Bedaux System

How can work be measured objectively and homogeneously? What tools exist to optimize production processes and motivate workers? These are some of the questions that French engineer Charles E. Bedaux tried to answer with his revolutionary work measurement system, which has influenced numerous areas of scientific work organization.

This article presents the origin, concepts, application, current uses, comparison, and evaluation of the Bedaux system, as well as a practical example for calculating the Bedaux point.

Origins of the Bedaux System

The Bedaux system was developed by French engineer Charles E. Bedaux (1886-1944) at the dawn of scientific work organization. Bedaux began his career as a machinery assembler in factories in the United States, where he acquired a deep knowledge of industrial processes.

Starting in 1912, he began working as an independent consultant to improve efficiency in various companies. It was then that he devised a novel method of work measurement that allowed quantifying fatigue and unproductive times. He initially called it the “B system,” and later it would become known worldwide as the “Bedaux system.”

Bedaux’s great innovative contribution was to establish a homogeneous unit of production measurement, the well-known “Bedaux point,” to be able to objectively compare between different workers, tasks, and time periods. The Bedaux point was equivalent to one minute of effective work performed at a normal pace.

First Applications

After patenting his method in 1919, Charles Bedaux began successfully applying it in various American factories such as Pierce Arrow Motor Car Co. His services as a consultant specializing in work measurement were progressively required by more companies.

In 1923, he founded the “Bedaux Consulting Company,” which introduced the system in Europe. General Motors, Renault, and Fiat were some pioneering firms in adopting it to improve their operations management and productivity through Bedaux standards.

International Expansion

Throughout the 1920s and 30s, the use of the Bedaux system for time and motion studies spread widely among large corporations throughout Europe and America. It became a very popular tool for increasing efficiency and as a basis for implementing performance-based compensation models.

Its founder rubbed shoulders with senior executives and prominent businessmen. In 1934, Bedaux managed to get the prestigious British newspaper Financial Times to publicly endorse the benefits of his system. This further boosted the hiring of Bedaux consultancies in the industrial field.

During that time, he also had to face controversies and criticisms for using stopwatches to record all worker movements or for inducing superhuman rhythms. But he managed to overcome these limitations by demonstrating the many operational improvements that his revolutionary system made possible.

Legacy

After Charles Bedaux’s death in 1944, the innovative original ideas about labor measurement that he implemented have continued to be cultivated to the present day through time and motion studies carried out by industrial engineers and work organizers. The fundamentals of the Bedaux system laid foundations that still endure as tools to optimize processes.

Fundamental Principles

The principles on which it is based are:

• Measurement of time invested in each operation at a normal work pace.

• Calculation of rest periods necessary to recover from fatigue according to task difficulty.

• Definition of a common unit of production measurement: the Bedaux point.

• Establishment of a numerical scale of activities comparable between different workers and tasks.

Bedaux Point

Bedaux’s great contribution was to convert time into work units, which allows measuring and comparing the content of different tasks in a homogeneous way, regardless of their specific nature.

Activity Scale

A key concept of the system is the activity scale, which assigns scores from 0 to 100 to reflect the level of activity developed by the worker. Three zones are distinguished:

• From 0 to 60: activities below normal

• 60: normal activity

• From 60 to 80: activities above normal

• 80: optimal activity

• From 80 to 100: exceptional activities

Normal activity is defined as that displayed by an average worker under normal conditions. A walking speed of 4.5 km/h is taken as a reference. A worker with normal activity performs at 60% of their maximum sustainable capacity.

On the other hand, optimal activity is that which the average worker tends to under an incentive system. It is equivalent to 80% on the Bedaux scale, that is, 33% above normal activity. Optimal can also be defined as the maximum pace that would allow working the entire day without excessive exhaustion.

Calculation of the Bedaux Point

The Bedaux point is equivalent to the work performed in one minute by an operator who maintains a constant normal activity, including rest periods. Therefore, the number of Bedaux points that a task would be worth represents the number of minutes required to perform it at a normal pace.

