WORK STUDY

INTRODUCTION
 With increasing complexities of the
technological world, need to simplify the work
system has been increasing day by day.

 Work study is an area of knowledge that

addresses the problem of work simplification
with the basic objectives of

PRODUCTIVITY ENHANCEMENT,
HUMAN COMFORT & SAFETY
EVOLUTION OF WORK STUDY

• F.W.TAYLOR: founder of modern method and time study.

• Taylor began his time study work in 1881.
• He established that each job should have a standard time, determined by time
studies.
• In the timing process Taylor advocated dividing the work into small divisions of
 effort known as elements.
• Time was obtained for these element individually and their collective values
were
used to determine the allowed time for the task.
WORK OF GILBERTH

• Gilbreth is considered as the founder of ‘modern

motion study technique’.
• Which is defined as the study of body motions used in
performing an operation for the purpose of improving
the operation by :
 Eliminating unnecessary motions
 Simplifying necessary motions
 Then establishing the most favorable motion sequence for
maximum efficiency
 Frederick W. Taylor (1856‐1915)
• First engineer in the history studying on the time study.
• Taylor states that "...in these experiments we were not
trying to find the maximum work that a man could do
on a short time but to learn what really constitutes a
full day's work for a first class man, the best day's
work that a man could properly do...”

Taylorism
• Which is the best way to do this job?
• What should constitute a day's work?
• Selection of the best worker, training, teaching him
• The division of the work equally
• Time study
– Divide each task into work elements
– Time each element separately
– Useful than timing the whole task
 Gilbreths
Motion‐study:
Study of the body motions, eliminating unnecessary motions,
simplifying necessary motions, and then establishing the most
favorable motion sequence for maximum efficiency.

Divided work into basic motion elements called “THERBLIGS”

• There is “one best method” to perform a given task
• Bricklaying: 120 to 350 per man per hour
• Micromotion study
–The technique of filming motions to study
–Cyclegraph
–Choronocyclegraph
 DEFINITION

“Work study is defined as that body of knowledge

concerned with the analysis of the work
methods and the equipment used in performing
a job, the design of an optimum work method
and the standardization of proposed work
methods.”

PREREQUISITES FOR CONDUCTING

STEPS INVOLVED IN WORK STUDY
1. SELECT
Job Or Process To Be Studied

2. RECORD
All the details concerning job using various Recording Techniques

3. EXAMINE
Recorded facts critically by asking questions like who, what, when,
why

4. DEVELOP
Most economical method

5. MEASURE
The amount of work involved and set standard time to do that job

6. DEFINE
New method and standard time

7. INSTALL
The new method as a standard practice

8. MAINTAIN
New method as agreed standards
 PRINCIPLES OF WORK STUDY

1.Must come from the top level management.

2.People made aware of the objectives and the need
of the exercising such study.
3.Method study must precede work measurement .
OBJECTIVES
 To analyze the present method of doing a job,
systematically in order to develop a new and better
method.
 To measure the work content of a job by measuring the
time required to do the job for a qualified worker and
hence to establish standard time.
 To increase the productivity by ensuring the best
possible use of human, machine and material resources
and to achieve best quality product/service at minimum
possible cost.
 To improve operational efficiency.
 To reduce waste through standardization of work
elements of a job.
COMPONENTS /
TECHNIQUES OF WORK STUDY WORK
STUDY

METHOD STUDY
• Motion Study : Examine
the job and finding more
efficient method to
perform it

WORK
MEASUREMENT
• Time Study : Determine
the time necessary to
perform a job and its
elements
BENEFITS OF WORK STUDY

 Increased productivity and operational efficiency

 Reduced manufacturing costs
 Improved work place layout
 Better manpower planning and capacity planning
 Fair wages to employees
 Better working conditions to employees
 Improved work flow
 Reduced material handling costs
 Provides a standard of performance to measure labour efficiency
 Better industrial relations and employee morale
 Basis for sound incentive scheme
 Provides better job satisfaction to employees
ADVANTAGES OF METHOD STUDY
• Work simplification
• Improved working method ( cheaper method)
• Better product quality
• Improved work place layout
• Improved equipment design
• Better working conditions

