WORK STUDY

Work study is simply the study of

work. It is the analysis of work
dividing it into smaller parts
followed by rearrangement of these
parts to give the same effectiveness
at lesser cost.
It examines both the method and
duration of the work involved in a
process.

Nature and Object of Work-study

1. Work study/Time and motion study is
primarily concerned with discovering
the best ways of doing jobs and with
establishing stds based upon such
methods.
2. Work study is to minimize costs either
by designing work for higher
productivity or by improving
productivity in existing work through
improvements in current methods and
by reducing inefficient or waste of time.

Objectives of Work-Study
1. To recommend and implement the desired
improvements in work methods by establishing
the most economical way of doing work.
2. Investigation and analysis of existing situation.
3. Examination of weakness if any in the prodn
process.
4. Most effective use of the existing or proposed
plant.
5. Efficient use of human efforts.
6. Ensure proper performance of those employed
in the prodn process.
7. Measurement of work values.
8. To initiate and maintain incentive bonus
schemes.
9. Setting stds for labor cost ctrl documentation.
10.To standardize the method, material and
equipment used in the prodn process

Importance of work-study
1. It is a mean of raising productivity of a factor
by reorganization of the work involving little or
no capital expenditure on plant and
equipment.
2. It is systematic study where no factor of
prodn is overlooked.
3. It is most accurate method of determining the
stds of performance on which effective
planning and ctrl depends.
4. It results in savings and efficient use of
resources by increasing o/p reducing scrap.
5. Results in improved safety.
6. Reduction in training time.
7. It is a tool, which can be, applied everywhere.

Components of work study

1.
2.
3.
4.

Method Study
Work measurement.
Ergonomics.
Job evaluation: Functional/ Non
functional

Method study is the systematic

Recording, Critical analysis,
development and
implementation/installation of new
methods to perform job to reduce costs
etc. with regard to existing/proposed
jobs. It is some sort of MOTION STUDY.

Work measurement is TIME STUDY,

which determines the amt. of time
reqd. to perform a job/task by a
worker following a
particular/prescribed method.

Ergonomics is the study of

relationship b/w worker and his
working environment. It includes a
mix of working environment,
working place and human
physiological considerations.

Method Study
The function of the method analyst
is to study the way in which
something is being done with a
view to develop a procedure which
when adopted would increase the
level of performance.

Need of Method Study

1. Bottlenecks in the system resulting in
long delivery time or unbalanced
workflow.
2. Idle plant labor shows under utilization
of resources .
3. Poor moral of workers may affect the
quality of the product. Due to this there
may be high absentism.
4. Inconsistent earnings also advocate for
the review of prodn method.

Techniques of Methods Study

1. Selection of job to be studied:-Method
study and its implementation will cost
money. Thus the job shd. Be selected
only when there are some valid reasons
for method study. Maximum cost benefit
is the normal objective.
2. Collection, Recording and presentation
of necessary inf. eg. Recordg the
movement of equipment or material,
Recordg the work done by an operator
and movements of operators with
respect to machines and other
operations

3. Analysis of the existing method

The information Provided by charts and
graphs is critically examined and
screened by asking some searching
questions. Like
Purpose:- What is to be done, why it is to
done, what else cud be done
Place :- Where to be done, where else cud
be done, where shd it be done etc.
These questions can help in the
development of new method by getting
the answers for above said questions.

Develop a new method

The device specially designed for
improving work method is known
as the process improvement
formula. The four steps in the
procedure are
ELIMINATE,COMBINE, SEQUENCE
(i.e. scope of changes in the
sequence
of
activities)
and
SIMPLIFY

Charts for Method Study

Process Charts :- It represents
diagrammatically the sequence/order of various
operations evolved in a prodn process from
start to finish. Process charts are not drawn to
any scale and use various symbols to represent
some movements or activities.
The symbols are joined by lines to represent
the sequence of activities. These are based on
the concept that there is always some order in
which the various operations sheduled. Occur
b/w the input stage to finished product.

Work Measurement
Application of techniques designed
to establish the time for a qualified
worker (physically and mentally fit
to undertake a job for which he
possesses necessary skill and
knowledge) to carry out a specified
job at a defined level of
performance is known as work
measurement

It is some sort of time study, which

attempts to determine the amt of time
required to perform a task by an
operator following a prescribed method.
Time study is a work measurement
technique for recording the times and
rates of working for the elements of a
specified job carried out under specific
conditions and for analyzing the data so
as to obtain the time necessary for
carrying out the job at a defined level of
performance

Steps in work measurement

procedure
1.

Selection:- Time study follows a previous

method study and so there is no selection
problem.

2.

Obtain all necessary information:- The

conditions reqd to perform some wok shd be
recorded. This info shd be in terms of worker,
machines, material, layout, quality, standard
etc.

3. Divide the job into elements

4. Time the element:- Stopwatch is the most conventional

mean for timing the elements. Time recording needs
considerable skill, attention, alertness etc. To watch the
worker, manipulate the watch and record the time.

5. The number of the cycles to be timed:- One must record

sufficient readings to be reasonably confident of an
accurate result.

6. Rating the operator:7. Objective Rating:- Here emphasis is laid on speed and
difficulty experienced in performing a job. The operator is
first rated according to speed of his movement
irrespective of the nature of job. Then adjustment is
made for the type of job taking into consideration

8. Allowance
Standard times for the elements or
job are necessary to provide
allowances
for
compensating
fatigue,
personal
needs,
contingencies etc. like relaxation
allowance, tool and machinery
allowance,
excessive
work
allowance

Types of Allowances

Relaxation Allowance:

constant allowance personal, Basic

Fatigue
Variable allowance Abnormal position,
Bad light, ventilation, noise mental strain
Contingency allowance:
Personal allowance:
Policy allowance:

Standard Time Per Unit

Measure each element: observed time
Defined level of performance: % rating
Obtain normal time(NT)
= OT x % rating
Add allowances
Standard time/unit
= NT + NT x % allowances
Standard output =
Time (taken) available(mts) / Available
time per unit

Objectives of work measurement

1. Target time for each job can be estimated
scientifically. With this estimate realistic and
manpower requirements can be prepared.
2. Useful incentive schemes can be generated by
linking these with target times.
3. Variance b/w actual time and target time can
lead to apply better ctrl on the operations.
4. It can lead to proper balancing of the work
distribution.
5. Forecasts for future manpower and related
costs can be made.

Motion Study
Motion study is the systematic
study of the human motions used
to perform an operation.

Motion Study Techniques

Motion study principles guidelines for designing motionefficient work procedures
Analysis of therbligs - basic
elemental motions into which a
job can be broken down
Micromotion study - use of
motion pictures and slow motion
to study motions that otherwise
would be too rapid to analyze
Charts

Developing Work Methods

1. Eliminate unnecessary motions
2. Combine activities
3. Reduce fatigue
4. Improve the arrangement of the
workplace
5. Improve the design of tools and
equipment

Working Conditions
T e m p e ra tu re &
H u m id it y

I llu m in a t io n

V e n t ila t io n

C o lo r

Working Conditions (contd)

Noise & Vibration

Safety

Work Breaks

Causes of Accidents

Work Measurement
Standard time
Stopwatch time study
Historical times
Predetermined data
Work Sampling

Compensation
Time-based system
Compensation based on time an
employee has worked during a pay
period

Output-based (incentive) system

Compensation based on the amount
of output an employee produces
during a pay period

Form of Incentive Plan

Accurate
Easy to apply
Consistent
Easy to understand
Fair

Compensation
Individual Incentive Plans
Group Incentive Plans
Knowledge-Based Pay
System
Management Compensation