The calculation of the Bedaux point involves several stages:

• Timing the time invested (T) in performing the operation.

• Estimation of the activity (A) deployed using the scale from 0 to 100.

• Calculation of normal time (NT): it is the time that would have been used at a normal pace of activity 60, using a rule of three: NT = T x (60/A)

• Application of the rest coefficient (RC): percentage of extra time granted to the worker to recover from fatigue. It usually ranges between 5% and 15%.

• Obtaining the value of the Bedaux point: Point value = NT x RC

By dividing this point value by 60, what is known as a cycle is obtained, which would be the time required to perform the operation at an optimal pace of activity 80.

Example of Bedaux Point Calculation

A possible example of Bedaux point calculation for an operation is as follows:

• Let’s suppose that the operation consists of assembling a piece with a screw, and that 12 observations have been taken timing the time and judging the operator’s activity. The data is recorded in a table like this:

• An arithmetic scrutiny is performed, adding the times by activity columns and calculating the chosen time (most representative) for each one. The result is:

Calculate the chosen time for each activity column using the formula:

Chosen time = A x ΣT / Most representative activity (the one that repeats the most)

example: For activity 65, 2 times have been observed 14+14=28; The activity that recorded the most takes was 75;

65*28/75=24.26

Here, (t) represents the observed time for each activity and ΣT is the sum of times by columns.

• The chosen time of all columns is added, and divided by the number of observations to obtain the chosen time per observation at a given activity. In this case, it is:

(24+24.26+24.26+48+23.46)/12 = 12

• Now we calculate the Normal Time. The chosen time per observation is multiplied by the most representative activity and the result is divided by 60, which is the normal activity.

NT = (Te*Ae)/60
12*75/60 = 15

• Now we calculate the chosen point value, for this the normal time is multiplied by the rest coefficient and divided by 60, which depends on the working conditions and the operator’s fatigue. Let’s suppose that the rest coefficient is 1.1. Then, the chosen point value of the operation is:

CPV = NT*coeff/60
15×1.1 = 16.5
16.5/60 = 0.275

• If the operation is repeated several times in the process, the chosen point value is multiplied by the frequency or number of repetitions. Let’s suppose that the operation is repeated 5 times. Then, the final point value of the operation is:

0.275×5 = 1.37

• This final point value represents the amount of work that the operator performs when assembling a piece with screws, at a normal activity and with the corresponding rest.

Advantages of the Method

The main virtues of the Bedaux system are:

• It allows measuring in a precise, objective, and homogeneous way the work content and performance of any labor or trade.

• It facilitates comparing productivities between different periods, workers, workshops, or factories.

• It provides essential information for correct production planning and control.

• It serves as a rational basis for the design of remuneration systems with incentives according to performance.

• It helps detect method improvements and elimination of unproductive times.

• It promotes transparency in the setting of rates and labor standards.

In this way, the Bedaux method becomes a very powerful tool for improving efficiency in any type of production process or service provision.

Uses of the Bedaux System Today

Although new work measurement techniques have emerged, the fundamentals of the Bedaux system continue to be valid in numerous areas. Some typical uses today are:

• Repetitive production: the Bedaux method stands out in mass manufacturing contexts with short and constant cycle tasks. For example in assembly lines, packaging, parts classification, etc. where short cycle times predominate.

• Light manufacturing: it is also applied in little automated artisanal production in the clothing, footwear, toy, jewelry industry, etc. It allows comparing productivities between people and workshops.

• Warehouse management: in tasks such as picking or order preparation that involve repetitive routes and movements, it is useful for setting standard times and expected yields.

• Supply chain: helps characterize massive logistics operations such as goods transport, loading/unloading, classification, labeling, packaging, etc.

• Teleoperations: to measure performance in call centers with incentive systems. Constant activities such as call handling, data processing, information recording lend themselves well.

• Administrative: in predictable and routine tasks such as analytical accounting, payroll, registration/filing, data entry, etc. it is feasible to apply standardized Bedaux times.

