Chapter 3 – Job analysis and design

Job analysis is the procedure for determining the duties and skill requirements of
the job and kind of person who should be hired for it.

Purpose of Job analysis:

a) Developing job description, job specifications & job performance standards:

Job analysis is needed for the development of its components like job
description, job specification and job performance standards. These are
required in organization for keeping profile of job requirements and capable
employees. It also specifies quantity and quality of performance for each job.

b) To conduct job evaluation:

Information from job analysis is used in job evaluation. It specifies the
selective value of each job to develop compensation package.

c) To help in preparing HR plan:

Job analysis provides useful inputs for preparing and maintaining HR
inventory and HRIS. These help in preparing HR plans.

d) To develop performance appraisal:

Job analysis develops the standards for performance of employees and also
provides information for the performance appraisal system. It facilitates the
review of performance of employees and actual capacity.

e) Training and development:

If employees are not found meeting the expected performance standards
derived from job analysis, appropriate training and development programs
can be conducted as necessarily.

f) To design and redesign the job:

Information from job analysis helps in designing the job, furthermore any
change in design can also be obtained. By the analysis of job, better content
of job can be determined.
 Information required for job analysis

a) Work activities:
Information is usually required on the actual work activities performed
such as cleaning, selling, teaching or painting. Such a list may also
indicate how, why and when the worker performs each activity.

b) Human behaviors:
Information on human behaviors like sensing, communicating, decision
making and writing may also be required.

c) Machines, tools, equipment used:

Included here could be information regarding products made, materials
processed, knowledge applied and services rendered.

d) Performance standard:
Information is also required regarding performance standards in terms of
quantity and quality or speed for each job duty for instance by which
employee in this job will be evaluated.

e) Job context:
Included here is information about such matters as physical working
conditions, work schedule and the organizational and social context.

Methods of collecting job analysis information

a) Observation method:
On this method, job analyst observes the workers while they are doing their
job. This method is useful as it supplies the first hand information and let
analyst know about the work condition and work requirements. But
observation method is not suitable for the managerial activities.

b) Interview method:
Using this method, face-to-face interview of individual worker or group is
conducted at workstation for the gathering of information. This method is
commonly used by analyst because on the spot information regarding work
and job context can be known easily.

c) Questionnaire method:
On this method, job analyst prepares a set of structured questionnaire that
helps in obtaining information from the employees. This method is suitable
 for collecting information of large number of employees in quicker and
economic way.
d) Diary method:
On this method, analyst provides a diary for each job holder to write their
daily work activities. From the activities or entries made by the individuals,
are analyzed for the job analysis.

e) Technical conference method:

Using this method, special experts or senior job holders and supervisors with
extensive knowledge of job are interviewed through an interaction and
information is collected for job analysis. Experts share their opinions on
every part of job, which then are to be analyzed.

Job analysis techniques:

A) Job-focused techniques:
They are concerned with tasks that make up various jobs. Some of the job-
focused techniques are:
a) Functional job analysis:
Functional job analysis uses tasks, methods, process and techniques used
by employees to analyze the job. It measures the time spent and nature
of interactions with things, with data and people. Attention is directed to
four aspects of each job i.e. worker’s functions, worker’s field, worker’s
product and worker’s traits.

b) Method analysis:
It focuses on the analysis of jobs of lower-level workers. It is used to
assess minute physical movements and determine whether they are
efficient and whether they cause undue strain. It studies motion at work.

c) The hay plan:

It is used to analyze managerial and executive jobs. It analyzes jobs by
assessing three distinct factors i.e., the knowledge needed to do the job,
the problem/thinking required by the job and the accountability of job
holder for achieving organizational objectives.

d) Management position description questionnaire:

It is also used to analyze managerial position. The job analyst uses a
checklist containing 197 job factors related to the concerns and
responsibilities of managers. A statistical analysis of job factors will be
conducted to find different job factors related to the position of the
individual manger.

B) Person-focused techniques:
 Instead of job activity, this technique analyzes the behavioral requirements
of the job. Some of the techniques are as follows:
a) Position analysis questionnaire (PAQ):
This technique is used to analyze large groups of employees working in
different jobs. It focuses on work related behaviors that employees must
display to successfully perform a job, related to information input, mental
processes, work output, relationship, job context and other job
characteristics.

b) Physical ability analysis (PAA):

This method analyzes the physical ability or strength required by job
holders for performing the job.

c) Critical Incident Technique:

Critical incidents are those incidents or situations which suffer the
goodwill of an organization. Under this method, the behavior of
employees during such critical situation is considered to analyze the job.

