The welfare supervisor: lessons for the modern day from improvements of conditions for female munitions workers during the Great War

As part of research into Lessons for Modern Manufacturing and Supply from the Great War the role of the workforce is being examined. This research is based upon an examination of changes in the work place for the workforce brought about by the role of the Welfare Supervisor. The creation of the factory Welfare Supervisor was probably the most important innovation of all. Without her in the workplace to oversee and enforce innovations brought in for women none of the improvements could have succeeded. Unlike so many other initiatives in production her role was only recommended and some factories initially made excuses for not taking on a Welfare Supervisor. Data from 1918/19 shows that this was short sighted, the whole workforce benefitted from the improvements made for women. Where Welfare Supervisors were set on productivity increased and the workforce were happier, healthier and munitions production increased and remained plentiful.