BITS Pilani

Hyderabad Campus

Chapter 5
Analyzing Work and Designing
Jobs
 Learning Objectives

• Understand the nature of job analysis and describe the

process of conducting job analysis
• Methods for collecting data
• Writing job descriptions
• Explain what competence-based job analysis is
• Understand job design approach

BITS Pilani, Hyderabad Campus

Spilt Liquid – Job analysis (caselet)

BITS Pilani, Hyderabad Campus

Caselet summary

• Large quantity of liquid split by machine operator on the

floor around the machine
• Machine operator’s job description include keeping
machine in clean operating order
• Service worker to assist the operator in various ways
such as getting the tools and materials
• Sweeper to execute various cleaning jobs, but his duties
commence after the shift ends.

BITS Pilani, Hyderabad Campus

Job

Job
– Generally defined as “a set of closely related activities
carried out for pay.”

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The Nature of Job Analysis

. 4–6
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The Basics of Job Analysis:
Terms
Job Analysis
– The procedure through which we determine the duties of a
job (job description) and the characteristics of the people
(job specification) who should be hired for it.
Job Description
– A list of a job’s duties, responsibilities, reporting
relationships, working conditions, and supervisory
responsibilities - one product of a job analysis
Job Specifications
– A list of a job’s “human requirements,” that is, the requisite
education, skills, personality and so on - a product of a job
analysis

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Defining Relationships

BITS Pilani, Hyderabad Campus

Uses of Job Analysis
Information
Recruitment
and selection

Compensation
Information
Collected via
Job Analysis
Discovering Performance
unassigned duties appraisal

Training

BITS Pilani, Hyderabad Campus

Process of Job Analysis
Steps in doing a job analysis:

1 Collection of Relevant Background Information

2 Selection of Representative Position to be Analysed

Collection of Job Analysis Data/ Information (Analysing
3
Job)
4 Verify the job analysis information

5 Develop a job description and job specification.

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Collecting Job Analysis
Information

Methods for Collecting Job Analysis Information

Questionnaires/
Interviews Observations Diaries/Logs
Checklists

BITS Pilani, Hyderabad Campus

Method 1: The Interview

• Information Sources
• Interview Formats
– Individual employees
– Structured (Checklist)
– Groups of employees
– Unstructured
– Supervisors with
knowledge of the job
• Advantages
– Quick, direct way to find
overlooked information
• Disadvantage
– Distorted information
Method 2: Questionnaires
• Information Source
– Have employees fill out
questionnaires to describe
their job-related duties
and responsibilities
• Questionnaire Formats
– Structured checklists
– Open-ended questions
• Advantages
– Quick and efficient way
to gather information
from large numbers of
employees
• Disadvantages
– Expense and time
consumed in preparing
and testing the
questionnaire
Job Analysis Questionnaire for Developing Job Descriptions

Note: Use a
questionnaire like
this to interview job
incumbents, or have
them fill it out.
Job Analysis Questionnaire for Developing Job Descriptions (cont’d)
Example of Position/Job Description Intended for Use Online
Example of Position/Job Description Intended for Use Online (cont’d)
Method 3: Observation
• Information Source
• Advantages
– Observing and noting the
– Provides first-hand information
physical activities of
– Reduces distortion
employees as they go
of information
about their jobs by • Disadvantages
managers.
– Time consuming
– Reactivity response distorts
employee behavior
– Difficulty in capturing
entire job cycle
– Of little use if job involves a
high level of mental activity
Method 4: Participant Diaries/Logs

• Information Source • Advantages

– Workers keep a
chronological diary or log
of what they do and the
time spent on each
• Disadvantages
activity
– Produces a more
complete picture of the job
– Employee participation
– Distortion of information
– Depends upon employees
to accurately recall their
activities
Quantitative Job Analysis Techniques

Quantitative Job
Analysis

Position Analysis Functional Job

Questionnaire Analysis

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Position analysis questionnaire

194 items , grouped into five basic activities:

Decision making/communication
Performed skilled activities
Physical activities
Operating vehicles/equipment
Processing information
------------------------------Scale Used
Extent of use
Importance to the job
Amount of time
Possibility of occurrence
Applicability special code

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Portion of a Completed Page from the PAQ

The 194 PAQ elements are

grouped into six dimensions.
This exhibit lists 11 of the
“information input” questions
or elements. Other PAQ
pages contain questions
regarding mental processes,
work output, relationships
with others, job context, and
other job characteristics.
Functional job analysis

A standardized method by which different jobs can be

quantitatively rated , classified and compared based on data,
people, things scored

What employees need to do to get things done, instead what has

been done.
Ex: bus crew do not carry passenger but drives bus and collect
fares
• Data – mental resources
• Things- physical resource
• People- interpersonal resources
• Represented by ordinal scale

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Levels of Difficulty for Worker Functions in FJA
Sample Report
Based on
Functional job
analysis

Figure 4–6
4–25
Writing Job Descriptions
Job
identification

Job Job
specifications summary

Sections of a
Typical Job
Working Description Responsibilities and
conditions duties

Standards of Authority of
performance the incumbent
The Job Description
• Job Identification • Responsibilities and Duties
– Job title: name of job
– Major responsibilities and
– Date: when the description was
written
duties (essential functions)
– Prepared by: who wrote the – Decision-making authority
description – Direct supervision
– Budgetary limitations
• Job Summary
– General nature of the job • Standards of Performance and
– Major functions/activities Working Conditions
• Relationships – What it takes to do the job
– Reports to: successfully
– Supervises:
– Outside the company:
Job summary: Example-
Project manager
To be responsible for the overall direction, coordination,
implementation, execution, control and completion of
specific projects ensuring consistency with company
strategy, commitments and goals.

