Applying Production Standards and Feedback to Improve Worker Productivity and Satisfaction in a Repetitive Production Task

Abstract

Abstract An experimental research was conducted to determine the specific standard and feedback that would maximize worker productivity and satisfaction in a repetitive production task. The research was conducted in a university machine shop on 56 college students. They were trained individually for one hour in the task performance and performed the same task for another hour under a specific condition. The operators were assigned various levels of assigned and participative standards with feedback. A progressive increase in the assigned standards with feedback improved worker productivity significantly up to the provision of an assigned standard of 140% of normal and feedback. The increases were 14% in quantity and 10% in quality output, compared to the control group. No further improvement in worker productivity resulted as a consequence of an assigned 150% standard and feedback. The provision of a participative standard with feedback was significantly inferior to an assigned 130% standard and feedback....