Work study

Job Design
• Specifying the content and methods of job
• Focus on:
• What will be done
• Who will be do the job
• How will be done
• Where will be done
• Objective:
productivity
• Safety
• Quality of work life
 JOB DESIGN- SCHOOLS OF THOUGHT
• 1. Efficiency school: FW Taylor
• A systematic, logical approach to job design
• 2. Behavioural schools of thought:
• Satisfaction of wants and needs.
• Behavioral Approaches to Job Design included:
• Job enlargement: Giving a worker a larger portion of the total task, by horizontal loading
(horizontal loading)
• Job rotation: Workers periodically exchange jobs. means having workers periodically exchange
jobs.
• Job enrichment: Increasing responsibility for planning and coordination tasks, by vertical
loading. (vertical loading)
QUALITY OF WORK LIFE
• Important aspects of job design
• Factors affecting:
• Temperature and humidity
• Ventilation
• Illumination
• Noise and vibrations
• Work time & work break
• Occupational health care
• safety
Intro- work study
• Productivity is crucial to the welfare of industrial firm as well as for the
economic progress of the country.
• High productivity refers to doing the work in a shortest possible time with
least expenditure on inputs without sacrificing quality and with minimum
wastage of resources.
• The purpose of work design is to identify the most effective means of
achieving necessary functions.
• This work-study aims at improving the existing and proposed ways of doing
work and establishing standard times for work performance.
• Work-study is encompassed by two techniques, i.e., method study and work
measurement.
WORK STUDY
• Finding better way of doing work
• Avoiding waste in all it forms
• Effective use of plant and equipment
• Optimum utilization of all resources
• Broad areas of work study:
• 1. Method study
• 2. Work measurement
• “Work study is a generic term for those techniques, method study and work
measurement which are used in the examination of human work in all its contexts.
And which lead systematically to the investigation of all the factors which affect the
efficiency and economy of the situation being reviewed, in order to effect
improvement.”
Work Study in Management

• Work study is a means of enhancing the production efficiency

(productivity) of the firm by elimination of waste and unnecessary
operations.
• It is a technique to identify non-value adding operations by
investigation of all the factors affecting the job.
• It is the only accurate and systematic procedure oriented technique to
establish time standards.
• Method study and work measurement is part of work study.
• Part of method study is motion study, work measurement is also called
by the name ‘Time study’.
Method and Time study
• Method study: It is the systematic recording and critical examination
of existing and proposed ways of doing work, as a means of
developing and applying easier and more effective methods and
reducing costs.”
• Work measurement: It is the application or techniques designed to
establish the time for a qualified worker to carry out a specified job at
a defined level or performance.”
 Advantages of Work Study
• It helps to achieve the smooth production flow with minimum interruptions.
• It helps to reduce the cost of the product by eliminating waste and unnecessary
operations.
• Better worker-management relations.
• Meets the delivery commitment.
• Reduction in rejections and scrap and higher utilization of resources of the organization.
• Helps to achieve better working conditions.
• Better workplace layout.
• Improves upon the existing process or methods and helps in standardization and
simplification.
• Helps to establish the standard time for an operation or job which has got application in
manpower planning, production planning.
METHOD STUDY
• The main purpose of method study is to eliminate the unnecessary
operations and to achieve the best method of performing the
operation.
• According to British Standards Institution (BS 3138):
• “Method study is the systematic recording and critical examination or
existing and proposed ways or doing work as a means or developing
and applying easier and more effective methods and reducing cost.”
Method study
• Finding the facts about a situation
• Critical examination of these facts
• Developing new and better method of doing that work
• Analysing the existing and improved ways of doing work
• Development and application of easier and productive method
• Systematic recording, analysis and critical examination of existing or
proposed ways of doing work
Objectives of Method Study

