Efficiency Methods
An Introduction to Scientific Management

I08 EFFICIENCY METHODS A worker must not be worn out by continuing to accomplish, or attempt, the standard task. It must be fixed so that he keeps in good health physically and mentally, and thrives generally as he goes on. There must not be any chance of his being “ too old at forty.” The managers contend that any other way of using an employé is not good business, not real efficiency. It is certainly obvious that when a management has given time, thought and energy to training its workers in its own methods, it will be extremely loth to lose their services ; in fact, it will pay better neither to exhaust them nor to quarrel with them. Although overworking the operator has been so strongly deprecated, there has been great mis- understanding on this subject. One may suggest that this has partly been brought about by the very frequent use of the expression, a “ first-class man,” as being put on the job, giving the impression that the task set is not within the power of many of those who are asked to attempt it. Dr. Taylor constantly uses this expression. His “ first-class man ” was not found ready-made ; he was to be a man with some natural aptitude for the particular work, who was then specially trained to do it in the ascertained best manner. The inducement offered for him to place himself under an instructor who claimed to know more about his work than he did was of course a substantial increase of wages, and with this attraction there was usually no lack of supply of the right kind of man. Taylor’s early