What are the merits of division of labour?

Merits of division of labour

Division of labour is an inevitable feature of the modern industrial system. It is advantageous in the following ways.

(i) The right man in the right place.

Under division of labour the chance is that each man will get the job for which he is best fitted. There will be no round pegs in square holes. The work will be better done.

(ii) The worker becomes an expert

Practice makes a man perfect, under division of labour the worker repeats his task. By constant repetition he is bound to become expert in his task. He will be able to turn our better goods. There is an increase in the skill and craftsmanship.

(iii) Heavy work taken over by machinery

Division of labour makes it possible for heavy work td be passed on to machinery. Only light work is done by workers so that there is less strain on them.

(iv) Less training required

As the worker has to do only a part of the job, he needs to learn only that much. Long and costly training is rendered unnecessary. It will take long time for a man to lean how to make a complete chair but it will take him less time to learn how to polish it.

(v) Invention

When a man is doing the same work over and over again some new ideas are bound to occur. This leads to many inventions. These inventions make for economic progress.

(vi) Cheaper things

On account of mass production make possible by division and the use of machinery, cheaper things are turned out. Even poor persons can buy them. Standard of living improves.

(vii) Economic in the use of tools

It is not necessary to provide each worker with a complete set of tools. He needs only a few tools for the job he has to do. These tools are kept continuously employed. This is very economical.

(viii) Saving in time

The worker has no longer to move from one process to another. He is employed on the same process. He therefore goes on working without loss of time.