In 1914 he explained that he had spent several "summers in travel in Europe and the United States, studying methods of industry and employers' welfare institutions.
[7] In 1919 Metcalf moved New York, where he was appointed Professor of Economics at the New School for Social Research, and Director of the Bureau of Personnel Administration.
[8][5] Metcalf was co-author, with Ordway Tead, of Personnel administration: its principles and practice, generally considered to be the first college level textbook published on the discipline.
[9] Tead and Metcalf explained that the purpose of this book was "to set forth the principles and the best prevailing practice in the field of the administration of human relations in industry.
Also,Tead and Metcalf sought to show the relationship of the personnel problems of each corporation to those of its industry as whole, by considering the activities of employers' associations and the dealings which they may have with organizations of workers (e.g., unions) on a district or national scale.