Work Measurement

It is not as simple to introduce work measurement in the office as it is in the factory. It may be possible to measure at least 50 per cent of the work in the office and the following methods are used:

Simple timing. This involves studying a number of average clerks doing repetitive work and setting a standard, e. g. 6000 lines of typing per day.

Recording devices. These may be used on machines which register the number of key depressions. Documents could be weighed. Audio-typists' work could be measured by the number of inches of dictated tape, or by pages typed.

Activity sampling. This consists of random observations taken periodically and is based upon the law of statistical regularity. It enables the time spent on various activities to be noted.

Variable Factor Programming (VFP).This method uses a different approach. The emphasis is on using measurement primarily as a psychological rather than a mechanical stimulus to greater productivity. This method comprises the following steps:

1. The work content is evaluated. Each member of the department lists the work performed by him. Data are then coordinated and definitions standardized.

2. Jobs are timed by workers and averaged over about four weeks. All breaks are noted, e.g. telephone calls, and reasonable target times are set.

3. Work is assigned in batches to control work flow and work not completed in the time fixed is investigated. Another method of control is for employ­ees to record the time taken against the target time. Daily and weekly reports are sent to the supervisor.

4. Variable manning table can be drawn up, based upon target time; these give the work load in man hours and from these the number of staff required can be estimated.

It is more suitable for repetitive work, but it has been applied to drawing offices and research laboratories with reasonable success.

Group Capacity Assessment (GCA). This has already been adopted by a number of firms in the United Kingdom. Its purpose, like VFP, is to analyse labour costs and reduce them where necessary. Its origin is again in America where the accounting consultants, Ernst and Young, perfected the idea of measuring groups rather than individuals.

In any department, measurement of the work of an individual would produce a standard for him alone; such a standard would not be appropriate for others in the section because of the variety of jobs per­formed in it. But if the work of small groups is measured collectively, results can be collated for each department.

The advantages of this system are:

• manpower planning can be forecast more accurately;

• jobs can be more accurately evaluated and skills better utilized, e.g. skilled personnel may be doing simple clerical tasks;

• inefficiency is spotlighted, labour costs can be reduced, and staff morale can be improved.