Components/Outcomes of Job analysis

a) Job description:
A job description is an organized, factual statement of the duties and
responsibilities of a specific job. It provides both organizational information
and functional information. It defines the scope of job activities, major
responsibilities and positions of the job in the organization.

b) Job specification:
Job specification is the written statement that specifies personnel
characteristics and qualifications needed to perform the job. It is a standard
of personnel qualities required for acceptable performance.

c) Job evaluation:
Job evaluation is an orderly and systematic process of determining the wages
(worth) for the job in relation to other jobs. It is the process of rewarding the
job after it has been analyzed. Each job should be paid or priced according to
its real use.

Process of Job analysis

a) Collection of background information:

The first step in job analysis is the collection of background information.
The makeup of a job, its relation to other jobs are analyzed in it.
 b) Selection of representative position to be analyzed:
Typically, a large organization used to have similar kind of various positions.
All these positions generally contain similar characteristics or duties.
Therefore, the analysis of all jobs would be time-consuming. To avoid that
burden, key representative positions should be analyzed.

c) Collection of job analysis data:

Job data on features of job, required employee qualifications and other
requirements should be collected from the employees who actually perform a
job. It can also be collected from other employees who watch the workers
doing a job and thereby acquire knowledge about it.

d) Developing a job description:

It is one of the main purposes of job analysis. The information collected is to
be developed in the form of a job description. This is a written statement that
describes the main features of the job and also the activities which the job
holder must perform.

e) Developing a job specification:

The last statement is to convert job description statements into job
specifications. The aim of job specifications is to specifically mention what
personnel qualities, traits, skills and background is necessary for getting the
job done.

Job design:

Job design is the process of structuring work and designating the specific work
activities of an individual or group to achieve certain organizational objectives.

Benefits of Job design:

a) Organization design:
Organization design and job design are interrelated. Mainly, the structure of
an organization is based on job design. Thus, job design is an essential
element for organization design.

b) Need balancing:
Job design balances the needs of the organization with the needs of every
employee. Mainly, job design provides a mechanism through which individual
needs and organizational needs are interconnected thereby producing a
proper match between them.

c) Human resource acquisition:

 Job design is the basis for conducting job analysis. It provides job related
data and information on the skills, knowledge and ability of the employee to
perform the task. Based on such information, job description and
specification are prepared which facilitate acquisition of human resources.

d) Motivation:
Job design helps to enrich the jobs to make them interesting and challenging.
Interesting and challenging jobs motivate employees.

e) Labor relation:
A well-prepared job design promotes harmonious relations in the
organization between labor and management and help to reduce employee
grievances, in-disciplinary actions and employee turnover.

f) Quality of work life:

Job design is useful for improving the quality of work life at work. Jobs can
be made more challenging and rewarding by redesigning jobs. This helps
individuals experience feeling of personal growth and development, resulting
in greater quality of work life.

Methods/approaches of Job design

a) Scientific management method:

In this method, workers are specialized in doing specific jobs. The job is
simplified by breaking into tasks. The tasks contained in one job are assigned
to one person that makes work simplified and specialized. This approach is
characterized by first designing jobs and finding people in the jobs.

b) Herzberg’s method:
Herzberg stated that people better work in an organization where two
factors, hygiene and motivation are present. Motivation factors are the
feeling of self-improvement, recognition, achievement and acceptance of
greater responsibility. Hygiene factors are pay, working conditions, quality of
supervision. These factors lead to an increase in productivity.

c) Autonomous work group:

These are self-regulating teams who work largely without direct supervision.
They are free to decide about the working methods, people involvement,
people responsibility, leadership etc. This method focused on group
achievement rather than individual achievement.

d) Job rotation:
 Job rotation refers to shifting an employee from one job to another job
having the same level. It is normally used to train different skills and
techniques to the workers, so that one can work in different jobs at the time
of urgency and scarcity. It also helps to avoid the boredom and frustration
caused by similar and repetitive jobs.

e) Job enlargement:
Job enlargement is the process of expansion of the number of different tasks
performed by an employee in a single job. Different from job rotation, job
enlargement is the process of combining tasks of different employees into
one job. It will increase work efficiency and flexibility.

f) Job enrichment:
Job enrichment is the process of empowering employees and adding extra
dimensions to a job to make it more interesting, challenging and motivating.