These
elements can, however, be studied with about the same accuracy as the
others.
Perhaps the greatest difficulty rests upon the fact that no two men work
at exactly the same speed. The writer has found it best to take his time
observations on first-class men only, when they can be found; and these
men should be timed when working at their best. Having obtained the best
time of a first-class man, it is a simple matter to determine the
percentage which an average man will fall short of this maximum.
It is a good plan to pay a first-class man an extra price while his work
is being timed. When work men once understand that the time study is
being made to enable them to earn higher wages, the writer has found
them quite ready to help instead of hindering him in his work. The
division of a given job into its proper elementary units, before
beginning the time study, calls for considerable skill and good
judgment. If the job to be observed is one which will be repeated over
and over again, or if it is one of a series of similar jobs which form
an important part of the standard work of an establishment, or of the
trade which is being studied, then it is best to divide the job into
elements which are rudimentary. In some cases this subdivision should be
carried to a point which seems at first glance almost absurd.
For example, in the case of the study of the art of shoveling earths,
referred to in Table 3, page 164, it will be seen that handling a
shovelful of dirt is subdivided into, s = "Time filling shovel and
straightening up ready to throw," and t = "Time throwing one shovelful.
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