Improving the Productivity and Introduction

to Work Study
Dr. Divya

Content
How to improve productivity
Reducing excess work content
Reducing ineffective time

Introduction to work study

Techniques of work study

Basic steps used in work study

Improving the productivity

Higher productivity of organizations leads to national

prosperity and better standard of living.

This has motivated to many organizations for improving
productivity at different levels.
Importance of time and difference between actual and
required inputs for raising the productivity shall be focused
in this presentation.

Productivity of Man/Machine
Time required to do a job
Basic work content
Excess work content
Ineffective time

Reasons for excess work content

a)
b)

c)
d)

Work content added due o defect in design and specification of a

product
Work content added due to inefficient methods of manufacture
Ineffective time added due to shortcomings of the management
Ineffective time added due to reasons attributed to work man

Total time of operation

l
Total Work
content

Total
Ineffective
Time

Basic work content of product or

operation

Excess work content added due o defect

in design and specification of a product

Excess work content added due to

inefficient methods of manufacture

Ineffective time added due to

shortcomings of the management

Ineffective time added due to reasons

attributed to work man

How manufacturing time is made up of

Reducing excess work content caused

by imperfect design
Product development and value analysis
Design and production people should work together
Improve the design in product development stage itself (in light

of manufacturing, assembling needs)

Alternation in design can be made for reduced materials
processing
Standardization and specialization
To reduce product variety

Increase batch size of production

Allows use of high volume production processes

Reducing excess work content caused

by imperfect design
Proper quality standard
Market and consumer research: needs of market and customers
Product research: technical requirement of product for longer

and better performance

Reducing excess work content added due to

inefficient
methods
of
manufacture
Process planning function
Selection of machine for manufacturing
Necessary tools are identified for use
Identification of processing parameters (speed, feed, depth of

cut etc.)
Method Study
Factory layout (reduce unnecessary movements)
Developing improved working method

Reducing ineffective time added due to

shortcomings of the management
Product standardization and simplification
Standardization of component
Production planning and control
Material control

Plant maintenance
Safety measures and improved working condition

Reduce Ineffective time added due to

reasons attributed to work man
Sound personnel policies
Operator training
Safety training
Financial incentives

Work Study
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 context. And which lead systematically to the
investigation of all factors which effect the efficiency and economy of
the situation being reviewed, in order to effect improvement.
Method study
To simplify job and develop more
economical method of doing work

Work Study

Work Measurement (Time

study)
To determine Time standard for
doing work

Higher Productivity

Advantages of work study

It helps to achieve the smooth production flow with

minimum interruption
Reduce the cost of product by eliminating waste and
unnecessary operations
Better work management relations
Meets the delivery commitment
Better work place layout
Standardization and simplification
Help to establish time standard for an operation which has
got application in production planning and manpower
planning.

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 question 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 standard