Define Work Measurement

Work measurement is a study of how long it takes to complete a job.

Work measurement studies the amount of time it takes for an established employee to carry out a work task. Work measurement is essential in calculating the total costs of manufactured items.

Time

Work measurement is the time it takes a qualified employee to complete a job. Managers calculate work measurement by taking samples of studies of time and motion of employees performing certain work tasks. Other common methods used for calculating these tasks are stopwatch studies, historical times and using predetermined data.

Uses

Managers calculate work measurement for many reasons. One use of work measurement is in finding a cost related to the production of goods, which is used to determine the pricing of manufactured goods. It is also used in budgeting and for implementing worker incentive programs.

Output

The calculation of work measurement is also important in calculating the expected output of goods. If a company knows how long on average it takes to complete each task, they can estimate how much employees can produce over a specified period.

Standard Time

The time used in this process is called standard time. Standard time takes into consideration factors when calculating work measurement. Some factors are allowing personal time for the employee, unavoidable delays and job slowing due to fatigue.

References

• BusinessDictionary.com: Work Measurement
• AllBusiness: Work Measurement
• ExploreHR.org: Work Measurement Methods