The Psychology of Management Part 15

In the same way standard signals are remembered best by the man who signals and are understood quickest by the man who receives them, with a direct increase in speed to the work done.

STANDARD MAN IS THE MAN UPON WHOM STUDIES ARE MADE.--The standard man is the ideal man to observe and with whom to obtain the best Motion Study and Time Study data. He is the fastest worker, working under the direction of the man best informed in the particular trade as to the motions of best present practice, and being timed by a Time Study Expert.

RELATION BETWEEN THE STANDARD MAN, THE FIRST-CLa.s.s MAN, THE GIVEN MAN AND THE TASK.--The "first-cla.s.s man" under Scientific Management means the man who is best fitted by nature and by training to do the task permanently or until promoted.

The "given man" is the man who is actually put to work at the task, whether or not he is well fitted for its performance.

The "task" is that percentage of the standard man's achievement that the given man to whom the task is to be a.s.signed can do continuously and thrive, that he can do easily enough to win his bonus without injuring himself, temporarily or permanently, in any way.

WRITING THE STANDARD MEANS FOR CONVEYING INFORMATION.--Under Scientific Management, and even in the early stages of Transitory Management, writing is the standard means of conveying information.

All orders, without exception, should be in writing. This insures that the "eye workers" get their directions in the most impressive form; does away with the need of constant oral repet.i.tion; eliminates confusion; insures a clear impression in the mind of the giver as well as of the receiver of the order as to exactly what is wanted; and provides a record of all orders given.

Putting the instructions in writing in no way precludes utilizing the worker's natural apt.i.tude to learn by imitation, for he also always has the opportunity to watch and imitate the workings of the functional teachers as well as his scientifically taught fellow-workers.

THE INSTRUCTION CARD THE STANDARD METHOD OF CONVEYING INSTRUCTIONS AS TO THE TASK.--The records of the work of the standard man are contained in data of the Motion Study and Time Study department. These records, in the form in which they are to be used by the man who is to perform the task, are, for the benefit of that man, incorporated in what is known as the instruction card.

DEFINITION OF THE INSTRUCTION CARD.--The instruction card is a set of directions for the man, telling him what he is to do, how he is to do it, how long it should take him to do it, and what he will receive for doing it, and giving him an opportunity to call for, and obtain, a.s.sistance the instant that he finds he cannot do it, and to report back to the managers as to how he has succeeded in the performance.

The Instruction Card has been called "a self-producer of a predetermined product."

COMPARATIVE DEFINITION OF INSTRUCTION CARDS, UNDER SCIENTIFIC MANAGEMENT.--There are three types of Instruction Cards, which may be described as follows:

Type One:--Largely geographical, telling 1. Where to Work.

2. From Whom to Take Orders.

3. What to Do.

Type Two:--Typical engineer's specification,--telling 1. Results desired.

2. Qualities of Products.

Type Three:--A list of elementary, step-by-step instructions, subdivided into their motions, with time allowed for each timable element, preferably for each motion, and a division between 1. Getting ready.

2. Making or constructing.

3. Clearing up. This is the only type used by Scientific Management.

DIRECTIONS, PAY ALLOWANCE AND TIME ALLOWANCE ESSENTIAL.-- The Instruction Card under Scientific Management must contain directions, and state the pay allowance and time allowance.

Directions as to how the work shall be done eliminate waste by cutting out all wrong methods and prescribing the right method exactly.

The setting of a time in which the work is to be done is a great stimulus to the worker, and is also necessary, because upon the attainment of this set time depends the ability of the managers to pay the bonus to the worker, and also to maintain a schedule, or time-table, that will make possible the maintaining of necessary conditions for others, in turn, to earn their bonuses. It cannot be too often emphasized that the extra wages are paid to the men out of the savings, and are absolutely dependent upon the fact of there being savings. It is only when the worker does the work within the time prescribed, that the managers do save enough to warrant the payment of the extra wages that compensate the man for doing the stipulated quant.i.ty of work.

