Understanding Job Performance Job Analysis

What is “Job Performance”?

Job Analysis Systematic process of collecting info. about purpose & tasks/outcomes Systematic process of collecting info. about purpose & tasks/outcomes Used to develop: Used to develop: job descriptionsjob descriptions performance attributes/competencies/KSAOsperformance attributes/competencies/KSAOs performance measuresperformance measures

I:Understanding Performance What are the purposes of this organization? What are the purposes of this organization? What are the purposes of this unit? What are the purposes of this unit? What are the purposes of this job? What are the purposes of this job? How certain am I that the job will remain the same over a typical job tenure? How certain am I that the job will remain the same over a typical job tenure?

Certainty Continuum Predictable, stable, standardized, stable, routinized Unpredictable, changing, flexible, personalized, team/ project-based CertaintyUncertainty

II: Identifying Important Job Tasks or Outcomes Certainty-based: task-based job analysis –What are the most important tasks? Uncertainty-based: uncertainty-based job analysis –What are the most critical outcomes? If possible, organize related tasks into smaller set of categories

III/IV. Listing & Rating Tasks

Listing & Rating Tasks

III/IV: Rating Job Tasks Rate importance of tasks –How frequently is the task done? –How difficult is the task to learn or do? –How critical are the consequences of doing the task wrong? Select only critical tasks for final list

V: Identify Performance Attributes For each important job duty: –Knowledge –Skills –Abilities –Other Eliminate attributes that will be learned on the job

What Are “KSAs”? Knowledge Knowledge Skill Skill Abilities Abilities

Types of Abilities Cognitive –Verbal comprehension, numerical aptitude, memory, perceptual speed Psychomotor –Manual dexterity, reaction time, aiming Physical –Strength, coordination, balance, stamina Sensory/Perceptual

Identifying KSAs Ask Subject Matter Experts: –Describe characteristics of good & poor performers –Think of a person who does better than anyone else. Why do they do it so well? –What does a person need to know or be able to do in order to perform well? Use your own judgement

V: Identify Performance Attributes For each important job duty: –Knowledge –Skills –Abilities –Other Eliminate attributes that will be learned on the job

VI: Identify “Risk Factors” Non task-specific factors that affect success –Retention (turnover) –Problem Behavior

VII: Identify “Fit Factors” Organization/Cultural factors that affect success

Identifying Fit Factors How would you describe the company’s way of doing things [culture]? What does it value? What kind of person would enjoy working here? What kind of person wouldn’t fit? What do managers expect from workers? What do workers expect from each other? Observation also critical

Summary: Identifying Attributes Job Analysis Organization Analysis Task/Outcome Characteristics Fit Factors Risk Factors Knowledge Skills Abilities “Other” Attributes

VIII/IX: Rate Attribute Importance Rate importance of attributes, and identify those that are critical (similar to Stage III) Explicitly link each attribute to a critical task or outcome Check for ADA compliance Limit to about 6

Rating KSAOs (Attributes)

The O*Net Approach See for online version of Department of Labor’s competency approach to analyzing jobs

Job Analysis Summary Understand work of organization Identify/List/Rate Tasks Identify Risk and Fit Factors Identify CRITICAL worker attributes –KSAOs for job performance –KSAOs for Risk Factors, Fit Factors Later in course, we’ll develop a hiring system based on these

Job Analysis Project Information

Collecting Job Data Archival Sources ObservationInterviewsQuestionnaires Doing Job Yourself Hybrid Approaches

A Hybrid Approach Initial Observation Interview with supervisor Develop checklist/interview/survey Interview ~3-4 incumbents Observe again Verify with supervisor

Elements of a Job Description Title Job Summary Listing/description of key tasks –(Possibly organized by major duties) –Performs what action? (action verb) –To whom or what? (object of verb) –Using what? (tools, procedures) –To produce what?