory
I . staffs: \
^/Regjintly a proposed new state office
-- 'building, H Salem, designed by~a;repu-
table firm of architects, was changed
by aw a pbointive commission from its
I original design “ to save money.” The
“saving” wjas- reported /to have been
I .made H the sacrifice of controlled
fresh air and ventilation to its working
areas and by^ehminating other fear“'
tures that were designed jto^^w fibut^
to the^health and comfort of those who
are to work in the byiidingi-Concern
ing
ventilation and air condi-
Wfion,/it was np.t5
ed in the Wall Street
Journal of October 3, 1949, that “baby
will be born in a deluxe hog.
hatchery equipped—whether I he ap-
preciates it or not—with air condition
ing in summer and radiant heating in
winter.” This is proven to cut cost of
I producing pork by 30 per cent and to
^provide more meat and lesgliat. Recent
a<f§ in the same paper, togmterest
renters of office space, stressed the
I existence of air conditioning in their
building as increasing1 worker effic
iency and decreasing absenteeism due
to sickness. It is also reported that
Oregon’s new cell blocks at the peni-
II tentiary are provided with year-round
air conditioning. Many employees
sense that their emplovCTSi^ess inter-
ested in them as people than ar^^^^w
employers in pigs and convicts!
Vacation leaves! for state employees
I are set out under^Ciyil Service rules
°n a peculiar policy that a vacation
Of w work" d a v ^ a t o w ^ the epa-
ployee six days of credit. earned by
him at one day per month of service
Many departrnents set up their own
rulings/about the employee’s vacation
periods to such extent that many em
ployees -aren’t sure whether they/will
get a vacation and if ||fb^when. They
can be spared when sick, but vacations
seem to come begrudgingly.
The state has a ^policy regarding
working hours and compensation for
overtime. Several departments arbi
trarily set their own differing policies
which engender dissatisfactions and?
misunderstandings between d e p a r t
ments and their employees. Many em-
ployees are forced to take compensa-
tory time off in unseasoned,.,weather
for overtime work required during
better weather; others are lucky to
get what is their due at any time.
Some '-em pl^^s wonder if their in-,
terests are ewéjT'Considered under such
policies. I
Personnel officers dis appointed by
many/ departrh t S adm iK trat||l to
handle their personnel relatons and to
correlate activities under Civil Service.
Cases have arisen where some, by their
actions, show no concern for the em
ployees and have been actually detri
mental to te s tate’s interests in im
proving public senyice. I know of? but
few instances where an employee
Would go tb his personnel officer for
help or advice; yet industry relies/hn
their personnel men to really know
the employee and to be helpful to him.
The/'state offices provided for em
p lo y e e s .^ notorious for their lack of,
proper light, for their poor air, heat
in summer, cold in winter, drafty ven
tilation and crowded conditions. These/"
conditions do not improve the workers1
attitudes, but they do result in/colds,
ill health, poof eyesight, strain and
loss of time andj Efficiency. In some
buildings the ad m in istrais enjoy the
Ko cotter offices .and special comforts?'1
The above are just a few highlights
of state level mattersnhat beatson per
s o n n e l relations. The employees see
weaknesses of administration on all
SjjjjBS use of state/ e iS on private busi-
B ^ ^ g f a voritism in appointments and
Krombfi(g^B|discouragement of initia-
tive, lack of organ îlfflM h esitan ^ | g
delegate authority but eagerness to de-
man d^jr éjsnonsibiS fe g quick criticism
and slow praisgglack of interest on a
K ^ M S />ïbaS
whipB i f e king, pres
sure-tactics, et cetera, I
On the credit side, of the ledger, thé
H H l c a n point with pride to Its re-
tirement act, its Civil Service act and
B S r eiB ^abgl good wage scale. These
pri.de,, are the direct
■
jffjgsult of -employee-spg^ÿred changes
wrought, in large measure, by their