DISADVANTAGES OF METHOD STUDY

• HIGH OPERATING COST
• HIGH WASTAGE & SCRAP
• EXCESSIVE MOVEMENT OF MATERIALS AND WORKMEN
• EXCESSIVE PRODUCTION BOTTLENECKS
• EXCESSIVE REJECTIONS AND REWORK
 WORK
CONTENT

Basic work content

Excess work
content

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MANUFACTURING
TIME

9
 REASONS FOR EXCESS WORK
CONTENT
A. Defects in design

B. Inefficient methods of manufacture

C. Short-comings of the mgt.

D. Work-man attributes
8
Method Study
 METHOD
STUDY
It is the systematic recording & critical
examination of existing and proposed ways
of doing work, as a means of developing and
applying easier and more effective methods
and reducing cost

10
 METHOD
STUDY
Objectives
Critical examination of facts
Develop best possible solution
Eliminate unnecessary
operations
Add value & Avoid delays
Optimize 3M
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METHOD STUDY
PROCEDURE
SELECT
RECORD

EXAMINE

DEVELOP

DEFINE
12

INSTALL
MAINTAI
 JOB
SELECTION
Economic aspect

Technical aspect

Human aspect

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 RECORDING TECHNIQUES
CHARTS
Macro-motion charts
Micro-motion charts

DIAGRAMS
Flow & String diagrams
Cycle graph & Chronocycle graph
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 CRITICAL
A EXAMINATION
systematic and progressive series of
questions with the purpose of determining true
reasons

Based on the reasons, improvements are found

and adopted into a new method, called better
method

The use of questioning technique reduces the

possibility of missing any information which
may be useful for the development of
bette r method
49
 CRITICAL
A EXAMINATION
popular procedure of carrying out critical
examination uses two sets of questions:
Primary questions (answers to these show up the
necessity of carrying out the activity), &
Secondary questions (answers to these allow
considerations to alternative methods of doing the
activity)

Selection of the best way of doing each activity is

later determined to develop new method which is
introduced as a standard practice. 50
 CRITICAL
EXAMINATION
PRIMARY QUESTIONS

the PURPOSE for which

the PLACE at which
the SEQUENCE in which
the PERSON by whom
the MEANS by which
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 CRITICAL
EXAMINATION
SECONDARY QUESTIONS
PURPOSE: what is done?
why is it done?
what else might be done?
what should be done?
PLACE: where is it done?
Why is it done there?
Where else might it is done?
52

Where should it be done?

 C
SEQUENCE:
RITICAL
When is it done?
EXAMINATION
Why is it done?
When might it
be done?
When should it be done?
PERSON:
who does it?
Why does that person do
it?
Who else might do it?
MEANS:
Who should do it?
How is it done? 53

Why is it done that way?

CRITICAL
EXAMINATION

54
DEVELOPMENT & SELECTION OF IMPROVED METHOD
Eliminate all unnecessary operations
Combine operations & elements
Change the sequence of operations
Simplify the necessary operations

Steps in development & selection

Evaluation (evaluate the alternatives)
Investigation (tech. & eco. feasibility)
Selection 55
INSTALLATION OF THE PROPOSED
METHOD

Recommendation phase

Implementation phase

61
 MAINTAIN THE PROPOSED
METHOD
Follow-up
Monitoring & control
Audit of the savings
Review of the approach
Evaluation of effectiveness
of proposed method

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METHOD STUDY
SYMBOLS

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Work Measurement
DEFINITION :-

 “The application of techniques designed to establish

the time for a qualified worker to carry out a
specified job at a defined level of performance”
OBJECTIVES OF WORK MEASUREMENT :-

 1. Comparing alternative methods

 2. Assessing the correct initial manning (manpower requirement
planning)
 3. Planning and control
 4. Realistic costing
 5. Delivery date of planning
 6. Cost reduction and cost control
 7. Identifying substandard workers
 8. Training new employees.
 WORK MEASUREMENT TECHNIQUES
 For repetitive work (short work cycle) or non-repetitive work;

Time study (stop watch technique)

Work sampling
Synthetic data
Analytical estimating
Predetermined Motion Time Study
(PMTS)
Note - Time study & Work sampling involve direct observatio6n5
while remaining are data-based & analytical in nature
TECHNIQUES OF WORK MEASUREMENT
:-
 1) Repetitive Work:- The type of work in which the main operation
or group of operations repeat continuously during the time spent at
the job. These apply to work cycle of extremely short duration.

