Definition of Work Measurement

According to International Labour Organization

“Work measurement is the application of techniques designed to establish the time taken for a qualified
worker to carry out a specified job (task) at a defined level (rate) of performance.”

International Labour Organization (ILO) stated this important definition of work measurement in its
publication.

According to the International Labour Organization (ILO), a qualified worker is someone who possesses
the necessary skills, knowledge, and experience to perform a specific job or task efficiently and
effectively. A qualified worker has been trained to carry out the work and can work at a defined level of
performance, meeting the required quality standards.

Qualification for a specific job may be achieved through various means, such as formal education,
training, experience, and certification. The ILO recognizes that the definition of a qualified worker may
vary depending on the industry, job, and country context.

In work measurement, a qualified worker is used as a standard to determine the time required to
complete a task. The time determined through work measurement represents the time that a qualified
worker with the required skills and knowledge would take to complete the task at a defined level of
performance.
Now let's proceed to know the meaning of work measurement.

Meaning of Work Measurement

The meaning of work measurement is mainly based on three key steps.

Work measurement means to:

1. Find out the different elements (parts) of the production process (job).

2. Find out the time taken by each element.

3. Fix the standard time for performing the production process.

For example, publishing a book is a production process. There are many elements, which are involved in
the publication of a book. In other words, book publication involves production steps like typing a
manuscript, editing the written matter, proof reading it, followed by printing and binding.

Work measurement involves finding out the time taken for doing each element. The time taken for each
element is totaled. This is the standard time for publishing the book. Here, provisions are also made for
relaxation, breakdown of machines, etc.

Purpose of Work Measurement

The uses, importance, objectives or purpose of work measurement data:

1. Manpower planning.

2. Production planning and scheduling.

3. Estimating productions costs.

4. Cost reduction and control.

5. Rational basis for incentives.

6. Performance appraisal.
 7. Training of employees.

8. Comparing alternative methods.

9. Accepting new orders.

10. Fixing the selling cost.

Now let's discuss, "What work measurement is used for?"

1. Manpower planning

Work measurement data is used for manpower planning. This is because it gives information about the
total hours required to perform the job. This helps to estimate the number and type of employees who
are required to do the job. It ensures that there will not be any excess staff.

Work measurement data also helps to estimate the number of machines and equipment that will be
required in the future. This helps to find out the number of employees who will be required to handle
these machines and equipment.

2. Production planning and scheduling

Work measurement data is used for production planning and scheduling. This is because this data is
used for making production standards. This data is also used for scheduling. Scheduling means to fix
starting and finishing time for each job. This cannot be done without work measurement data.

3. Estimating productions costs

Work measurement data helps to estimate the production cost. This is because it gives management
accurate data about production time. This data helps to estimate the labor costs. Secondly, indirect
costs such as fuel and power consumption, rent and salaries of staff, etc. also depends on the
production time factor.
4. Cost reduction and control

Work measurement data is used to reduce and control costs. It helps to reduce the labor cost. This is
because it provides a guideline to the employees to work efficiently and effectively. This helps to make
optimum use of the available manpower. So the labor cost will reduce.

Work measurement data helps to reduce material costs. It also helps to increase machine productivity.
All these steps help to reduce and control production costs.

5. Rational basis for incentives

Work measurement data is used for making incentive schemes for the employees. Incentive schemes
motivate employees to work hard. The efficient employees are rewarded by giving them a higher wage
rate.

Work measurement fixes the standard-time for doing the work. Those who complete their work within a
standard time or faster than the standard-time are rewarded with higher wages. This encourages all
employees to work fast and efficiently.

6. Performance appraisal

Performance appraisals are done to find out whether the employees are efficient or not. It is done to
find strengths & weaknesses of employees.

Work measurement helps to do performance appraisals. This is because it fixes the standard-output and
standard-time for each employee. The employees who produce the standard-output within the
standard-time are efficient and vice versa. Thus, it also helps to find out the strengths and weaknesses
of the employees.

7. Training of employees
Work measurement helps to train the employees, especially the new employees. It divides the full job
into small elements (parts). It gives complete details about each element of the job. It gives details
about; how to do each element, the time taken for each element, the machines and tools involved in
each element, etc. These details are used for training the employees.

8. Comparing alternative methods

There are many methods for doing a job. Work measurement data helps to choose the best method for
doing a job.

9. Accepting new orders

Work measurement data tells us when will each job be completed. So, it helps the company to decide
whether to accept new orders or not. In other words, it helps to find out whether the new-order will be
completed within a specific time limit.

10. Fixing the selling cost

Work measurement data also helps to fix the selling cost of product. This is because it estimates the cost
of production, especially the labor cost. Selling cost is decided after fixing the estimated production cost.

Work Measurement Techniques

Image depicts different work measurement techniques, methods or types.

