Job Analysis and Job Design Chapter 4

Terminology Task – the distinct activity that constitutes necessary steps in the performance of work by an employee, such as delivering parts to the assembly lines Position – Collection of tasks constituting the total work assignment of a single employee Job – Group of positions that are identical with respect to their major or significant tasks and sufficiently alike to justify their being covered by a single analysis One or many persons may be employed in the same job Occupation – A group of similar jobs 4-2

Job Analysis Process of determining and reporting pertinent information relating to the nature of a specific job Involves determining the tasks and the qualifications(e.g., skills, knowledge, abilities, and responsibilities) for a job End product of a job analysis is a written description of actual requirements of job -> job description, job specification It is the beginning point of many human resource functions Specifically, data obtained from job analysis form the basis for a variety of human resource activities 4-3

Human Resource Activities Influenced by Job Analysis Staffing (= Recruitment + Selection) Job analysis identifies the criteria(skills and abilities for a given job) used to recruit and select the most proper people to conduct a certain job Orientation and training Job analysis helps in determining learning requirements and establishing learning objectives Career counseling Job analysis provides information on variety of jobs in the organization and clarifies exact job requirements the aspiring employee needs to fulfill 4-4

Human Resource Activities Influenced by Job Analysis Employee safety Often uncovers unsafe practices and/or environmental conditions associated with a job Performance appraisal Job analysis helps in determining what to evaluate (job related abilities, attitudes, and behavior) Compensation Job analysis helps to ensure that employees receive fair compensation for their jobs Many of the major HR functions depend on sound job analysis 4-5

Products of Job Analysis Job description – Written summary of nature and requirements of a job Concentrates on describing the job as it is currently being performed Explains, in written form, what the job is called, what it requires to be done, where it is to be done, and how it is to be done Job specification – Description of qualifications the incumbent must possess to perform the job Knowledge – Identifiable factual information necessary to perform job Skills – Specific proficiencies necessary for performing tasks that make up the job Abilities – General and enduring capabilities for doing the job Other characteristics – education, experience, certificates, etc 4-6

Contents of a Job Description (Example) 4-7

Contents of a Job Specification (Example)

Job Analysis Methods – Observation Relatively simple and straightforward method of analyzing jobs; can be used independently or in conjunction with other methods To collect information regarding what was done, how it was done, how long it took, what the job environment was like, and what equipment was used Work sampling Based on taking statistical samples of job actions throughout the workday and then drawing inferences about requirements and demands of the job 4-9

Work Sampling (Example)

Drawbacks of the Observation Method Observer must be carefully trained to know what to look for and what to record Helpful to use a form with standard categories of information to be filled in as job is observed to ensure basic information is not omitted Its application is somewhat limited to jobs involving short and repetitive cycles Complicated jobs and jobs that do not have repetitive cycles require such lengthy observation periods that it becomes impractical Direct observation can be used to get a feel for a particular job and then combined with other methods to thoroughly analyze 4-11

Job Analysis Methods – Interviews Requires that person conducting job analysis meet with and interview jobholder Unstructured interviews – Have no definite checklist or preplanned format; format develops as interview unfolds Structured interview – Follows a predesigned format Ensures that all pertinent aspects of job are covered Easier to compare information obtained from different people holding the same job Major drawback Can be extremely time-consuming; compounded when several people are interviewed about the same job Distortion of information by interviewees 4-12

Job Analysis Methods – Questionnaires Contain both objective and open-ended questions For existing jobs – Incumbent or immediate manager answers the questions and returns it to job analyst For new jobs – Questionnaire is normally sent to manager supervising the employee in the new job Advantage Information can be obtained from large number of employees in a relatively short time period Used when large input is needed and time and cost are limiting factors Major Disadvantages Distortion of information by respondents Time-consuming and expensive to develop a questionnaire 4-13

Job Analysis Methods – Questionnaires

Job Analysis Methods – Questionnaires

Job Analysis Methods – Standardized Questionnaires Position Analysis Questionnaire (PAQ) – Highly specialized instrument for analyzing any job Uses six major categories of employee activities Total of 194 descriptors, called job elements, describe the six categories in detail Using a five-point scale, one can analyze each description for the degree to which it applies to the job Primary advantage Can be used to analyze almost any type of job It is relatively easy to use Major disadvantage The sheer length of questionnaire 4-16

Employee Activity Categories Used in the PAQ 4-17

Sample Page from the Position Analysis Questionnaire (PAQ) 4-18

Job Analysis Methods – Standardized Questionnaires Management Position Description Questionnaire (MPDQ) – Highly structured questionnaire designed specifically for analyzing managerial jobs Contains 208 items relating to managerial responsibilities, restrictions, demands, and other miscellaneous position characteristics These items are grouped under the 13 categories 4-19

Management Position Description Questionnaire Categories 4-20

Sample Questions from MPDQ

Potential Problems with Job Analysis Job descriptions may become outdated (Often, it is not periodically updated to reflect any changes ) Top management support is missing Only a single means and source are used for gathering data Supervisor and jobholder do not participate in designing job analysis procedure No training or motivation exists for jobholders Employees are not allowed sufficient time to complete the analysis Information could be distorted Participants fail to critique the job(fail to find the area for improvement) 4-22

Job Design – Alternative Work Schedules and Arrangements : Flextime Allows employees to choose, within certain limits, when they start and end their workday Organization defines a core period Some allow varied hours worked each day, as long as a specified weekly total is met Advantages Allows employees to accommodate different lifestyles and schedules Allows employees to avoid rush hours, having less absenteeism and tardiness Allows employers an edge in recruiting new employees May result in an increase in productivity Disadvantages Can create communication and coordination problems for supervisors and managers 4-23

Telecommuting The practice of working at home or while traveling and being able to interact with the office Information technology has aided its uses Advantages Less travel time and travel expenses, avoiding rush hour Avoiding distractions at office Being able to work flexible hours Disadvantages Insurance concerns relating to health and safety of employees working at home Lack of professional and social environment of workplace Recent evidence shows that when given a choice, employees prefer a mix of working part-time from home and part-time in office 4-24

Job Sharing Two or more part-time individuals perform a job that would normally be held by one full-time person Can be in the form of equally shared responsibilities, split duties, or a combination of both Especially attractive to people who want to work, but not full-time From organization’s viewpoint, job sharing aids in retention of valuable employees 4-25

Condensed Workweek Number of hours worked per day is increased and number of days in the workweek is decreased Typically done by having employees work 10 hours per day for four days per week (known as 4/40) Other variations include reducing total hours worked to 36 or 38 hours Advantages Lower absenteeism and tardiness Less start-up time More time available for employees to take care of personal business Disadvantages Fatigue that often accompanies longer hours 4-26