• Method study is essentially concerned with finding better ways of doing things.
• It adds value and increases the efficiency by eliminating unnecessary operations,
avoidable delays and other forms of waste.
• The improvement in efficiency is achieved through:
• Improved layout and design of workplace.
• Improved and efficient work procedures.
• Effective utilization of men, machines and materials.
• Improved design or specification of the final product.
• The objectives of method study techniques are:
• Present and analyze true facts concerning the situation.
• To examine those facts critically.
• To develop the best answer possible under given circumstances based on critical examination of
facts.
 Scope of Method Study
• The scope of method study is not restricted to only manufacturing industries.
• Method study techniques can be applied effectively in service sector as well.
• It can be applied in offices, hospitals, banks and other service organizations.
• The areas to which method study can be applied successfully in manufacturing
are:
• To improve work methods and procedures.
• To determine the best sequence of doing work.
• To smoothen material flow and to improve layout.
• To improve the working conditions and hence to improve labor efficiency.
• To reduce monotony in the work.
• To improve plant utilization and material utilization.
• Elimination of waste and unproductive operations.
• To reduce the manufacturing costs through reducing cycle time of operations
STEPS IN METHOD STUDY
• 1. SELECT the work to be studied and define its boundaries.
• 2. RECORD the relevant facts about the job by direct observation and collect such additional
data as may be needed from appropriate sources.
• 3. EXAMINE the way the job is being performed and challenge its purpose, place sequence and
method of performance
• 4. DEVELOP the most practical, economic and effective method, drawing on the contributions of
those concerned.
• 5. EVALUATE different alternatives to developing a new improved method comparing the cost-
effectiveness of the selected new method with the current method with the current method of
performance.
• 6. DEFINE the new method, as a result, in a clear manner and present it to those concerned, i.e.,
management, supervisors and workers.
• 7. INSTALL the new method as a standard practice and train the persons involved in applying it.
• 8. MAINTAIN the new method and introduce control procedures to prevent a drifting back to
the previous method of work.
Method study procedure
Selection of the Job for Method Study

• Cost is the main criteria for selection of a job, process and

department for methods analysis.
• To carry out the method study, a job is selected such that the
proposed method achieves one or more of the following results:
• Improvement in quality with lesser scrap.
• Increased production through better utilization of resources.
• Elimination of unnecessary operations and movements.
• Improved layout leading to smooth flow of material and a balanced
production line.
• Improved working conditions.
CONSIDERATIONS FOR SELECTION OF METHOD STUDY

• The job should be selected for the method study based upon the
following considerations:
• 1. Economic aspect
• 2. Technical aspect, and
• 3. Human aspect
Economic Aspects

• The method study involves cost and time.

• If sufficient returns are not attained, the whole exercise will go waste.
• Thus, the money spent should be justified by the savings from it.
• The following guidelines can be used for selecting a job:
• Bottleneck operations which are holding up other production operations.
• Operations involving excessive labor.
• Operations producing lot of scrap or defectives.
• Operations having poor utilization of resources.
• Backtracking of materials and excessive movement of materials.
Technical Aspects

• The method study man should be careful enough to select a job in

which he has the technical knowledge and expertise.
• Other factors which favor selection in technical aspect are:
• Job having in consistent quality.
• Operations generating lot of scraps.
• Frequent complaints from workers regarding the job.
Human Considerations

• Method study means a change as it is going to affect the way in which

the job is done presently and is not fully accepted by workman and
the union.
• Human considerations play a vital role in method study.
• These are some of the situations where human aspect should be
given due importance:
• Workers complaining about unnecessary and tiring work.
• More frequency of accidents.
• Inconsistent earning.
Recording Techniques for Method Study
• In order to carry out any investigation relevant facts pertaining to the existing
method must be collected and recorded.
• The next step in basic procedure, after selecting the work to be studied is to record
all facts relating to the existing method.
• In order that the activities selected for investigation may be visualized in their
entirety and in order to improve them through subsequent critical examination, it is
essential to have some means of placing on record all the necessary facts about the
existing method.
• Records are very much useful to make before and after comparison to assess the
effectiveness of the proposed improved method.
• The recording techniques are designed to simplify and standardize the recording
work.
• For this purpose charts, diagrams and photographic aids are used.
1. Chart
• 1. Outline process chart: principle operations and inspection of the
process.
• 2. flow process chart: activities of men, material, equipment are
analysed
• 3. two headed process chart: movement of two hands of the operator.
• 4. multiple activity chart: simultaneous and interrelated activities of the
operator/ machine on a common scale
• 5. SIMO chart: simultaneous motion cycle chart: movement of body of
the operator
Symbols used in flow chart
• : Operation: main steps in process, method of procedure

