How to measure labor productivity?

Definition

Most simply, productivity is the ratio between output and inputs. 

Within a factory, industrial engineers or factory managers and line supervisors measure the number of garments produced by a line of sewing machine operators in a specific time frame. Generally factory works 10 to 12 hours a day. Total production (output pieces) of a line and total labor involved in producing those   pieces is required to calculate labor productivity. See following example, 

Assume that 

   Total production in day =1200 pieces

   Total labor (operator +helpers) = 37

   Working time = 600 minutes  (10 hours)

So, Labor productivity per 10 hours is =Total pieces produced/ total labor input = (1200/37) Pieces =32.4 pieces.

Another productivity measure is labor efficiency, which is a comparison of the time spent working productively to the total time spent at work. These metrics are appropriate for analyzing and comparing the productivity of a particular production line or factory that turns out specific apparel products. However, comparing productivity levels across products or operating lines can be difficult because the benchmarks

differ from one garment to another. Calculation of labor efficiency is shown below. Consider above data.

    SAM (Standard allowed minutes) of the garment = 8.9

   Minutes produced by each labor =(32.4 pieces X 8.9) = 288 minutes

   Available minutes was 600 

  So, Labor efficiency = (Produced minutes/available minutes) = (288/600*100)% = 48%

To compare productivity estimates across products, factories, or even industries, economists define labor productivity as the production value added that each worker generates. In this case, labor productivity equals the value of production divided by labor input. The value of production is generally measured as value added, equal to the gross value of sales minus the value of purchased inputs such as fabric, trim, and energy. Labor input is measured by total work hours. Labor productivity can thus be estimated at the national, aggregate level and for specific industries in an economy.

what is productivity?

What is Productivity?

By OCS Team

The definition of Productivity is given as “OUTPUT” compared to “INPUT”.

According to Marsh, Brush (2002) in his article Journal of industrial technology, productivity is a measure of the efficiency and effectiveness to which organizational resources (inputs) are utilized for the creation of products and/or services (outputs). Productivity measurement is both a measure of input utilization and an assessment as to whether or not input utilization is growing faster than output.

In the case of a garment manufacturing factory, “output” can be taken as the number of products manufactured, whilst “input” is the people, machinery and factory resources required to create those products within a given time frame. The key to cost effective improvements in output – in “productivity” – is to ensure that the relationship between input and output is properly balanced. For example, there is little to be gained from an increase in output if it comes only as a result of a major increase in input. Indeed, in an ideal situation, “input” should be controlled and minimized whilst “output” is maximized.

Higher productivity provides more products from the same number of people, in the same time frame. This in turn improves “overhead recovery” related to factory costs, such as electricity and fuel, because overheads are fixed within that time frame. So, the more products produced in a given time frame the less overhead allocation per product, which, in turn, reduces the cost of each individual item and therefore improves competitive edge.

Dr. Bheda in his book "Managing Productivity in the Apparel Industry" explained the different ways of measuring productivity. Productivity can be expressed in many ways but mostly productivity is measured as labour productivity, machine productivity or value productivity. These three term can be defined as-

• Labour productivity - Output per labour (direct +indirect) in a given time frame  (in pieces)
• Machine productivity - Output per machine in a given time frame (in pieces)
• Value productivity - Total value of output in a given time frame.

how to calculate operator efficiency at work?

How to calculate operator efficiency at work?

By OCS Team

In apparel manufacturing, skills and expertise of a sewing operator is being presented in “Efficiency” term. An operator with higher efficiency produces more garments than an operator with lower efficiency in the same time frame. When operators work with higher efficiency, manufacturing cost of the factory goes down.

Secondly, factory capacity is estimated according to the operator efficiency or line efficiency. Hence, efficiency is one of the mostly used performance measuring tools. So how do you calculate operator efficiency in factory? To calculate operator efficiency you will be needed standard minutes (SAM) of the garment and operations your operator is making. Use following formula and calculate operator efficiency.

Efficiency calculation formula:
Efficiency (%) = [Total minute produced by an operator/Total minute attended by him *100]

Where,
Total minutes produced = Total pieces made by an operator X SAM of the operation [minutes]
Total minutes attended = Total hours worked on the machine X 60 [minutes]

Example: An operator was doing an operation of SAM 0.50 minutes. In an 8 hours shift day he produces 400 pieces. So according to the efficiency calculating formula, that operator’s overall efficiency

= (400 x 0.50) / (8 X 60)*100%
= 200/480*100%
= 41.67%

On-Standard Operator Efficiency:

Operator efficiency can be expressed in more specific ways, like ‘On-Standard Efficiency’ instead ‘over-all efficiency’. An operator may be attending all hours in a shift but if he has not been given on-standard work to do in all hours, he will not be able to produce minutes as per his capability and skill level. In this case, to know operator’s on-standard efficiency following formula is used.