 2) Non-repetitive Work:- It include some type of maintenance and

construction work, where cycle itself is hardly ever repeated
identically.
 WORK MEASUREMENT TECHNIQUES
Techniques Applications Unit of
measurements
Time study Short cycle repetitive jobs. Centi-minute
Widely used for direct work (0.01 min)
Work sampling Long cycle jobs Minutes
Synthetic data Short cycle repetitive jobs Centi-minute
Analytical Short cycle non-repetitive jobs Minutes

estimating
MTM Manual operation confined to TMU (1 TMU =
one work centre 0.006min)
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 Time study

 Time study is work measurement technique for recording the

times and rates of working for the elements of a specified job
carried out under specified under specified conditions
STEPS IN MAKING TIME STUDY:-
1)SELECT (SELECTING JOB FOR WORK STUDY)
2)OBTAIN & RECORD (DETAILS REGARDING
METHODS,OPERATOR, JOB AND WORKING CONDITION)
3)DEFINE (THE ELEMENT, BREAK THE JOB INTO CONVENIENT
FOR TIMING)
4)MEASURE (TIME DURATION FOR EACH ELEMENT AND
ASSESS THE RATING)
5)EXTEND (OBSERVED TIME INTO NORMAL TIME {BASIC
TIME})
6)DETERMINED (RELAXATION AND PERSONAL ALLOWANCES)
7) COMPUTE (STANDARD TIME FOR THE OPERATION FOR
DEFINED JOB OR OPERATION.)
 Types of element

 A repetitive element – Is an element which occurs in every work cycle of

the job.
 An occasional element - does not occur in each work cycle of the job, but
which may occur at regular or irregular intervals. e.g. machine setting.

 A constant element - the basic time remains constant whenever it is

performed. e.g. switch the machine on.

 A variable element - is an element for which the basic time varies in

relation to some characteristics of the product, equipment or process, e.g.
dimensions, weight, quality etc. e.g. push trolley of parts to next shop.
 Types of element

 manual element - is an element performed by a worker.

 machine element - is automatically performed by a power-driven

machine (or process).

 governing element - occupies a longer time than any of the other

elements which are being performed concurrently. e.g. boil kettle of water,
while setting out teapot and cups.

 foreign element - is observed during a study which, after analysis, is

not found to be necessary part of the job. e.g. degreasing a part that has still
to be machined further.
 PERFORMANCE RATING
Process of adjusting the actual pace of
working of an operator by comparing it with
mental picture of pace of an operator working
at normal speed

Performance rating methods

Speed rating
Westing house method of rating (S,E,C,C)
Synthetic rating (R = P/A)
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Objective rating
allowances

 Relaxation allowances
 Variable allowances
 Interference allowances
 Contingency allowances
 Policy allowances
ALLOWANCES

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STANDARD TIME
COMPUTATION

75
EXAMPLE on how to calculate standard time:
 Employee A B C
Name
Total hours 40 30 40
Total 400 360 340
observations
No. of 80 90 85
observations of
finishing
operation
Average ratings 110 120 80
Output=4000
Standard time?
Assume Allowance 16%
Normal time=1/4000[{40*(80/400)*(110/100)}+{30*(90/360)*(120/100)}+{40*(85/340)*(80/100)}

Standard time=(Normal time)/(1-Allowance factor)

Normal time= observed time* rating factor
Application of work study to office work

1) It involves lots of mental work.This refers decision making process and

Creative thinking
2) Irregular non -repetitive
 WORK MEASUREMENT

• STANDARD TIME IS USED IN:

