Work Measurement

Dr. Debadyuti Das

Professor
Faculty of Management Studies
University of Delhi
 Work Measurement
 Work measurement is concerned with how long it should take to complete a job.

 It is not concerned with either job content or how the job is to be completed.

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 Work Measurement
 Standard time
 The amount of time it should take by a qualified worker to complete a specified task, working at a
sustainable rate, using given methods, tools and equipment, raw material inputs, and workplace
arrangement.
 Commonly used work measurement techniques
 Stopwatch time study
 Historical times
 Predetermined data
 Work sampling

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 Work Measurement Techniques
 Stopwatch Time Study
 Used to develop a time standard based on observations of one worker taken over a
number of cycles.
 Standard Elemental Times
 are derived from a firm’s own historical time study data.
 Predetermined time standards
 involve the use of published data on standard elemental times.
 Work sampling
 a technique for estimating the proportion of time that a worker or machine spends on
various activities and idle time.
 Stopwatch Time Study
 Used to develop a time standard based on observations of one worker taken over a
number of cycles.
 Basic steps in a time study:
1. Define the task to be studied and inform the worker who will be studied
2. Determine the number of cycles to observe
3. Time the job, and rate the worker’s performance
4. Compute the standard time

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 Number of Cycles to Observe
 The number of observations to collect is a function of
 Variability of the observed times
 The desired level of accuracy
 Desired level of confidence for the estimated job time
2 2
 zs   zs 
n  or n   
 ax   e
where
z  # of normal stddev. needed for desired confidence
s  Sample standard deviation
a  Desired accuracy percentage
e  Maximum acceptable error
x  Sample mean
 Observed Time

OT 
 x i

n
where
OT  Observed time
x i  Sum of recorded times
n  Number of observatio ns
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 Normal Time

NT  OT  PR
where
NT  Normal time
PR  Performanc e rating
Assumes that a single performance rating has been made for the
entire job

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 Normal Time


NT   x j  PR j 
where
NT  Normal time
x j  Average time for element j
PR j  Performanc e rating for element j

Assumes that performance ratings are made on an element-by-

element basis

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 Standard Time
ST  NT  AF
where
ST  Standard time
AF  Allowance factor
and
AFjob  1  A A  Allowance percentage based on job time
1
AFday  A  Allowance percentage based on workday
1 A

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 Rest Allowances (1 of 4)
• Personal time allowances
– 4% – 7% of total time for use of restroom, water fountain,
etc.
• Delay allowance
– Based upon actual delays that occur
• Fatigue allowance
– Based on our knowledge of human energy expenditure
 Rest Allowances (2 of 4)
Allowance Factors (in percentage) for Various Classes of
Work

1. Constant allowances:
(A) Personal allowance . . . 5
(B) Basic fatigue allowance . . . 4
2. Variable allowances:
(A) Standing allowance . . . 2
(B) Abnormal position
(i) Awkward (bending) . . . 2
(ii) Very awkward (lying, stretching) . . .7
 Rest Allowances (3 of 4)

(C) Use of force or muscular energy in lifting, pulling, pushing

Weight lifted (pounds)
20 . . . 3
40 . . . 9
60 . . . 17
 Rest Allowances (4 of 4)

(D) Bad light:

(i) Well below recommended . . . 2
(ii) Quite inadequate . . . . 5
(E) Noise level:
(i) Intermittent–loud .. . . 2
(ii) Intermittent–very loud or high pitched . 5
Time Study Example (1 of 4)

Allowance factor = 15% of job time

 Time Study Example (2 of 4)

1. Delete unusual or nonrecurring observations (marked with *)

2. Compute average time for each element

Average time for A =

 8  10  9  11
= 9.5 minutes
4

Average time for B =

 2  3  2  1  3  = 2.2 minutes
5

Average time for C =

 2  1  2  1
= 1.5 minutes
4
Time Study Example (3 of 4)

3. Compute the normal time for each element

Normal time =  Average observed time    Rating 

Normal time for A =  9.5   1.2  = 11.4 minutes

Normal time for B =  2.2   1.05  = 2.31 minutes
Normal time for C =  1.5   1.10  = 1.65 minutes

4. Add the normal times to find the total normal time

Total normal time = 11.40  2.31  1.65

= 15.36 minutes
Time Study Example

 Compute standard time

Standard Time = Total Normal Time * (1+Allowance Factor)

= 15.36*(1+0.15)
= 17.664 minutes
 Historical Times
 Standard Elemental Times are derived from a firm’s own historical time study data.
 Over time, a file of accumulated elemental times that are common to many jobs
will be collected.
 In time, these standard elemental times can be retrieved from the file, eliminating
the need to go through a new time study to acquire them.

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 Predetermined Time Standards

 Predetermined time standards involve the use of published data on

standard elemental times.
 Developed in the 1940s by the Methods Engineering Council.
 The MTM (methods-time-measurement) tables are based on extensive research of
basic elemental motions and times.
 To use this approach, the analyst must divide the job into its basic elements (reach,
move, turn, etc.) measure the distances involved, and rate the difficulty of the
element, and then refer to the appropriate table of data to obtain the time for that
element
 Work Sampling
 Work sampling is a technique for estimating the proportion of time that a
worker or machine spends on various activities and the idle time.
 Work sampling does not require timing an activity or involve continuous observation
of the activity
 Uses:
1. ratio-delay studies which concern the percentage of a worker’s time that involves
unavoidable delays or the proportion of time a machine is idle.
2. analysis of non-repetitive jobs.
 Work Sampling
• Estimates percent of time a worker spends on various tasks
• Requires random observations to record worker activity
• Determines how employees allocate their time
• Can be used to set staffing levels, reassign duties, estimate
costs, and set delay allowances
 Work Sampling

1. Take a preliminary sample to obtain estimates of parameter

values
2. Compute the sample size required
3. Prepare a schedule for random observations at appropriate
times
4. Observe and record worker activities
5. Determine how workers spend their time
 Work Sampling
pˆ (1  pˆ )
ez
n
z  Number of standard deviations needed to achieve desired confidence
pˆ  Sample proportion (the number of occurrences divided by the sample size
n  Sample size

2
z
n    pˆ (1  pˆ )
e
e  maximum error percent
Work Sampling Example
Estimates of employees remaining idle is 25% of the time. Sample should be
accurate within  3% Wants to have 95.45% confidence in the
results
z 2 p (1  p )
n
h2
where n = required sample size
z= 2 for a 95.45% confidence level
p= estimate of idle proportion = 25% = .25
h= acceptable error of 3% = .03
(2)2 (.25)(.75)
n 2
 833 observations
(.03)
Work Sampling Example

No. of Observations Activity

485 On the phone or meeting with a welfare client
126 Idle
62 Personal time
23 Discussions with supervisor
137 Filing, meeting, and computer data entry
833 Blank

All but idle and personal time are work related Percentage
idle time =  126  62  = 22.6%
833
Figure Work Sampling Time Studies
Figure Work Sampling Time Studies
 Work Sampling
• Advantages of work sampling
– Less expensive than time study
– Observers need little training
– Studies can be delayed or interrupted with little impact on
results
– Worker has little chance to affect results
– Less intrusive
 Work Sampling
• Disadvantages of work sampling
– Does not divide work elements as completely as time study
– Can yield biased results if observer does not follow random
pattern
– Less accurate, especially when job element times are short