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In business school you’re told similar stories about (in my case at least it was) Nike factories moving workers around so that they regularly work at each stati

• jdhawk 6y ago
  And how everyone who works at Lincoln Electric starts out welding.
• Moru 6y ago
  Yes, this actually happens in real life now and then too. As long as there is no special drivers license or education involved ofcourse. Nothing more mind numbing than to stand at the same machine year after year.
• pbhjpbhj 6y ago
  I think this is a post-hoc justification that pretends it's about caring for personnel. People become bored and [hence] less productive doing the exact same work -- moving them to other areas of the line improves productivity. There's an ancillary benefit in reducing friendships which can be a productivity sink, profit-focused businesses want people to be friendly - committed to their colleagues - but not spending all day chatting. Also moving people improves "bus factors".
  • zdragnar 6y ago
    Having worked in a factory where we constantly rotated positions (rarely same position two shifts in a row), this all sounds like utter, cynical nonsense except for the very last line. Having people better trained to do more things is better for everyone- employees and company. People are going to form friendships regardless of whether you rotate or not, and you're going to be bored doing factory work, hands down, no doubt about it. Different people have different methods for getting through it, but you can't not be bored even with a different position every day.