• Standardized services: applicable to measure pace and expected performance in repetitive tasks such as cleaning, maintenance, simple repairs, inspections, surveillance.

As can be observed, although originated for nascent mass production, the Bedaux system has demonstrated adaptability and lasting utility in very diverse contexts where there is process repetition. It remains a relevant option for normalizing manual work with low variability.

Comparison with Other Systems

The Bedaux system represented a significant advance over previous labor measurement techniques, but over time new alternative approaches also emerged. Let’s see a comparison with some of the most prominent methods:

• Traditional timing: it is the simplest form of time study using a stopwatch. It is tedious and unreliable. The Bedaux system includes direct observation but in a more systematic and precise way. For example, categorizing different levels of activity.

• Predetermined time systems (MTM, WORK FACTOR, etc.): they break down each task into basic movements to which they assign standard times according to tables. They are less subjective but their accuracy depends on similarities between the actual work and the assumptions of the tables. The Bedaux approach tends to adapt better to specific circumstances.

• Estimates and empirical standards: they are based on subjective judgments of supervisors or on not very rigorous historical data. Bedaux seeks to systematize time studies with objectivity, replicability, and current data.

• Work sampling studies: they analyze only certain fractions of the day through random or systematic timings, while Bedaux requires observing all complete cycles. Samplings are appropriate for very prolonged or repeated work.

• Computerized systems: modern software applications allow recording times and activities automatically with sensors and algorithms. They have a capacity and precision superior to manual timing. However, Bedaux principles remain valid as a conceptual basis.

In conclusion, the Bedaux method was especially useful in mass production contexts. And even today it applies well to measure performance in simple manual tasks. For more variable or complex work, other contemporary approaches are usually preferable, although the fundamentals of activity classification and conversion of times to work points remain valuable Bedaux innovations on which to build.

Remuneration Systems with Bedaux

One of the most prominent uses of the Bedaux system since its inception has been as a basis for implementing variable compensation models for performance. Its main characteristics within an incentive scheme are:

• Objective standards: by measuring each task in Bedaux points, expected quantities produced per day or period can be easily set, which will be the reference point for calculating bonuses.

• Remuneration by quantity: the most common is to link remuneration to the Bedaux points generated by the worker above the previously defined standard. The more points, the higher the bonus obtained.

• Remuneration by time: alternatively, it is also possible to apply bonuses if the operator manages to exceed the standard time marks per task or day thanks to their higher pace.

• Bonuses for cycle reduction: in some cases, part of the cost savings due to the decrease in the cycle time of the optimized operation can be passed on to the employee as a form of incentive.

• Internal equity: by using the same metric (Bedaux points) to evaluate all people and sections, consistent administration of compensations and their perception as fair by the staff is facilitated.

• Clarity for the worker: it is a simple model to understand for the operator, who can monitor their production in points day by day and verify the final calculation of their variable remuneration without complexities.

For all this, the linking of bonus or bonus systems to performance measured based on the Bedaux method has proven to be a very effective motivational lever to improve the performance of human capital in standardized productive environments.

Disadvantages of the Bedaux System

Despite its notorious contributions, the Bedaux system has also been the subject of controversies. Some of the criticisms raised have been:

• Work measurement focuses exclusively on the time invested, without taking into account quality. This can reduce quality standards if incentive systems are applied only by quantity produced.

• It requires continuous observation of workers, which can be annoying or considered excessive intrusion.

• It can induce excessive work rhythms by employees by setting standard times that are too tight.

• It does not consider qualitative differences between workers when categorizing their activity deployed through a single scale.

• The rest coefficient is based on theoretical estimates that do not always adjust to the real fatigue of each person.

Conclusion

In short, it is necessary to apply the Bedaux method with prudence, without forgetting the human dimension of work. Seeking an adequate balance between productivity, working conditions, wages, and quality, excellent results can be obtained. Combined with other qualitative measurement systems, it remains today an avant-garde approach on how to analyze and improve production processes in any economic sector.