Taylorism and the Workplace

popularized the concept of scientific management. Taylor emphasized that standardization should also be applied to human aspects of production besides engineering.

This essay will focus on discussing how mechanization and industrialization affected workers and the work place, the advantages and disadvantages of Taylorism and the reason why many workers, as well as other people besides workers, rejected Taylor’s scientific management. The role of professional engineers in reshaping the environment, workplace and the American society will also be discussed.

            Industrialization and mechanization affected workers and the work place. For example, news ways of working came up which made labor more efficient. Since labor was efficient, there was increased productivity in the work place.  There were also increased turnover rates since workers were less involved in repetitive and less mind-numbing work due to mechanization.

            Taylorism had advantages and disadvantages. Taylorism led to achievement of workplace efficiency. For example, it led to safer workplaces, improved lighting, climate control and better tools. Taylorism led to improved production process. Since workers were well provided with materials and tools, the production process flowed efficiently and smoothly. Taylorism ensured that complex tasks were simplified and that they were performed in the set time. The disadvantage of Taylorism is that it neglected important psychological factors and emphasized reward and punishment through incentives. Taylorism was on the idea that workers pay should be based on piece rate and not hourly wage. The new system of piece rate pay led to unhappy workers since as a result they would lose their uniqueness and initiative.

            Many workers, as well as other people besides workers rejected Taylor’s scientific management because it argued that scientific standardization should also be applied to the human aspects of production. The application of scientific standardization exercised rigid control over workers and this deprived them of their uniqueness, skills and taking initiatives.

            Professional engineers played a role in reshaping the environment, workplace and the American society. For example, they designed and built bridges, roads, canals, railroads and steam engines. They also designed systems and developed new ways of working and as a result they made labor more efficient. The engineers led to the presence of many engineering schools in the American society.