News TSMC Workers Routinely Asked to Find 'Bomb' Notes in Machinery: Report

[Admin]

A report suggests that TSMC supervisors are hiding 'bomb' notes inside machinery, to ensure routine inspections are thorough.

TSMC Workers Routinely Asked to Find 'Bomb' Notes in Machinery: Report : Read more

 

[georgebaker437]

This actually sounds like a good idea. The negative reinforcement is just stupid, though. A small "value" reward would put as positive spin on this program, cost relatively little, and be met with enthusiasm by the worker. It is always better to lead with a carrot than to drive with a stick.

 

[TechieTwo]

So make it free ice cream for each post-it note they find.

 

[Endymio]

It is always better to lead with a carrot than to drive with a stick.

By that logic, we should simply pay people a small stipend to not commit rape, assault, and murder ... and never criminally charge those who do. I realize a few areas of the country are moving in this direction, but so far that experiment hasn't been very successful.

 

[King_V]

By that logic, we should simply pay people a small stipend to not commit rape, assault, and murder ... and never criminally charge those who do. I realize a few areas of the country are moving in this direction, but so far that experiment hasn't been very successful.

That's an extremely poor analogy. This is incentivizing extra effort, not bribing to avoid effort-toward-violent-behavior.

By your logic, there should never be bonuses or merit raises.

 

[King_V]

On a lighter note, I, sadly, might be the smartass who'd love shouting out "HOLY CRAP THERE'S A BOMB IN HERE!!"

 

[helper800]

On a lighter note, I, sadly, might be the smartass who'd love shouting out "HOLY CRAP THERE'S A BOMB IN HERE!!"

*TSA glare intensifies*

 

[helper800]

By that logic, we should simply pay people a small stipend to not commit rape, assault, and murder ... and never criminally charge those who do. I realize a few areas of the country are moving in this direction, but so far that experiment hasn't been very successful.

I do not believe he is making a generalized statement on human psychology and the ways it benefits from negative and positive reinforcement. He is being very specific. He is stating that at TSMC and in business, it is better overall to use positive reinforcement instead of negative for this particular circumstance.

 

[Endymio]

This is incentivizing extra effort

Since when did doing your job become "extra effort"? They're hired to inspect machinery. This ensures they do it. And companies incentivize their workers by paying them a good salary -- and TSMC's average salary tops $100K per year -- far above the average for the island. I realize the younger generation dearly craves a work environment where no business would dare give an employee a negative performance review, but sometimes it is indeed necessary.

 

[bit_user]

I wonder if this incident (or similar) is what inspired it:

TSMC’s Fab 14B Photoresist Material Incident: $550 Million in Lost Revenue

www.anandtech.com

Also, I tend to agree with @Endymio that negative reinforcement for not doing your job properly is a more effective strategy, when the consequences can be extremely dire. Laziness can easily overcome the desire to pursue small positive incentives, and they're very unlikely to go with a big positive incentive, because then they couldn't afford to deploy it as frequently.

 

[Deleted member 14196]

So make it free ice cream for each post-it note they find.

What if they’re diabetic? 😀

 

[helper800]

Also, I tend to agree with @Endymio that negative reinforcement for not doing your job properly is a more effective strategy, when the consequences can be extremely dire. Laziness can easily overcome the desire to pursue small positive incentives, and they're very unlikely to go with a big positive incentive, because then they couldn't afford to deploy it as frequently.

There is a time and place for both negative and positive reinforcement. I disagree with the company assigning points to the practice. What happened to performance evaluations? Why do I have to keep track of arbitrary points?

 

[DavidLejdar]

Makes me wonder what the supervisors are doing during the rest of the work-hours. At least where I work, as supervisor one has an eye on the work-flow, a.k.a. supervising - arguably ideally without having to micromanage tasks all the time.

 

[Endymio]

I do wonder why no one is discussing the elephant in the room. The choice of the word 'bomb' for these notes implies that Taiwan is at least planning for -- if not outright anticipating -- sabotage attempts on the industry from mainland China.