• COSTING THE LABOR COMPONENT OF
PRODUCTS
• TRACKING EMPLOYEE PERFORMANCE
• SCHEDULING & PLANNING REQUIRED
RESOURCES
 SETTING STANDARD TIMES
• STEP 1: CHOOSE THE SPECIFIC JOB TO BE STUDIED
• STEP 2: TELL THE WORKER WHOSE JOB YOU WILL BE
STUDYING
• STEP 3: BREAK THE JOB INTO EASILY RECOGNIZABLE
UNITS
• STEP 4: CALCULATE THE NUMBER OF CYCLES YOU
MUST OBSERVE
• STEP 5: TIME EACH ELEMENT, RECORD DATA & RATE
THE
WORKER’S PERFORMANCE
• STEP 6: COMPUTE THE NORMAL TIME
Example :-
WORK SAMPLING:-

Work sampling was originally developed by L.H.C. Tippett in Britain in 1934 for
the British Cotton Industry Research Board.
DEFINATION:-
A technique in which a statistically competent number of instantaneous
observations are taken, over a period time, of a group of
machines,processes or workers.
Work Sampling has three main applications:-
1) Activity and delay Sampling:- To measure the activities and delays of
workers and machines.
2) Performance Sampling:- To measure working time and non working time
of a person on a manual work and to establish a performance index or
performance level for a person during his working time.
3) Work Measurement:- Under certain circumstances, to measure manual
task that is to established a time standard for an operation.
What is job design

Job design – process by which managers decide

individual job tasks and authority

Job redesign – process by which managers reconsider

what employees are expected to do

The well-being of organizations and people relates to

how well management designs jobs
 Definition of job design

Def: Job Design is the process of deciding on the content of a

job in terms of its duties and responsibilities; on the methods
to be used in carrying out the job, in terms of techniques,
systems and procedures and on the relationships that should
exist between the job holder and the superiors, subordinates
and colleagues.
 Goals of Job design

1. Major Concern
2. Purpose of Job Design
3. Affect on Employee
4. Impact
Design factor

 Layout of equipment and seating

 Instrument display design
 Compatibility
 Control design characteristics
Environmental factors

 Temperature and hummidity

 Vibration
 noise
Visual Environment

 Lighting
 Ventilation
 Behavioural dimensions of job design
 Job rotation
 Job enlargement
 Job enrichment
Job Rotation: Job Enlargement
:Job Enrichment:

 Job Rotation: Refers to the movement of an employee from one Job to

another.

 Please note: Jobs themselves are not actually Changed, only employees
are Rotated among various jobs.

 Job Enlargement: When a job is enlarged the tasks being performed are
either enlarged or several short tasks are given to on worker, thus the
scope of the Job is increased because there are many tasks to be
performed by the same worker.

 Job Enrichment::Job enrichment as is currently practiced all over the

work is a direct outgrowth of Herzberg’s Two factor theory of motivation.
Approaches to Job Design

 Engineering Approach:
 Human Approach:
 Job Characteristics Approach:
Engineering Approach:

 The work of every workman is fully planned out by

the management at least on day in advance and
each man receives in most cases complete written
instructions, describing in detail the task which
he/she has to accomplish-FW TAYLOR.
 Problem with this approach: Repetition-Mechanical
pacing-no end product-little socal interaction-no
input
 Human Approach:
 The Human relations approach recognized the need to design jobs which are
interesting and rewarding.
 Herzberg’s research popularized the notion of enhancing need satisfaction through
what is called job enrichment.
 Factors involved:
 Motivators like achievement, recognition, work itself, responsibility, advancement
and growth and Hygienic factors.
 According to Herzberg. The Employee is dissatisfied with the job if required
maintenance factors to the required degree are not introduced into the job.
 Job Characteristics Approach

 Theory by Hackman and Oldham states that employees will work hard when
they are rewarded for the work they do and when the work gives them
satisfaction.
 Hence integration of motivation, satisfaction and performance with job design.
 According to this approach Job can be described in terms of five core job
dimensions:
1. Skill Variety
2. Task Identity
3. Task significance
4. Autonomy
5. Feedback
Job Design Process:

 Job Design Process has to start from what activity

needs to be done in order to achieve organizational
goals.
 It requires use of techniques like work-study, process
planning, organizational methods and organizational
analysis and also technical aspects