getting spoon obbessed

an article pointed out by a retuerning postcard from my project a while ago


Abstract

Objectives To determine the overall rate of loss of workplace teaspoons and whether attrition and displacement are correlated with the relative value of the teaspoons or type of tearoom.

Design Longitudinal cohort study.

Setting Research institute employing about 140 people.

Subjects 70 discreetly numbered teaspoons placed in tearooms around the institute and observed weekly over five months.

Main outcome measures Incidence of teaspoon loss per 100 teaspoon years and teaspoon half life.

Results 56 (80%) of the 70 teaspoons disappeared during the study. The half life of the teaspoons was 81 days. The half life of teaspoons in communal tearooms (42 days) was significantly shorter than for those in rooms associated with particular research groups (77 days). The rate of loss was not influenced by the teaspoons' value. The incidence of teaspoon loss over the period of observation was 360.62 per 100 teaspoon years. At this rate, an estimated 250 teaspoons would need to be purchased annually to maintain a practical institute-wide population of 70 teaspoons.

Conclusions The loss of workplace teaspoons was rapid, showing that their availability, and hence office culture in general, is constantly threatened.

Further: The case of disappearing spoons-Disposable spoons, stirrers/metal dectectors as another solution

18 January 2006

We read with interest the article (1) regarding the disappearance of
spoons from the work place. We assume the teaspoons were used for stirring
tea/coffee in the tearoom. Disposable stirrers/teaspoons would be an
ideal substitute for stainless steel teaspoons if the sole purpose was
stirring tea/coffee. It is possible that the teaspoons go missing because
of the attractiveness of the stainless steel teaspoons that have been
used.

We do not have much of a problem in this aspect in our work place,
perhaps owing to the use of disposable spoons/forks/stirrers. For the sole
purpose of stirring tea/coffee only stirrers are used. Perhaps the use of
disposable spoons/stirrers (some places use wooden stirrers) would be the
easiest solution to the mystery of disappearing spoons. This also reduces
the chore of washing and keeping a tab on them (five months spent to keep
track of the spoons is quite a lot of time). Even losses would not be as
much when disposable spoons are used.

Immobilization, by chaining teaspoons (Trevor Watts-Spoon Solutions,
BMJ.com, Dec 23rd, 2005), may not be very practical and actually may
become complicated when a number of users arrive at the same time (even
with multiple chained spoons)(we do not wish to disrupt Dr. Watts'
business plan of making chained teaspoons). Forcing staff to bring their
own (Trevor Watts-Spoon Solutions, Dec 23rd, 2005) is okay, but people
tend to forget often and the problem will tend to continue.

Or maybe the authors should find a way to use metal dectectors to
solve the case of the disappearing spoons.

Hope this is not too much of advice and we wish all future chain-
spoon manufacturing businesses all success.

Reference

1. Megan S C Lim, Margaret E Hellard, and Campbell K Aitken
BMJ 2005; 331: 1498-1500.