Performance, Effort and Skill
Engineered standards are based on ‘average performance’,
‘maintainable effort level’ and ‘reasonable skill level’. These are
defined as:
- Average Performance – That which is expected from the
conscientious worker in return for base pay.
- Effort Level – That which can be easily maintained
year after year by the physically normal operator without
drawing on their reserve energy.
- Skill Level – That of an operator who has been at the
job long enough to do it without undue hesitation, planning or
error.
MSD breaks all work down into basic measurable elements in terms
of time measurement units, (TMU). A Time Measurement Unit is defined
as 1/100,000 of an hour. The TMU elements then are combined to make
the job measurable. Enough studies have been made and practical
applications proven that it is possible to accurately predetermine
the amount of time it should take to do any job involving motion.
The key issue Industrial Engineers face in the installation of a
work measurement program is related to skill and effort level.
Workers constantly require that these items be defined. For that
purpose the following analysis of reasonable skill and effort is
provided.
Skill:
- Works with reasonable accuracy
- Has self confidence
- Is proficient at the work
- Follows a set procedure without appreciable hesitation
- Understands his tools and equipment
- Plans ahead
- Coordinates hands and mind
- Turns out satisfactory work.
Effort:
- Works steadily
- Has a good setup
- Plans ahead
- Works with a good system
- Reduces lost motions to some extent
In case after case, it has been found that companies and workers
not using predetermined standards operate at only 50 to 60 percent
of the standards. When the new standards are properly installed,
productivity promptly goes up to 70 to 80 percent of the standard
and then, based on the supervisory use of this management tool,
gradually increases further.
It is important to understand that when we speak of measuring the
amount of time it should take for a job, this time is not set on the
basis of 'speeding up' the rate of the motions a worker normally
makes. Our measurements are based on the normal pace of the average
worker. They make allowances for rest periods, coffee breaks,
fatigue factors, etc. Standards motivate the worker to work smarter,
not harder. The worker does have to fill the nonproductive gaps,
however, to come up to standard. One attitude transition that helps
achieve productivity gains is that we train supervisors to think
‘hours of work’ - not ‘units’. |