The instruction card contains a statement of the wage or bonus that will be earned for the complete performance of the task set therein, thus furnis.h.i.+ng an incentive at the time that the work is done.

STANDARD DIVISION OF INSTRUCTION CARD NECESSARY.--There are many reasons for dividing an instruction card in the present standard way, namely,--

(a) to reduce the amount of time study observation necessary to be taken, (b) to reduce the difficulties of synthesizing the time studied element, (c) to locate quickly just where the worker needs help and instruction to enable him to achieve his task, (d) to keep up the interest of the worker by having short time elements with which to measure his relative ability, (e) to present the subject-matter of instruction in such natural subdivisions that resting places are automatically provided that allow the mind to recover from its absorption of each subdivision. This provides definite stopping places between co-related units of instruction holding the attention as a complete unit against distraction, and a complete resting place between subdivisions that permits the mind to relax and wander without losing complete grasp of each unit as a whole.

DETAILED INSTRUCTION EDUCATIVE.--The greater the perfection of the detail of the instruction card, the greater the educative value of this plan of management. The educative value of the instruction card will be discussed at length under Teaching.

Those inexperienced in Scientific Management have complained that the detail of Instruction Cards and other parts of Scientific Management is tiresome. Dr. Taylor has answered such objectors in Discussions, and also in his own directions for planning the Instruction Card, which are to be found in "Shop Management."

The advantages of the detailed instruction card are more than might appear on the surface. Not only does the man whose attention is easily distracted keep to his work better if he is told every possible detail, but also the cards when filed can be taken out again, and every detail and item of the method reviewed at length and revised if necessary.

The experienced worker who gets to know the instruction by rote is not bothered by extreme detail. On the contrary, he grasps it at a glance, and focuses his mind upon any new feature and upon the speed and exactness of muscular action needed for compliance with the card.

LANGUAGE OF INSTRUCTION CARD IMPORTANT.--The language in which instructions and commands are transmitted on the instruction card is of sufficient importance to warrant careful consideration. It would be helpful if the instruction card clerk and the man who is to use the instruction cards were both masters of English, but this is hardly to be expected. The best subst.i.tute for such special English training is a "System" for the use of the instruction card clerk that will give him some outline of English that will by degrees make his wording terse, simple and unambiguous.

He should be impressed with the value of short sentences, and of sentences that will require no punctuation other than a period at the end. The short sentence is the most important step toward brevity, terseness, conciseness and clear thinking.

The second most important feature is that the instruction card clerk always uses the same standard wording for the same instructions. Repet.i.tion of phrasing is a virtue, and the use of the same word for the same thing and the same meaning repeatedly is very desirable. The wording, phrasing and sentencing should be standard wherever possible.

STANDARD PHRASING DESIRABLE.--After a short time a phrase or sentence that is often repeated will be recognized as quickly as will a word or a letter. Men who cannot read and write at all are comparatively few. Men who can read and write but little are many.

It is entirely possible to teach such men standard groupings, which they can recognize on the Instruction Card and use in a very short time.

For example,--laborers who do not even know their alphabets will learn quickly to read setting marks on cut stone.

Just as mnemonic symbols save time and effort, so standard phrasing aids toward finding out what is to be done, and remembering how it is to be done.[5] Both of these can be accomplished if the standardization is so complete that directions can be read and remembered almost at a glance.[6]

SPECIFIC TERMS HELPFUL.--To be most effective, directions should be in the imperative form, and in specific terms.

The history and growth of language shows that the language of the savage consisted of vague general terms as compared to the specific individual terms of the modern language of civilized man.

There are examples to be seen on every hand to-day where the oral language of instructions and orders to proceed, that are given to the worker, are still more vague, comparatively, than the language between savages.

