Charles,

Although I can't quantify it with empirical data, but based on experience I have found that efficiencies and accuracy starts to diminish after 10 hours. Typically I find inspectors merely handling and processing parts without truly looking and evaluating them. Operators tend to become more robotic. They start simply putting items in and taking them out without really paying attention to what they are doing or the process. Furthermore, constant exposure to 10 hour days and having people work every weekend will affect moral. The old saying of company first and family second does not sell for prolong periods. I have found very few employees that resist "doing what it takes" to accomplish objective so long as it is short term. When 10 hour days and weekends become the norm you will learn the floor employees develop the sense that management either doesn't know what they are doing or don't really care about the people doing the job.  This in turn will eventually result in a lack of concern from the employee and will be a detriment to efficiency and quality. There are those that reply that we can enforce disciple and get rid of those who don't support us but that is not addressing the real problem.  

Being a bare board manufacture, it has been my experience that many if not most board shops have adapted the "sweat shop " mentality. More business, no problem, we'll just go to a 12 a twelve hour day and work 7 days a week if necessary. I have heard this is becoming true of assembly shops as well.  In any case, I would strongly recommend that whatever information you obtain, don't loose sight of the impact on families and private lives. 

Fortunately, I currently work for a company that believes in an 8 hour day and a 5 day work week for its employees and typically a 10 hr day, 5 day week for its management. We have done just fine over the last year reporting record profits, increased efficiencies, and a much higher quality standard. Its amazing what people can accomplish when the do things because they want to and not because there forced to.  This is not to say we don't require overtime because we do. When we do need overtime we try to split it up as much as possible. As I'm sure you are aware, there are always people who want as much overtime as possible. I would simply suggest you monitor those peoples efficiencies closely during the normal 8 hour of work.

Just my thoughts...

Ed Cosper
Graphic Electronics Inc,
Tulsa, OK 


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From:  [log in to unmask][SMTP:[log in to unmask]]
Sent:  Thursday, August 21, 1997 11:18 AM
To:  [log in to unmask]
Subject:  [TECHNET] Assy: Overtime efficiency studies

Charles Barker@IO-US
08/21/97 11:18 AM

Does anyone know of or has anyone on TechNet done any studies relating
efficiency and actual increase in productivity to increased hours worked?

At what point does the number of extra hours put in per day, times the
number of consecutive days they are put in, begin to cause the increased
number of errors and defects generated to wipe out any extra production
achieved by working the extra time?  In other words, what is the point of
diminishing returns?

Does anyone have or know where I can find data correlating  to 8, 10, 12,
14 or even 15 hr days? For 3, 4, 5, or 6 straight days?

TIA