Article: Improving productivity without piecework

Q: You've stated in previous columns that you don't believe in piecework - payment for each piece of work completed - in the upholstery manufacturing process. How, then, do manufacturers motivate their employees to work harder without using piecework?

A: Those of you who know me or have read my articles know of my total disdain for piecework. In brief, people have a God-given body clock. If you know me, mine is set on slow while yours is probably set on fast. In order to sustain an untenable pace, people on piecework take breaks more often, miss work to rest, take short cuts from specs, sustain more injuries, etc. Quality is trashed, people revert to their body's natural pace and then ...

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