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A Therblig Is the Name for One of a Set of Fundamental Motions Required for a Worker to Perform a Manual Operation Or Task

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A Therblig Is the Name for One of a Set of Fundamental Motions Required for a Worker to Perform a Manual Operation Or Task A therblig is the name for one of a set of fundamental motions required for a worker to perform a manual operation or task. The set consists of 18 elements, each describing a standardized activity. These are listed below. • Search • Find • Select • Grasp • Hold • Position • Assemble • Use • Disassemble • Inspect • Transport loaded • Transport unloaded • Pre-position for next operation • Release load • Unavoidable delay • Avoidable delay • Plan • Rest to overcome fatigue The therblig is used in the study of motion economy in the workplace. A workplace task is analyzed by recording each of the therblig units for a process, with the results used for optimization of manual labor by eliminating unneeded movements. The word therblig is a reversal of the word Gilbreth, with 'th' treated as one letter. It was the creation of Frank Bunker Gilbreth and Lillian Moller Gilbreth, the American industrial psychologists who invented the field of time and motion study. Pig Iron If workers were moving 12 1/2 tons of pig iron per day and they could be incentivized to try to move 47 1/2 tons per day, left to their own wits they probably would become exhausted after a few hours and fail to reach their goal. However, by first conducting experiments to determine the amount of resting that was necessary, the worker's manager could determine the optimal timing of lifting and resting so that the worker could move the 47 1/2 tons per day without tiring. Not all workers were physically capable of moving 47 1/2 tons per day; perhaps only 1/8 of the pig iron handlers were capable of doing so. While these 1/8 were not extraordinary people who were highly prized by society, their physical capabilities were well-suited to moving pig iron. This example suggests that workers should be selected according to how well they are suited for a particular job. The Science of Shoveling In another study of the "science of shoveling", Taylor ran time studies to determine that the optimal weight that a worker should lift in a shovel was 21 pounds. Since there is a wide range of densities of materials, the shovel should be sized so that it would hold 21 pounds of the substance being shoveled. The firm provided the workers with optimal shovels. The result was a three to four fold increase in productivity and workers were rewarded with pay increases. Prior to scientific management, workers used their own shovels and rarely had the optimal one for the job. Bricklaying Others performed experiments that focused on specific motions, such as Gilbreth's bricklaying experiments that resulted in a dramatic decrease in the number of motions required to lay bricks. The husband and wife Gilbreth team used motion picture technology to study the motions of the workers in some of their experiments. 1. Acknowledge stress is good Make stress your friend! Based on the body’s natural “fight or flight” response, that burst of energy will enhance your performance at the right moment. I’ve yet to see a top sportsman totally relaxed before a big competition. Use stress wisely to push yourself that little bit harder when it counts most. 2. Avoid stress sneezers Stressed people sneeze stress germs indiscriminately and before you know it, you are infected too! Protect yourself by recognising stress in others and limiting your contact with them. Or if you’ve got the inclination, play stress doctor and teach them how to better manage themselves. 3. Learn from the best When people around are losing their head, who keeps calm? What are they doing differently? What is their attitude? What language do they use? Are they trained and experienced? Figure it out from afar or sit them down for a chat. Learn from the best stress managers and copy what they do. 4. Practice socially acceptable heavy breathing You can trick your body into relaxing by using heavy breathing. Breathe in slowly for a count of 7 then breathe out for a count of 11. Repeat the 7-11 breathing until your heart rate slows down, your sweaty palms dry off and things start to feel more normal. 5. Give stressy thoughts the red light It is possible to tangle yourself up in a stress knot all by yourself. “If this happens, then that might happen and then we’re all up the creek!” Most of these things never happen, so why waste all that energy worrying needlessly? Give stress thought-trains the red light and stop them in their tracks. Okay so it might go wrong – how likely is that, and what can you do to prevent it? 6. Know your trigger points and hot spots Presentations, interviews, meetings, giving difficult feedback, tight deadlines……. My heart rate is cranking up just writing these down! Make your own list of stress trigger points or hot spots. Be specific. Is it only presentations to a certain audience that get you worked up? Does one project cause more stress than another? Did you drink too much coffee? Knowing what causes you stress is powerful information, as you can take action to make it less stressful. Do you need to learn some new skills? Do you need extra resources? Do you need to switch to de-caf? 7. Burn the candle at one end Lack of sleep, poor diet and no exercise wreaks havoc on our body and mind. Kind of obvious, but worth mentioning as it’s often ignored as a stress management technique. Listen to your mother and don’t burn the candle at both ends! And those are the best stress management techniques I know! Learn them, use them and teach them, and be a great stress manager. Speak Clearly by Jennifer Ryan, CPO Make sure your staff knows what it is you value. Let them know how important they are to your goals. You will no longer need to "babysit" you staff, they will want to work together when they fully understand what they are working towards. 27 2 Provide A Workplace Where People Can Concentrate by NURBS Software developers and other technical people need a work environment where they can concentrate, as well as collaborate. It is a pathetic exercise in false economy for companies to "save money" by packing their people into crowded cubicle farms where there are continual distractions. The reason companies do that, in my opinion, is that it is easy to measure the cost of facilities but difficult to measure such things as software productivity. 27 4 Use the best tools available by Anonymous Do not saddle your employees with obsolete tools or delay deployment by "evaluating" widely recognized and accepted tools. Encourage people to use tools/software they are most comfortable with. People can be productive only with productive tools. 42 6 There Are No Stupid Questions by Drew Davis Cultivate an atmosphere where it is OK to show one's ignorance--and where questions are welcome. Morale skyrockets when everyone is comfortable to learn on the job. 64 14 vetinari syndrome: turn yourself into the evil dictator...whilst actually being good by darklooshkin okay, this one's a bit tricky, so bear with me: Leaders are faced with a dilemma; if they're the proverbial rubber duck, nobody listens to them and nothing gets done. if they're truly bad, the workers will do their level best to get rid of them. so why not just make yourself look bad on purpose and treat your coworkers with respect etc...? that way, anybody who works with you and knows about your reputation will work better when they discover how good you actually are. 40 24 Praise be to Thee by Rooster Meltdown Motivate with positive reinforcement 55 15 Learn to TRUST in all directions by Rebecca Spann If people could learn to communicate better and make an investment in the relationship, trust would not seem so difficult for most to embrace. Executives must trust the employees within the organization, not just their direct reports. Trust and politics are like oil and vinegar. If you even smell the hint of someone saying exactly what you want to hear, for the purpose of winning you over, you may want to question how much trust you put into that person. 8 7 Total Support, High Standards, Zero Tolerance by Mitch Powers Employees deserve a comfortable workplace with the tools and training needed to excel. They'll look forward to work and believe they can succeed. Demand high standards - No one is "thrilled" by mediocre performance. Passionate employees come from achieving great things. Bad employees fired promptly. Usually by the time management realizes there is a problem, all other employees already know it. Thus by eliminating the problem quickly you send a message of support to the remaining employees. 108 12 Admit It When You Don't Know by Anonymous Lose the ego. Know when and HOW to say "I don't know". The when is easy - whenever you don't know something (duh). The how is also astonishingly easy - "I don't know, but I'm sure we can find out." When you admit that you don't know the answer and commit to finding it your credibility stays intact, you earn the respect of others, you don't hand out bogus information that will do nothing but lead everyone on a wild goose chase causing much waste of time and resources. 126 13 Responsibility is key! by Anonymous Everyone is responsible and nobody gets let off the hook when they mess something up. If everyone knows that they are 100% responsible for accomplishing the task that they were assigned it is much more acceptable for management to behave in evil ways.
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