SIMILARITY OF FORM AND SHAPE ADVISABLE.--As for the form and shape, as Dr. Taylor says, "anything that will transmit ideas by sketch or wording will serve as an instruction card." He advises, however, taking advantage of the saving in time to be gained by having the instruction cards as nearly alike as possible. They may, for convenience' sake, vary as to length, but in width, ruling, s.p.a.cing and wording they should be as nearly alike as possible.

STANDARD SURROUNDINGS VALUABLE.--Standard environment, or surroundings, of the worker are valuable for two reasons:

1. Because they directly increase output by eliminating everything which might distract attention or cause needless fatigue, and by a.s.sisting in the attainment of more output by having the best possible surroundings for greater output.

2. Because all surroundings suggest an easy achievement. Knowing that everything has been done to make his work possible and easy, the worker feels this atmosphere of possibility and ease around him, and the suggestive power of this is strong.

UNNECESSARY FATIGUE SHOULD BE ELIMINATED.--The walls, appliances and furniture, and the clothing of the worker should be of that color which will rest his eyes from the fatigue of the work. All unnecessary noise should be eliminated, and provision should be made, where possible, that the workers may enjoy their sleep or their rest hours in perfect quiet.

Records show the value of having quiet reign in and near the camp, that the workers may not be disturbed. Even though they are not disturbed enough to be waked up, every noise that is registered in the brain affects the body, for it is now conceded that the body reflects every phase of mental activity.

ALL MENTAL STATES AFFECT BODILY STATES--Dr. Stratton says: "It is now generally accepted that the body reflects every shade of psychic operations; that in all manner of mental action there is some physical expression."[7] All consciousness is motor "is the brief expression of this important truth; every mental state somehow runs over into a corresponding bodily state."

ELIMINATION OF WORRY a.s.sISTS IN CONCENTRATING ATTENTION.--The more fireproof the building, and the more stable the other conditions, the greater the efficiency of the inmate. Burglar-proof buildings not only actually induce better sleep, in that possible intrusions are eliminated, but give a state of mental peace by the removal of apprehension. So also, a "germ proof" house is not only really more healthful for an inmate, but eliminates worry over possible danger of ill health. The mental health of the worker not only controls, in a measure, his physical health, but also his desire to work. Having no distractions, he can put his mind upon that which is given him to do.

DISTRACTED ATTENTION CAUSES FATIGUE.--The attention of the worker is apt to be distracted not only by recognized dangers, such as burglars, fires, and disease, but also by other transitory things that, involuntarily on his part, take his mind from the work in hand. A flickering light distracts the attention and causes fatigue, whether we have consciously noticed it or not. Many things are recorded by the senses without one's being conscious of them.

For example, the ceasing of a clock to tick, although we have not noticed that it was ticking. Another example is the effect upon the pulse or the brain of being spoken to when asleep.

The flickering lamp of the chronocyclegraph device is much more fatiguing than the steady lamp of plain cyclegraphs.

PROPER PLACING OF WORKERS ELIMINATES DISTRACTED ATTENTION.-- Workers must be placed so that they do not see intermittently moving objects out of the corners of their eyes. In the early history of man it was continuously necessary to watch for first evidence of things behind one, or at a distance, in order to be safe from an enemy. From generations of survival of the most fit there have developed human eyes most sensitive to moving objects that are seen out of the corner of the eye. Even civilized man has his attention distracted quickest, and most, by those moving objects that he sees the least distinctly, and furthest to one side from the direction in which he is looking.

The leaf that moves or the gra.s.s that trembles may attract the attention where seen "out of the corner of the eye" to a point where it will even cause a start and a great fear.

As an example of the distracting effect of moving objects seen "out of the corner of the eye," try reading a book facing a window in a car where the moving scenery can be seen on each side of the book. The flitting object will interrupt one, one cannot get the full meaning out of what one is reading--yet if one lays down the book and looks directly at the scenery, the mind can concentrate to a point where one does not see that moving scenery which is directly in front of the eyes.