Operator on-standard efficiency (%) = Total minute produced /Total on-standard minute attended *100%

Where,
Total minutes produced = Total pieces made by an operator X SAM of the operation [minutes]
Total on-standard minute attended = (Total hours worked – Loss time) x 60 [minutes]

Example: An operator was doing an operation of SAM 0.50 minutes. In an 8 hours shift day he produces 400 pieces. Operator was idle ‘waiting for work’ for 30 minutes and his machine broke down for 15 minutes in hours shift. So according to the efficiency calculating formula, that operator’s on-standard efficiency

= (400 x 0.50) / {480 – (30 +15)}*100%
= 200/435*100%
= 45.98%
The above example clarifies that if an operator sits idle during shift hours his overall efficiency will go down.

Employee Positive Emotion and Favorable Outcomes at the Workplace

Employee Positive Emotion and Favorable Outcomes at the Workplace

This paper draws on writings in psychology, sociology and organizational behavior to develop a conceptual framework that specifies how positive emotion helps employees obtain favorable outcomes at work. We propose that feeling and expressing positive emotions on the job have favorable consequences on: (1) employees independent of their relationships with others (e.g., greater persistence), (2) reactions of others to employees (e.g., “halo,” or overgeneralization to other desirable traits), and (3) reactions of employees to others (e.g., helping others). These three sets of intervening processes are proposed, in turn, to lead to work achievement, job enrichment and a higher quality social context. A partial test of this framework is made in an 18-month study of 272 employees. Results indicate that positive emotion on the job at time 1 is associated with evidence of work achievement (more favorable supervisor evaluations and higher pay) and a supportive social context (more support from supervisors and coworkers) at time 2. But positive emotion at time 1 is not significantly associated with job enrichment at time 2.

the skills they seek

The Skills They Seek

In keeping with all of the economic and business trends affecting employment in the industrial engineering sector, good problem-solving skills seem to be at or near the top of every recruiter's wish list when seeking new-hires. "Employers want someone to be able to take a systems view of things, to look from a broad perspective and be able to isolate the essential parts of any system," Birge says.

"Computing skills are another important emphasis in our program," he adds. "We want our students to be familiar with systems, but also in terms of diagnosis, to be able to lay out a system, define procedures and processes. We also try to give students a good sense of the bottom line, which is what employers want to see."

Daskin of Northwestern notes that in addition to a strong technical background, employers like to see experience in team projects, as well as a solid grip on written and communication skills. "About 30 percent of our graduates have been through a co-op program, so they have a lot of exposure to the business world already," he says.

Lastly, according to Carrese of RIT, companies want new-hires who can hit the ground running. "They want to see a good sense of inner logic. And they want people who can work as part of a team," she says. "Most of the time you're not designing or reviewing projects in a vacuum. You're sitting around the table with a whole team of people who at some point will design, touch or use the product being developed."

Coments:

I think the skills are very necessary in a production process. this is because not all employees in a company choose a skill in work. existing skills in people that would not be created directly. in a company's skills so necessary in the production process in which the higher a person's skill level the higher of value of their productivity at work. because people who have high skill can Improve all problem-solving an issue that they face in work. it is so necessary in the company to face an issue that came suddenly. and in this work skills in dealing with a problem is needed. therefore companies need workers who not only clever but also a skilled worker. apart in the face of problems, in my opinion the creation of a product work as required patience and skill to create a product that produced results as expected. so that the skills of workers who should be sought as well in addition to skill in taking on a company's workers. I think besides brilliance of things to consider in recruiting employees also required the skills of the employee. Because skills in making decisions, running the production work is also an added value that one has to apply for job in a company.

the skills they seek

The Skills They Seek

In keeping with all of the economic and business trends affecting employment in the industrial engineering sector, good problem-solving skills seem to be at or near the top of every recruiter's wish list when seeking new-hires. "Employers want someone to be able to take a systems view of things, to look from a broad perspective and be able to isolate the essential parts of any system," Birge says.

"Computing skills are another important emphasis in our program," he adds. "We want our students to be familiar with systems, but also in terms of diagnosis, to be able to lay out a system, define procedures and processes. We also try to give students a good sense of the bottom line, which is what employers want to see."

Daskin of Northwestern notes that in addition to a strong technical background, employers like to see experience in team projects, as well as a solid grip on written and communication skills. "About 30 percent of our graduates have been through a co-op program, so they have a lot of exposure to the business world already," he says.

Lastly, according to Carrese of RIT, companies want new-hires who can hit the ground running. "They want to see a good sense of inner logic. And they want people who can work as part of a team," she says. "Most of the time you're not designing or reviewing projects in a vacuum. You're sitting around the table with a whole team of people who at some point will design, touch or use the product being developed."