Cutting Overtime
Survey: Six techniques for cutting overtime and the percentage of managers and workers who found them effective.
APRIL 1989
% of surveyed
managers
Technique and workers
to reduce judging it
overtime effective
Plan more effectively 86.3%
Streamline procedures 59.1
Change schedules/ 35.0deadlines
Acquire better tech- 34.9nology/equipment
Hire more permanent 25.9staff
Hire temporary 25.3workers
About 65% of surveyed top managers said they work more than 50 hours a week. Responses to questions about how to control overtime indicate that at least some of the overtime reported by respondents is indeed making up for poor management. Only about one-fourth thought more staff would solve the problem.
Source: American Productivity & Quality Center, 1989