1. Historical data method - It uses the past performance data to set performance standards.

2. Time study - It uses stop watch and is best suited for short-cycle repetitive jobs.

3. Work sampling - Here, workers are observed many times at random.

4. Synthesis method - Here, the full job is divided into element or parts.

5. Predetermined motion time system (PMTS) - Here, normally, three times are fixed for one job
namely; normal, fast, and very-fast.

6. Analytical estimating - It is used for fixing the standard time for jobs, which are very long and
repetitive.

Now let’s discuss more above techniques of work measurement.

1. Historical data method

Historical data method uses the past-performance data. Here, past performance is used as a guideline
for setting work performance standards. The main advantage of this technique is that it is simple to
understand, quicker to estimate and easier to implement. However, past performance is not the best
basis for fixing performance standards. This is because there may be many changes in technology,
employees’ behavior, abilities, etc.
2. Time study

Time study with the help of a stop watch is the most commonly used work measurement method. This
technique was developed by Frederick Winslow Taylor (1856-1915).

Time study is best suited for short-cycle repetitive jobs. Most of the production jobs can be easily timed
by a time-study.

Time study procedure consists of the following steps:

1. Select the job to be timed.

2. Standardize the method of doing the job.

3. Select the worker to be studied.

4. Record the necessary details of the job and conditions of work.

5. Divide the job into elements. Here, ’element’ is a part of the job.

6. Find out the time taken to do every single element.

7. Keep provisions for relaxation, etc.

8. Fix the standard time for doing the job.

3. Work sampling

Work sampling method was original developed by Leonard Henry Caleb Tippett (1902-1985) in Britain in
1934. In this technique, the workers are observed many times at random. It is done to find out for how
much time the worker is actually on the job. It checks how long he is working and how much time he is
not working (idle time).

Work sampling method does not involve stop watch measurement. The purpose of work sampling
technique is to estimate what proportion of a worker’s time is devoted to work-related activities.

Work sampling method involves following three main steps:

1. Deciding what activities are defined as ’working’. Non-working are those activities which are not
defined as working.

2. Observe the worker at selected intervals and record (write down) whether he is working or not.
 3. Calculate the portion of time (P), a worker is working.

A portion of time (P) a worker is working equals to ’Number of observations during which working
occurred’ divided by ’Total Number of observations.’

The above calculation is used as a performance standard.

To know more, read advantages and disadvantages of work sampling.

4. Synthesis method

In synthesis method, the full job is first divided into elements (parts). Then the time taken to do each
element of the job is found out and synthesized (totaled). This gives the total time taken for doing the
full job. In this technique, the time taken to do each element of the job is found out from previous time
studies. So, this technique gives importance to past-time studies of similar jobs. It also uses standard
data.

Standard-data is the normal time taken for doing routine jobs. Standard data is easily available for
routine-jobs like fitting screws, drilling holes, etc. So there is no need of calculating these times
repeatedly. Most companies use Standard-data. They do not waste time doing studies for all elements
of the job. This is because standard time is already available for most elements of a job.

For example, a job of publishing a book contains four elements viz; typing, editing, printing and binding.
The time taken for doing each element is first found out. Suppose, typing takes 40 days, editing takes 30
days; printing takes 20 days and binding takes 10 days. Then the time taken to do all the elements are
totaled. That is, it takes 40 + 30 + 20 + 10 = 100 days to publish a book. This information is taken from
previous time studies of other printing jobs or from the standard data.

Synthesis technique also considers the level of performance. Level of performance refers to the speed of
performance, which is either, normal, fast, or very-fast.

The benefits or advantages of synthesis method:

1. It provides reliable information about standard time for doing different jobs. This is because it is
based on many past time studies.

2. It is economical because there is no need to conduct new time studies.

5. Predetermined motion time system

PTMS is better than motion studies because it gives the detailed analysis of the motion, and it fixes the
standard time for doing that motion.

PTMS technique is used mostly for jobs, which are planned for future. However, it can also be used for
current jobs as an alternative to time study.

The benefits or advantages of PMTS method:

1. It is a very accurate method. It avoids subjective judgement or bias of rater.

2. It is an effective and economical method for repetitive jobs of short duration.

3. There is no interference in the normal work routine, and so it does not face any resistance from
the employees.

4. It helps to improve the work methods because it gives a detailed analysis of the motions.

5. It is more economical and fast compared to normal time studies.

6. Analytical estimating

Analytical estimating method or technique is used for fixing the standard time for jobs, which are very
long and repetitive. The standard-time is fixed by using standard-data. However, if standard data is not
available, then the standard time is fixed based on the experience of the work-study engineer.

The benefits or advantages of analytical estimating technique:

1. It helps in planning and scheduling the production activities.

2. It provides a basis for fixing labor rate for non-repetitive jobs.

3. It is economical because it uses standard data for fixing the standard time of each job.

One disadvantage or limitation of analytical estimating method:

1. When standard-data is not available for a job, then the standard time is fixed by the work-study
engineer. He uses his experience and judgement for estimating the standard-time. This is not
accurate compared to a scientific time study.

So, these are different techniques of work measurement.