The writer was given the task of systematizing the largest bicycle ball factory in this country.This company had been running for from eight to ten years on ordinary day work before he undertook its reorganization, so that the one hundred and twenty or more girls who were inspecting the balls were "old hands" and skilled at their jobs.It is impossible even in the most elementary work to change rapidly from the old independence of individual day work to scientific cooperation.
In most cases, however, there exist certain imperfections in working conditions which can at once be improved with benefit to all concerned.
In this instance it was found that the inspectors (girls) were working ten and one-half hours per day (with a Saturday half holiday.)Their work consisted briefly in placing a row of small polished steel balls on the back of the left hand, in the crease between two of the fingers pressed together, and while they were rolled over and over, they were minutely examined in a strong light, and with the aid of a magnet held in the right hand, the defective balls were picked out and thrown into especial boxes.Four kinds of defects were looked for -- dented, soft, scratched, and fire-cracked -- and they were mostly so minute as to be invisible to an eye not especially trained to this work.It required the closest attention and concentration, so that the nervous tension of the inspectors was considerable, in spite of the fact that they were comfortably seated and were not physically tired.
A most casual study made it evident that a very considerable part of the ten and one-half hours during which the girls were supposed to work was really spent in idleness because the working period was too long.
It is a matter of ordinary common sense to plan working hours so that the workers can really "work while they work" and "play while they play," and not mix the two.
Before the arrival of Mr Sanford E.Thompson, who undertook a scientific study of the whole process, we decided, therefore, to shorten the working hours.
The old foreman who had been over the inspecting room for years was instructed to interview one after another of the better inspectors and the more influential girls and persuade them that they could do just as much work in ten hours each day as they had been doing in ten and one-half hours.Each girl was told that the proposition was to shorten the day's work to ten hours and pay them the same day's pay they were receiving for the ten and one-half hours.
In about two weeks the foreman reported that all of the girls he had talked to agreed that they could do their present work just as well in ten hours as in ten and one-half and that they approved of the change.
The writer had not been especially noted for his tact so he decided that it would be wise for him to display a little more of this quality by having the girls vote on the new proposition.This decision was hardly justified, however, for when the vote was taken the girls were unanimous that l0 1/2 hours was good enough for them and they wanted no innovation of any kind.
This settled the matter for the time being.A few months later tact was thrown to the winds and the working hours were arbitrarily shortened in successive steps to 10 hours, 9 1/2, 9, and 8 1/2 (the pay per day remaining the same); and with each shortening of the working day the output increased instead of diminishing.
The change from the old to the scientific method in this department was made under the direction of Mr Sanford E.Thompson, perhaps the most experienced man in motion and time study in this country, under the general superintendence of Mr H.L.Gautt.
In the Physiological departments of our universities experiments are regularly conducted to determine what is known as the "personal coefficient" of the man tested.This is done by suddenly bringing some object, the letter A or B for instance, within the range of vision of the subject, who, the instant he recognizes the letter has to do some definite thing, such as to press a particular electric button.The time which elapses from the instant the letter comes in view until the subject presses the button is accurately recorded by a delicate scientific instrument.
This test shows conclusively that there is a great difference in the "personal coefficient" of different men.Some individuals are born with unusually quick powers of perception accompanied by quick responsive action.With some the message is almost instantly transmitted from the eye to the brain, and the brain equally quickly responds by sending the proper message to the hand.
Men of this type are said to have a low "personal coefficient," while those of slow perception and slow action have a high "personal coefficient."Mr Thompson soon recognized that the quality most needed for bicycle ball inspectors was a low "personal coefficient." Of course the ordinary qualities of endurance and industry were also called for.
For the ultimate good of the girls as well as the company, however, it became necessary to exclude all girls who lacked a low "personal coefficient." And unfortunately this involved laying off many of the most intelligent, hardest working, and most trustworthy girls merely because they did not possess the quality of quick perception followed by quick action.
While the gradual selection of girls was going on other changes were also being made.
One of the dangers to be guarded against, when the pay of the man or woman is made in any way to depend on the quantity of the work done, is that in the effort to increase the quantity the quality is apt to deteriorate.
It is necessary in almost all cases, therefore, to take definite steps to insure against any falling off in quality before moving in any way towards an increase in quantity.
In the work of these particular girls quality was the very essence.They were engaged in picking out all defective balls.