• : Transport: movement of workers, material, equipment from

place to place
• : Inspection: indicate inspection, check measurement, visual
scrutiny of quality & quantity
• : temporary shortage/delay: indicate delay in the sequence of
events
• : Storage: material issued and stored in stores
Diagrams and models
• 1. flow diagram: path of men, material and equipment
• 2. string diagram: same as above expect for the variation that it uses
string to trace the path.
Photographic Aids
• 1. cycle graph: recording of movement of hands.
• 2. chrono cycle graph: recording is made using flash lights.
Motion Study

• Work study is a technique which is employed to ensure the best possible

use of men, machine, materials and energy in carrying out a specific
activity. It deals with the techniques of method study and work
measurement.
• Systematic study of the human motions used to perform an operation.
• Motion study principles:
• The use of the human body.
• The arrangement and conditions of the workplace.
• The design of tools and equipment.
• Work study is based on the principle that for every job, there is:
• a) One best way of doing it.
• b) A scientific method is the best and Motion study
surest way of finding this best way.

• c) The time taken for doing the job by the best

way can be measured and set as standards. Time study
Objectives of motion study

• To improve the procedure of doing a work.

• To improve the workplace layout (ultimately plant layout).
• To minimize the human motion for minimum fatigue of operators.
• To maximize the utility of resources (men, money, materials).
• To improve the overall working environment.
Time study

• It was proposed by Frederick Taylor and later modified to include a

performance rating (PR) adjustment.
• Once the method is established, the next objective is to set the
standard time for the work.
• This aspect of work study is called Time study (or Work
measurement).
Objectives of time study
• 1) To determine the standard time for various operations which helps in fixing
wage rates and incentives.
• 2) To estimate the cost of product accurately.
• 3) To predict accurately the duration for a particular work and customer is
promised accordingly.
• 4) To determine the number of machines an operator can run.
• 5) To determine the optimum number of men and machine.
• 6) To provide information for planning and scheduling.
• 7) To balance the work of all workers working in a group.
• 8) To compare the work efficiency of different workers/operators.
 Steps
• Step 1: First select the job to be studied. Breakdown the work content of the job into
smallest possible elements. Then, inform the worker and define the best method.
• Step 2: Observe the time for appropriate number of cycles (such as 25 to 50).
• Step 3: Determine the average cycle time (CT)
• Step 4: Determine the normal time (NT) NT = CT (PR)
• Step 5: Determine the standard time using the following formula. ST = NT (AF)
 Example
• In a welding shop, a direct time study was done on a welding operation. One inexperienced
industrial engineer and one experienced industrial engineer conducted the study simultaneously.
They agreed precisely on cycle time but their opinion on rating the worker differed. The
experienced engineer rated the worker 100 and the other engineer rated the worker 120%. They
used a 10% allowance.
•

• From the above statement,

• (a) Determine the standard time using the experienced industrial engineer’s worker rating.
• (b) Find the standard time using the worker rating of inexperienced industrial engineer.
Solution:

• (a) Rating of worker at 100% by the experienced industrial engineer

• Cycle time (CT) = (20×2+24×1+29×1+32×1)/5 = 25 min
• Normal time (NT) = CT×PR = 25×100% = 25 min
• Standard time (ST) = NT/(1-%A) = 25/(1-0.10) = 27.78 min
• (b) Rating of worker at 120% by the inexperienced industrial engineer
• Cycle time (CT) = (20×2+24×1+29×1+32×1)/5 = 25 min
• Normal time (NT) = CT×PR = 25×120% = 30 min
• Standard time (ST) = NT/(1-%A) = 30/(1-0.10) = 33.33 min
• A time study engineer has studied the time taken to machine.
• Took 40 observations
• Time frequency
• 20 15
• 21 10
• 22 10
• 23 5
• Performance rating: 110%
• Find ST
• Allowance: 15%
• A job has been sub-divided into five elements. The time for each
element and respective rating are given below :

• Calculate the normal time and standard time for each element and for
the job if the allowance is 15%.
• EX:A job has been sub-divided into 4 elements. The time for each
element and respective rating are given below :

