Work Study Trial For State Departments

Press, Volume CII, Issue 30145, 31 May 1963, Page 12

Work Study Trial For State Departments

(From Out Own Reporter; WELLINGTON, May 30. The State Services Commission is considering engaging a New Zealand firm of management consultants to undertake the measurement and study of clerical work to increase the efficiency of State departments.

This firm, which is based in New Zealand but has strong overseas connexions, has already carried out a trial study in the Social Security Department. This has shown that, although the department is soundly based and well run, it has a large volume of reasonably routine clerical work and could benefit from clerical work measurement.

The State Services Commis--gion has investigated results obtamed in Australia, and is confident that the use of' clerical work measurement I increase efficiency and reduce costs If the proprsal is effected commission staff will work; with the firm's experts on. the survey will be trained by them, and later be able to conduct studies in a’her departments. Commersttng tonight on the proposal, the acting chairman of the commission (Mr A G Rodda), said that although clerical work measurement could result in staff reductions. these would not be ob’sford through dismissals Clerics! work measurement wes des gned for use where there was a large volume of routine ctertoa-1 work, Mr Rodda said Staff turn-over on thee type of work was relatively hgh. If reductions of staff were justified they could be achieved easily and quickly through normali retirements, resignations, and promotions. Consultation Mr Rodda sacd that the success of clerical work measurement depended on full con-; saltation wi’h staff at all stages. Overseas experience

had shown that this was essential and that the employees could often make valuable suggestions. The proposal is being discussed with the Public Service Association. The commissaon first considered this particular form of clerical work measurement as a result of discussions which the chairman <Mr L A. Atkinson) had in Australia last year when he attended a conference of Australian Public Service Commissioners Leiter, a firm of consultants offered to undertake a study for the commission, and early this year the commission's superintendent of o-gar : «ati--'n and methods (Mr C. W Franks), and the senior investigating officer for ’he Treasury (Mr J. N Searle) studied Australian results while they were attending a conference on the use of computers. “Mulligan Manual”

Clerical work measurement is a management technique which is being increasingly used overseas. The work of individual employees is not measured, but each clerical task is broken down into small parts for which there are standard times These standards are set out in the “Mulligan Manual.” a

reference work prepared by an American engineer, Mr Paul B. Mulligan, after years of research into work problems. It is kept up to date by continuous investigation Allowances are made for employees' comfort and rest, and for factors peculiar to the task. The amount of time needed to complete the task is then assessed. By relating this basic time to the number of tasks which must be completed in a given period, it is possible to establish the number of employees required. “Much of the success of the study has resulted from the elimination of ineffective tune and inefficient methods " Mr Rodda said. ‘‘lf clerical work measurement is introduced in appropriate departments, it could well produce significant benefits without entailing more work for the employees concerned.”