Conduct a Job Analysis Project Job analysis success won’t happen without planning and best practice processes.

Introduction Job analysis is the cornerstone of successful HR management, but many organizations don’t know where to start or don’t do it as well as they could. This Research Is Designed For: This Research Will Help You: HR professionals and other individuals who are interested in: Learning about job analysis. Determining if a job analysis is needed. Starting a job analysis project. Improving their planning of a job analysis project. Small to mid-sized enterprises (SME) Understand the importance of job analysis. Determine if a job analysis is needed for the organization. Identify who should be involved in job analysis and whether a consultant should be used. Navigate common job analysis methods and identify appropriate methods for your particular job analysis project. Organize and plan your job analysis project.

Executive Summary Job analysis is the journey, not the destination Job analysis is a means to an end, the end being accurate and legally defensible job descriptions and specifications. In turn, these enable key HR activities, including workforce planning, recruiting, compensation, and performance management. Yet, a surprising 33% of organizations don’t do job analysis at all, primarily because they don’t know where to start or lack in-house expertise. Of those that do job analysis, many don’t do it well or are calling it job analysis when it’s really something else (i.e. job evaluation). Job analysis is not “one-size-fits-all” Job analysis is not a single methodology – it is a customized combination of a range of techniques. Designing a job analysis to meet the needs of a particular organization will depend on the purpose of the analysis and a balancing of practical considerations, such as time, resources, confidentiality, quality of information desired/expected, location of resources, and the job being analyzed. Job analysis is a collaborative effort The supervisor of a job being analyzed is the single most important person to include in the job analysis project. Not only do supervisors currently manage the job, but they also probably did it themselves earlier in their careers. However, getting supervisors and job incumbents to participate is the single biggest challenge of any job analysis project. Without their involvement, the results of the job analysis will be less than perfect.

The various approaches to job analysis have a basic underlying process that is reflected in McLean & Company’s job process Phase 1: Prepare for Job Analysis Phase 2: Conduct Job Analysis Methods of Data Collection Including: Interviews Questionnaires Observations Diaries Job Tasks & Working Conditions Job Data Including: Tasks Duties Performance standards Responsibilities Job context Equipment used Knowledge required Experience needed Personal attributes needed HR Functions Including: Compensation Management Recruitment & Selection Training & Development Need & purpose for job analysis Sources of Data Including: HR leadership & staff Employees Supervisors & managers Job analysts Job Specifications 1 2 3 4 5 Define Plan Collect Analyze Document

The Case for Job Analysis Learn about job analysis and its main outputs. See how job analysis plays a pivotal role for HR management and benefits organizations. Understand the risks and missed opportunities associated with not conducting job analysis. Find out the key tasks that are involved in planning a job analysis project. The Case for Job Analysis Determine the Need Identify Key Players Choose Methods Plan the Job Analysis Project

Can you relate to ANY of these statements about determining job requirements in your organization? Job requirements are defined in a vacuum – HR and/or managers don’t consult any other stakeholders, job experts, or even each other to define job requirements. Requirements for a specific job often differ depending on who you ask. Job requirements don’t match up with what’s happening in reality. Documented job descriptions aren’t reviewed by job holders to identify discrepancies or confirm accuracy. Required job tasks and duties are too general or too vague as written – they don’t focus on specific behaviors. Writing job postings is difficult because job expectations are not clearly defined. If so, take a step back. Read this set.

- Management Consultant Job analysis is a process for determining tasks, duties, and responsibilities of a job, and attributes required to perform it Job analysis is a fancy term for the process of understanding jobs i.e. the behaviors and associated tasks needed for successful job performance. Job analysis... Job analysis is not… Is a systematic process for gathering, documenting, and analyzing data about the work required for a job. Provides information about job requirements and the critical knowledge, skills, abilities, and other characteristics (KSAO) needed to do a job in a particular environment. Breaks down a job into its constituent parts, rather than looking at the job as a whole. Can be conducted for any job – parts assembler, sales representative, executive officer – by any method and for any purpose. A single methodology. Rather, it is the application of a range of techniques. A manager writing a job description in isolation. Rather, it is a collaborative exercise. Just for defining new jobs. Rather, it can be used for many reasons, including updating existing jobs, identifying training needs, or determining how to evaluate job candidates. Job analysis is the core function of valid, defensible and effective human resource endeavors. Its key applications establish and document the appropriateness of employment procedures, such as selection, training, and performance appraisals. - Management Consultant (Sources: Catano et al., 2005; Dessler et al., 2007; Weatherly, 2004)

Job Tasks & Working Conditions Job analysis yields a description of the job, and a profile of the characteristics people need to have to do that job The types of information collected during job analysis will be specific to each organization. Typically, information is collected about: Job Analysis Job Tasks & Working Conditions Lists what a job entails, including the duties, responsibilities, reporting relationships, working conditions, and safety hazards. Job Specification Lists the “human requirements” – the requisite KSAOs needed to perform a job well. What the worker does Tasks and duties (inc. frequency, duration, effort, and complexity) Responsibilities Interaction with others How the worker does it Methods Tools and equipment Techniques The outputs are compiled into a document called a job description. The job description can describe an individual job or a job family. Job family descriptions are more flexible, and is ideal in many cases. Where the worker does it Working conditions or environment Why the worker does it Products Services The focus of analysis is the job, not the person. One output is a description of human requirements and people are used to collect the data, but the result is about the job, not a description of the person in it. Worker Qualifications Skills Knowledge Abilities Experience Education Physical demands (Sources: Catano et al., 2005; Dessler et al., 2007; Weatherly, 2004)

Job analysis is the cornerstone of successful HR management since the data gathered supports multiple HR activities Job analysis is a means to an end, and the end is more than just job evaluation for the purpose of assessing a job’s worth. Accurate, gender-neutral, and bias-free information about jobs and their human requirements is essential for legal compliance in each of these areas. Job Analysis Job Description HR Planning Recruitment & Selection Job Evaluation/ Compensation Performance Appraisal Labor Relations Training & Development Job Design Knowing job requirements informs workforce planning and how to meet employment equity goals. Job analysis helps identify occupational requirements that guide the ideal candidate profile and talent acquisition activities. Job analysis information helps identify factors that determine the relative value of jobs and appropriate compensation. Job analysis identifies actual job requirements needed to create legally defensible performance standards. Unionized environments use job descriptions to help classify jobs and bargain over wages, work conditions and performance standards. Job analysis information can be used to determine skills gaps and training needs. A thorough process is needed to identify job tasks and performance expectations during design or redesign. (Diagram adapted from Dessler et al., 2007)

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