Work measurement is the time taken to complete a task assigned to a job. It helps identify problems and obstacles, and can reduce labor costs, increase productivity, and aid in strategic decision-making. The technique involves analyzing, measuring, and synthesizing data to improve performance and productivity.
In business and HR terms, a work measurement is the time required to complete a general work task assigned to a specific job. Job measurements can be a very effective way for managers to ascertain the amount of time required to perform job duties. Additionally, a job measurement can help identify any problems or obstacles causing a disruption in your ability to perform a task within a reasonable amount of time.
Work metrics are created by observing and documenting the time parameters required to perform certain key tasks in a work environment. Under optimal circumstances, tasks are performed repeatedly in an approved manner by several employees, and time is logged by a supervisor to determine the average time taken to complete a set task. This metric of work is then compared to the quality of the work performed, plus anything that potentially slows down the process so that the business can be improved accordingly.
The technique for performing a work measurement study is a three-pronged approach: analysis of work activity data, recollection and measurement of data, followed by data synthesis. This means that each of the tasks is broken down and analyzed against industry labor standards to determine which vital components need to be controlled for timeliness and quality of work. The data may be obtained independently of other studies in the field or may be based on previous work measurement studies on similar tasks.
Once the critical analysis of the work is done, the actual work is done under close scrutiny and the data is collected in a system to track certain times and activities, such as a spreadsheet. After performing several work measurement tests, this data is reviewed against the analytics data to see how closely the activity times are matched, which in turn ensures that accurate and reasonable data is collected. This general data creates a starting point for improving certain levels of performance and productivity of the workforce during the summary period.
Better job measurement offers many benefits to organizations. An accurate system of established labor metrics can reduce labor costs, increase overall productivity, and improve oversight of future staff. Additionally, job measurements can help an organization make strategic hiring decisions, design training and development programs, and schedule activities to be performed during optimal times that help the organization grow.
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