kurganoffiv,
offsetLeft надо предварительно закешировать.
 
<!DOCTYPE html>
<html lang="en">
<head>
    <meta charset="UTF-8">
    <title>Document</title>
    <style type="text/css">
     #testDIV{
    position: relative;
     }
    </style>
    <script>
document.addEventListener("DOMContentLoaded", function() {
    var testDiv = document.querySelector("#testDIV");
    var childTestDiv = testDiv.children;
    [].map.call(childTestDiv, function(child) {
        var leftPos = child.offsetLeft;
        child.style.left = leftPos + "px";
        return child
    }).forEach(function(child) {
        child.style.position = "absolute"
    })
});
    </script>
</head>
<body>
    <div id="testDIV">
        <span>SPAN 1</span>
        <span>SPAN 2</span>
    </div>
</body>
</html>