I/O Psychology “Job Analysis” Hardianto Iridiastadi, Ph.D.

Introduction Cases –“I don’t think you have performed satisfactorily on this job!” (my exp firing s/o and exp at buss.i’m in) –“Hmmm, I wonder how much he gets paid for playing golf all day…” –What are actually jobs of a secretary...? –“Three in one” approach at a food co. –Toyota’s phillosophy

Job Design Job analysis Job evaluationPerformance appraisal Selection & training

Introduction Definition –A method for describing jobs and personal attributes necessary to do a job –Approaches Job-oriented –Nature of tasks done on the job –Job - Duties – tasks – activities – elements Person-oriented –KSAOs needed for a job –Exampless?

Purposes of Job Analysis Career development Legal issues Performance appraisal Selection Training Research (see also Table 3-2, Spector)

How Job Analysis Conducted Sources of information –Job analyst –Job incumbents –Supervisors –Trained observers Approaches –Perform the job –Observe –Interview –Questionnaire

Techniques Job analyst who performs the job –Advantages Provides the context of job Provides extensive details of the job –Limitations Fails to show differences among jobs with same title Expensive and time consuming Extensive training Could be dangerous to analyst

Techniques Interview –Advantages Provides multiple perspectives on a job Can show differences among incumbents with the same job –Limitations Time consuming (vs. questionnaires) Fails to show context

Techniques Observation –Advantages Relatively objective Provides context of job –Limitations Time consuming Employees might change behavior

Techniques Questionnaires –Advantages Efficient Show differences among incumbents Easy to quantify and analyze statistically Easy to compare different jobs on common job dimensions –Limitations Ignores context Limit respondents to questions asked Requires knowledge of job to design questionnaires Distortion (that job is more important than they are)

Methods Job Components Inventory –Simultaneous assessment of job requirements and KSAOs –Method determine the degree of correspondence If an individual is suited for the job If training is needed –Components of job features Use of tools and equipment Perceptual and physical requirements Mathematics Communication Decision making and responsibility

Method Functional Job Analysis –Observation and interview with SMEs –Results in description and score of the job –Method used by US Department of Labor to produce Dictionary of Occupational Titles (more than 20,000 jobs) –More recent - O*NET

Method Position Analysis Questionnaire –189 items dealing with task requirements/job elements –More general – allows comparisons of different jobs along a common set of dimensions –Gives profiles of task elements and KSAOs for jobs –Profiles compare a job to PAQ job data base Resulting in relative score –Dimensions (see Table 3-8) Information input, Mediation process, Work output, Interpersonal activities, Work situation and job context, Miscellaneous aspects

Method Task inventories –A questionnaire containing list of specific tasks that might make up a job –May also contain rating scales, on dimensions Amount of time spent doing the task Criticality of the task Difficulty of learning the task Importance of the task

Reliability and Validity Why this issue? Reliability –Test-retest reliability of 0.83 –Lower inter-rater reliability (0.5 – 0.8) Validity –Differences among methods or sources of information –Methods may provide useful information, but are also sensitive to bias

Job Evaluation Quantitative techniques to determine relative value (salary levels) of jobs Often based on job analysis Point method –Determine factors to evaluate –Assign points to each factor, and sum them –Plot salaries against points Should form a straight line –Note: May also consider market wage