Exercise – One session that always proves popular on our courses is to get a team of around four people at the front of the class performing a repetitive job. We use polystyrene drinks cups with plastic lids, drinking straws and papier-mâché drinks trays. So, for example, one person could put four cups into the tray, pass the sub-assembly along to the next person who puts the lids on, this is then passed on to the third person who takes the straws out of their paper wrappers and inserts four straws into the cups, passes it onto the fourth person who carries the individual tray to the other side of the room and returns, etc. While this is going on, get the remaining students in groups to time how long each product is taking to be produced. Also, give them the task of devising work standards, a suitable payment system, and suggesting any improvements.

After the job has been performed for three or four minutes, stop the workers at the front (but keep them at the front separate from the rest of the class) and allow the syndicates to devise standards, payments systems and improved work methods. Keep the workers sitting at the front while this is happening. After 10 or 15 minutes, lead a discussion on how the job could be improved. If necessary, some of these improvements could be incorporated into the job and the whole process repeated. It is our experience that, in nine out of ten times when this simulation is performed, no one in the class asks the workers who have been doing the job what they think. After a while, point this out to the rest of the class.