 

[Deleted member 14196]

I would totally play this like Stratego, and send all my miners in first lol

Actually, I never did that. I always had a general next to the miner and the miner would lead.

 

[King_V]

There is a time and place for both negative and positive reinforcement. I disagree with the company assigning points to the practice. What happened to performance evaluations? Why do I have to keep track of arbitrary points?

It seems that the trend for the past few years has been to self-evaluations, though they get edited by those higher up.

I always thought it was stupid, because my boss knows what I did.


Getting back to positive vs negative reinforcement, not a whole lot of places last with any sort of policy involving reducing someone's pay.

Ergo: incentive for doing better than your colleagues, rather than a penalty for doing worse than your colleagues.

That, and, it becomes a cost-benefit analysis as to whether it's cheaper to keep a relatively poor performing employee, vs the cost of getting a new unknown quantity. Unfortunately, too many business are interested in the short term performance, and to hell with long term consequences.

 

[Endymio]

Getting back to positive vs negative reinforcement, not a whole lot of places last with any sort of policy involving reducing someone's pay...Unfortunately, too many business are interested in the short term performance, and to hell with long term consequences.

TSMC has built a $500 billion business and, nearly 40 years later, is still one of the fastest growing companies in the world. I think their labor policies are working for them better than your theoretical ones.

These employees aren't polishing desks; they're inspecting machines worth tens and even hundreds of millions of dollars. Would you patronize a hospital that refused to punish nurses who didn't properly monitor patients, choosing instead to grant those who actually did a free "ice cream break" now and then?

 

[Geef]

Change it from Post It notes to little packets of spices like Ghost Pepper or Carolina Reaper. Leave a note saying they get 2 points for dumping the packet in a glass of water and chugging it. 💥

 

[Armbrust11]

What's an inverted comma? Or did you mean to say apostrophes or single quotes?

 

[bit_user]

I do wonder why no one is discussing the elephant in the room. The choice of the word 'bomb' for these notes implies that Taiwan is at least planning for -- if not outright anticipating -- sabotage attempts on the industry from mainland China.

Nah, I think mechanical failures, supply problems, contamination, etc. are all far more likely. In fact they might be sufficiently commonplace that this is merely a form of cost control.

The other variable is the increasing cost of production equipment. And with wafer costs on the rise, downtime can be that much more costly. They only have so much time to recoup their RoI on equipment and R&D.

 

[helper800]

They only have so much time to recoup their RoI on equipment and R&D.

They have as long as the node remains relevant, and as long as the machine is inworking order to recoup their RoI. TSMC certainly is in the green by billions every quarter, they definitely get their RoIs. Not to say that I do not understand your point. They certainly need massive RoIs to purchase said equipment.

 

[Endymio]

Nah, I think mechanical failures, supply problems, contamination, etc. are all far more likely.

If you read the Taiwanese media, you see that speculation is rife over the possibility of China sabotaging fabs ... or the US sabotaging them, to prevent China from gaining control of them. This (English) article speaks to that controversy, pointing out that bombs aren't really necessary, as a handful of dirt in the wrong place can take down a line for months:

TSMC, China and tech: Sabotage is simply too easy

The weapon too deadly to use is just a handful of dirt. Let's change that

www.theregister.com

 

[drivinfast247]

https://www.cnn.com/2016/05/19/health/cash-for-criminals-richmond-california/index.html

By that logic, we should simply pay people a small stipend to not commit rape, assault, and murder ... and never criminally charge those who do. I realize a few areas of the country are moving in this direction, but so far that experiment hasn't been very successful.

Already been done. Leave it to California! 🤣

https://www.cnn.com/2016/05/19/health/cash-for-criminals-richmond-california/index.html

 

[Deleted member 14196]

If employees are supposed to do checking and are not then I’m glad they get punished for not doing their job. Sounds like maintenance is getting SLOPPY

Maybe they need old fashioned clipboards and checklists

I like the old school

 

[USAFRet]

Maybe they need old fashioned clipboards and checklists

Where do you think the term "he pencil whipped it" came from?

Falsifying inspections records dates back to probably before the Pyramids.