• Calculate the normal time and standard time for each element and for
the job if the allowance is 5%
• The observed time for an element is 2 minutes. The rating factor is 80%.
If standard time is 1.76, how much allowance is given for the element?
Allowances
• The determination of allowances is the most controversial part of the time study, because it
varies from person to person, situation to situation, place to place, job to job, season to
season and many more.
• Therefore the industrial engineer feels it most difficult job.
• However, certain standardized norms of allowances are in regular practice by the industrial
engineers.
• These are narrated under five heads as follows :
• (a) Interference allowance
• (b) Relaxation allowance
• (c) Process allowance
• (d) Contingency allowance
• (e) Special allowance
Interference Allowance

• This is provided on a job where the operator is working on several

machines.
• The machine interference may occur due to settings, positioning, etc.
which may influence the skill and effort of the operator.
• However, this may not be added always for calculating standard time
as it belongs to machine controlled element.
Relaxation Allowances
• In every computation of standard time, this allowance must be
considered for manual work, irrespective of the nature of the job.
• An addition to the basic time intended to provide the worker with the
opportunity to recover from the physiological effects of carrying out
specified conditions and to allow attention to personal needs.
• The amount of allowance will depend on the nature of the job.
Process Allowance

• When an operator is running an automatic machine, he becomes idle

after loading or if the process demands some time to go for next
operation such as allowing cooling after welding operation, he
becomes idle.
Contingency Allowance
• it is a small allowance to meet legitimate expected items of work or
delays.
Special Allowance

• 'These include all the other allowances such as policy allowances and
others given by the company such as when a new job is given to
worker, he takes time to learn.
Performance Rating
• The Society of Advancement of Management (SAIM) national committee
defines:
• The performance rating as "the process during which the time study
engineer compares the performance of the operator under observation with
the observer’s own concept of proper formal performance.
• It can also be considered as the efficiency of the worker.
• The Performance Rating or Efficiency =
• Observed performance
x I00
• Normal performance
• Various systems of performance rating are as follows :
• (a) Westinghouse system of rating
• (b) Synthetic rating
• (c) Objective rating
• (d) Skill and effort rating
• (e) Physiological evaluation of performance level
Westinghouse System of Rating

• This system is based on four factors :

• (a) Skill
• (b) Effort
• (c) Condition
• (d) Consistency
Synthetic rating

• The time study observer records the actual time of performance for
the element as done in the previous method.
• Performance times for such elements have been standardized, which
are known as "Predetermined Motion Time Standard Values" or
'PMTS Values.
• The PMT value for the elements from such tables are noted.
• The ratio of Predetermined Motion Time Standard value of the
element (taken from tables) to Average Actual Time (Observed Time)
for the same element gives the Rating Factor.
 Objective rating

1. The speed of the operator is rated

against an objective standard.
2. the numerical obtained in step 1 is
appraised by an adjustment factor.
Which calls job difficulty factor or job
complexity or secondary adjustment
Skill and effort rating
• the observer is supposed to evaluate the work rate or speed of
worker's movement and how fast he is performing the motions.
Physiological evaluation of performance level
• It is known fact that there is a relation between the physical work and
the amount of oxygen consumed.
• It has also been tried out to find the changes in heartbeat for various
physical works.
• This is assumed to be most reliable measure of muscular activity and
studies are still going on by many experts in industrial engineering,
bio-medical engineering and physiology.
• However this method is not in much use presently.
Selection of job for Time Study

• Time Study is conducted on a job:

• which has not been previously time-studied.
• for which method change has taken place recently.
• for which worker(s) might have complained as having tight time
standards.
Selection of Worker for Time Study

• The worker on which time study should be conducted must:

• have necessary skill for the job.
• have sufficient experience with the given method on the job (that is,
he should have crossed the learning stage).
• be an ‘average' worker as regards the speed of working.
• be temperamentally suited to the study (those who can't work in
normal fashion when watched, are not suitable for the study).
• have knowledge about the purpose of study.
Work measurement techniques

• 1. Time study using stop watch.

• 2. Predetermined motion time system (PMTS).
• 3. Work sampling.
• 4. Analytical estimating
Time Study Equipment

• The following equipment is needed for time study work.

• Timing device
• Time study observation sheet
• Time study observation board
• Other equipment