Stakhanovite movement

As frontline workers they took pride in their aspirations to work harder and more efficiently than was required by ad hoc norms; thereby they saw themselves as contributing to the common good and strengthening the socialist state.

Initially popular, it eventually encountered resistance as the pressures for greater productivity placed increased and unrealistic demands on workers.

[1] The movement took its name from Aleksei Grigorievich Stakhanov, who reportedly, on August 31, 1935, mined 102 tons of coal in less than 6 hours—some 14 times his shift quota.

[7] In December 1935 the plenum of the Communist Party's Central Committee specifically discussed aspects of developing industry and transport systems in light of the Stakhanovite movement.

[9] During World War II, the Stakhanovites deployed different methods to increase productivity, such as working several machine-tools at a time and by combining professions.

According to the Soviet state media, the Stakhanov movement had eventually led to increased productivity by means of a better organization of workflow processes, including more specialization and better task sequencing.