Chap007 - Design of Work Systems

7-1 Design of Work Systems

William J. Stevenson

Operations Management

8th edition

7-2 Design of Work Systems

7-3 Design of Work Systems

Job design involves specifying the content and methods of job What will be done Who will do the job How the job will bob will be done Where the job will be done Ergonomics

Job DesignJob Design

7-4 Design of Work Systems

Design of Work SystemsDesign of Work Systems

Specialization Behavioral Approaches to Job Design Teams Methods Analysis Motions Study Working conditions

7-5 Design of Work Systems

Job Design SuccessJob Design Success

Successful Job Design must be: Carried out by experienced personnel with

the necessary training and background Consistent with the goals of the

organization In written form Understood and agreed to by both

management and employees

7-6 Design of Work Systems

Specialization in Business: AdvantagesSpecialization in Business: Advantages

For Management:

1. Simplifies training

2. High productivity

3. Low wage costs

For Labor:

1. Low education andskill requirements

2. Minimumresponsibilities

3. Little mental effortneeded

Table 7.1

7-7 Design of Work Systems

DisadvantagesDisadvantages

For Management:

1. Difficult to motivatequality

2. Worker dissatisfaction,possibly resulting inabsenteeism, highturnover, disruptivetactics, poor attentionto quality

For Labor:1. Monotonous work

2. Limited opportunitiesfor advancement

3. Little control over work

4. Little opportunity forself-fulfillment

Table 7.1

7-8 Design of Work Systems

Behavioral Approaches to Job DesignBehavioral Approaches to Job Design

Job Enlargement Giving a worker a larger portion of the total

task by horizontal loading Job Rotation

Workers periodically exchange jobs Job Enrichment

Increasing responsibility for planning and coordination tasks, by vertical loading

7-9 Design of Work Systems

Motivation and TrustMotivation and Trust

Motivation Influences quality and productivity Contributes to work environment

Trust Influences productivity and employee-

management relations

7-10 Design of Work Systems

TeamsTeams

Benefits of teams Higher quality Higher productivity Greater worker satisfaction

Self-directed teams Groups of empowered to make certain

changes in their work process

7-11 Design of Work Systems

Methods AnalysisMethods Analysis

Methods analysis Analyzing how a job gets done Begins with overall analysis Moves to specific details

7-12 Design of Work Systems

Methods AnalysisMethods Analysis

Changes in tools and equipment

Changes in product designor new products

Changes in materials or procedures

Other factors (e.g. accidents, quality problems)

The need for methods analysis can come from a number of different sources:

7-13 Design of Work Systems

Methods Analysis ProcedureMethods Analysis Procedure

1. Identify the operation to be studied

2. Get employee input

3. Study and document current method

4. Analyze the job

5. Propose new methods

6. Install new methods

7. Follow-up to ensure improvements have been achieved

7-14 Design of Work Systems

Analyzing the JobAnalyzing the Job

Flow process chart Chart used to examine the overall sequence

of an operation by focusing on movements of the operator or flow of materials

Worker-machine chart Chart used to determine portions of a work

cycle during which an operator and equipment are busy or idle

7-15 Design of Work Systems

FLOW PROCESS CHARTJob Requisition of petty cash

Details of Method

ANALYST D. Kolb

PAGE1 of 2

Op

erat

ion

M

ove

men

t

Insp

ecti

on

Del

ay

Sto

rag

e

Requisition made by department headPut in “pick-up” basketTo accounting departmentAccount and signature verifiedAmount approved by treasurerAmount counted by cashierAmount recorded by bookkeeperPetty cash sealed in envelopePetty cash carried to departmentPetty cash checked against requisitionReceipt signedPetty cash stored in safety box

Figure 7-2

7-16 Design of Work Systems

Motion StudyMotion Study

Motion study is the systematic

study of the human motions used

to perform an operation.

7-17 Design of Work Systems

Motion Study TechniquesMotion Study Techniques

Motion study principles - guidelines for designing motion-efficient work procedures

Analysis of therbligs - basic elemental motions into which a job can be broken down

Micromotion study - use of motion pictures and slow motion to study motions that otherwise would be too rapid to analyze

Charts

7-18 Design of Work Systems

1. Eliminate unnecessary motions

2. Combine activities

3. Reduce fatigue

4. Improve the arrangement of the workplace

5. Improve the design of tools and equipment

Developing Work MethodsDeveloping Work Methods

7-19 Design of Work Systems

Working ConditionsWorking Conditions

T e m p e r a t u r e &H u m i d i t y

V e n t i l a t i o n

I l l u m i n a t i o n C o l o r

7-20 Design of Work Systems

Working Conditions (cont’d)Working Conditions (cont’d)

Noise & Vibration

Causes of AccidentsSafety

Work Breaks

7-21 Design of Work Systems

Work MeasurementWork Measurement

Standard time

Stopwatch time study

Historical times

Predetermined data

Work Sampling

7-22 Design of Work Systems

CompensationCompensation

Time-based system Compensation based on time an employee

has worked during a pay period Output-based (incentive) system

Compensation based on the amount of output an employee produces during a pay period

7-23 Design of Work Systems

Form of Incentive PlanForm of Incentive Plan

Accurate

Easy to apply

Consistent

Easy to understand

Fair

7-24 Design of Work Systems

CompensationCompensation

Individual Incentive Plans

Group Incentive Plans

Knowledge-Based Pay System

Management Compensation