Work Study in Production and Operation Management

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 contexts. And which lead systematically to the investigation of all the factors which affect the efficiency and economy of the situation being reviewed, in order to effect improvement.”

Work study is a means of enhancing the production efficiency (productivity) of the firm by elimination of waste and unnecessary operations. It is a technique to identify non-value adding operations by investigation of all the factors affecting the job. It is the only accurate and systematic procedure oriented technique to establish time standards. It is going to contribute to the profit as the savings will start immediately and continue throughout the life of the product.
Method study and work measurement is part of work study. Part of method study is motion study, work measurement is also called by the name ‘Time study’.

Advantages of Work Study

Following are the advantages of work study:

1. It helps to achieve the smooth production flow with minimum interruptions.
2. It helps to reduce the cost of the product by eliminating waste and unnecessary operations.
3. Better worker-management relations.
4. Meets the delivery commitment.
5. Reduction in rejections and scrap and higher utilisation of resources of the organization.
6. Helps to achieve better working conditions.
7. Better workplace layout.
8. Improves upon the existing process or methods and helps in standardisation and simplification.
9. Helps to establish the standard time for an operation or job which has got application in manpower planning, production planning.

Source: KumarAnil, Suresh N. (2009), Production and operations management, New Age International Pvt Ltd; 2nd Ed. edition.