Topic #3: Job Analysis Paul L. Schumann, Ph.D. Professor of Management MGMT 440: Human Resource Management © 2008 by Paul L. Schumann. All rights reserved.

Outline Goal: Match Person & Job Definitions Format of a Job Description Format of a Task Statement Job Analysis Process New Views of Job Analysis

Goal: Match Person & Job Need information about the Person & about the Job

Definitions Job Analysis: the process of collecting & analyzing information about jobs to write: Job Description: a document that identifies the tasks & duties performed by a job Job Specification: a document that identifies the qualifications required by a job Most organizations combine the Job Description & the Job Specification into a single document for each job Usually simply called a “Job Description”

Definitions (more) Task: a unit of work activity performed by a worker within a limited time period Duty: several related tasks that are performed by a worker Position: the set of all tasks & duties performed by a worker Job: a group of identical positions

Format of a Job Description Example: http://krypton.mnsu.edu/~schumann/www/teach/sample_job_descrip.pdf Common Elements Job Title Job Summary Tasks & Duties “Task Statements” Qualifications Other information

Format of a Task Statement First word or phrase (required): Performs what action? (Present-tense verb) Example: “Supervise …” Next word or phrase (required): To whom or what is the action performed? (Object of the verb) Example: “… operation of bar …” Next word or phrase (optional): Additional information Example: “… to maximize profitability, minimize legal liability, and conform to alcoholic beverage regulations.”

Format of a Task Statement Example: http://krypton.mnsu.edu/~schumann/www/teach/sample_job_descrip.pdf Each Task Statement is in the proper format Optional: Put the Task Statements in order of: Task performance Task importance Amount of time spent on each task No order, but group related tasks

Job Analysis Process Source: Fisher, Schoenfeldt, & Shaw (2006), Figure 4.1, p. 141

Phase 1: Scope of the Project Decide purposes of the job analysis project How do you want to use the Job Descriptions? Job design Recruiting Selection Performance appraisal Training Compensation Decide which jobs to include in the job analysis project

Phase 2: Methods of Job Analysis Decide what data (information) is needed At a minimum, for each job being analyzed, we need data on: Tasks & duties performed on the job Qualifications required by the job Identify sources of job data Job incumbents: observation, interview, questionnaire Supervisor of job: interview, questionnaire Other sources

Phase 2: Methods (more) Select specific procedures of job analysis Narrative Job Descriptions Simplest method of job analysis Collect qualitative data (no numbers) Examples: Fisher, Schoenfeldt, & Shaw (2006), Figure 4.2, pp. 148–149 http://krypton.mnsu.edu/~schumann/www/teach/sample_job_descrip.pdf http://www.jobdescription.com Engineering approaches: micro-motion studies (time & motion studies) Measure body motions involved in performing the job

Phase 2: Methods (more) Select specific procedures of job analysis (more) Structured Job Analysis Procedures Functional Job Analysis (FJA): adds to the Job Description 7 scales (numbers) that measure: 3 worker-function scales: % of time spent with: Data People Things 1 worker-instruction scale 3 scales that measure the general educational requirements: reasoning, mathematics, & language

Phase 2: Methods (more) Structured Job Analysis Procedures (more) Position Analysis Questionnaire (PAQ) Standardized questionnaire Questions focus on worker activities on the job For non-managerial & non-professional jobs http://www.paq.com/?FuseAction=Main.PAQProgram Professional and Managerial Position Questionnaire (PMPQ) For professional & managerial jobs http://www.paq2.com/pmpqmain.html

Phase 2: Methods (more) Structured Job Analysis Procedures (more) O*NET: Occupational Information Network database Developed by the US Department of Labor Standardized descriptors of skills, knowledges, tasks, occupation requirements, and worker abilities, interests, and values to assist you in building accurate job descriptions O*NET Resource Center: http://www.onetcenter.org/ O*NET Online: http://www.onetcenter.org/ Team Project Suggestion: Use “O*NET Online” as a resource in your Team Project to help write the job description Be sure you document in your report the resources you use

Phase 2: Methods (more) Structured Job Analysis Procedures (more) Task Inventory Procedure Questionnaire with a master list of possible tasks Check-mark the tasks done by the job Other structured Job Analysis procedures: Critical Incidents Technique Ability Requirements Scales Personality-Related Job Analysis Procedures Cognitive Task Analysis List of Job Analysis questionnaires with brief descriptions: http://www.hr-guide.com/data/G012.htm

Phase 3: Data Collection & Analysis Collect job data Get the organization ready Reduce sources of bias Conduct effective interviews Analyze the job data Report results to organization Write the job descriptions Periodically recheck the job data Update & revise the job descriptions as needed

Phase 4: Assessment Evaluate the Job Analysis project Continuous improvement: learn from both successes & mistakes to continuously get better Did the project finish on-time and under-budget? If not, what went wrong? What would you do differently? Did you collect the correct information? What additional information would you collect if you did the project over? What information would you not collect? Are the Job Descriptions being used as intended? If not, what’s missing to make them useful?

Job Analysis Process Source: Fisher, Schoenfeldt, & Shaw (2006), Figure 4.1, p. 141

New Views of Job Analysis Future-Oriented Strategic Job Analysis Identify the tasks, knowledge, skills, & abilities that will be needed to perform a job in the future Instead of describing how a job is today, describe how it will be in the future Typically uses experts to help make predictions of the future Competency Modeling Identify the observable performance dimensions that differentiate effective from ineffective employees Define the job’s critical success factors, which should be tied to the organization’s objectives and strategy

Example of a Job Description Example of a Narrative Job Description: http://krypton.mnsu.edu/~schumann/www/teach/sample_job_descrip.pdf How could it be used for: Job design? Recruiting? Selection? Performance appraisal? Training? Compensation?

Outline Goal: Match Person & Job Definitions Format of a Job Description Format of a Task Statement Job Analysis Process New Views of Job Analysis