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 The Job Description
• Relationships (chain of command)
– Reports to: employee’s immediate supervisor
– Supervises: employees that the job
incumbent directly supervises
– Works with: others with whom the job holder
will be expected to work and come into contact
with internally.
– Outside the company: others with whom the
job holder is expected to work and come into
contact with externally.

. 4–29
Responsibilities and duties :example

• lead the planning and implementation of project

• facilitate the definition of project scope, goals and deliverables
• define project tasks and resource requirements
• develop full scale project plans
• assemble and coordinate project staff
• manage project budget
• manage project resource allocation
• plan and schedule project timelines
• track project deliverables using appropriate tools
• provide direction and support to project team
• quality assurance
• constantly monitor and report on progress of the project to all stakeholders
• present reports defining project progress, problems and solutions
• implement and manage project changes and interventions to achieve project outputs
• project evaluations and assessment of results
 

BITS Pilani, Hyderabad Campus

Writing Job Specifications example
• qualification in project management or equivalent
• knowledge of both theoretical and practical aspects of
project management
• knowledge of project management techniques and tools
• direct work experience in project management capacity
• proven experience in people management
• proven experience in strategic planning
• proven experience in risk management
• proven experience in change management
• proficient in project management software

31
Sample Job Description, Pearson Education
Sample Job Description, Pearson Education
Job Design Approaches
Job Design:
From Specialized

to Enriched Jobs

Job Job Job

Enlargement Rotation Enrichment

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Job Rotation

Tasks Tasks
Tasks
Assemble Test
Drill holes
Parts Component

Week 1 Week 2 Week 3

35
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Job Enlargement

Employee 1 Employee 2 Employee 3

Tasks Tasks Tasks

Drill holes Drill holes Drill holes
Assemble Parts Assemble Parts Assemble Parts
Test Test Test

36
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Job enrichment
Task 2 Ordering
materials
(controlling) Planning
workload

Drill holes
Task 1 Assemble Parts
(doing) Test

37
BITS Pilani, Hyderabad Campus
 Job Characteristics Model

15–38
Exhibit 15–7Guidelines for Job Redesign

15–39
Job Analysis in a “Jobless” World

Why Managers Are

Dejobbing Their Companies
• Dejobbing • External factors leading
– Broadening the to dejobbing.
responsibilities of the – Rapid product and
company’s jobs
technological change
– Encouraging employee
– Global competition
initiative.
– Deregulation,
• Internal factors leading to
– Political instability,
dejobbing
– Demographic changes
– Flatter organizations
– Rise of a service economy
– Work teams
– Re-engineering

BITS Pilani, Hyderabad Campus

Job Analysis in a “Jobless”
World
Competencies
– Demonstrable characteristics of a person that enable performance of a job.
– “in order to perform this job competently, the employee should be able to …..”

Competency-based job analysis

– Describing a job in terms of the measurable, observable, behavioral
competencies (knowledge, skills, and/or behaviors) an employee must exhibit to
do a job well.

BITS Pilani, Hyderabad Campus

 Why Use Competency Analysis?
– Support HPWS
• Traditional job descriptions (with their lists of specific duties) may actually
backfire if a high-performance work system is the goal.
• HPWS encourages employees to work in a self-motivated manner.

– Maintain a strategic focus

• Describing the job in terms of the skills, knowledge, and competencies the
worker needs is more strategic.

– Measure performance
• Measurable skills, knowledge, and competencies are the heart of any
company’s performance management process.

4–42
 Vybhav case – behind chapter- Aswathappa book

• 23 old company; MNC in 13 countries; workforce 26000,

• Verticals: telecommunication s/w; technology products; consumer retail,
consumer electronics, telecommunication services.
• When focus is on individual rather then on job , need to exercise self –
control, the flexible behaviours the companies need.
• Self control
• Self development
• Positive approach
• Delivering results
• Providing solutions
• Systemic thinking
• Attention to detail
• Creating customer service
• Delivering customer service
• Working with others
• Leading
• Delivering vison
• Change & creativity

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BITS Pilani, Hyderabad Campus
BITS Pilani, Hyderabad Campus
Vybhav case : pg 185: Competency
mapping : Retail division- Sales Assistants
• Form a competency framework task force consisting of HR manager ,
sales head, sales supervisor
• Questionnaire administered to Sales supervisors to understand sales
assistance behaviors of high performers, career path, skill needed and
also name list of top performers.
• 20-25% sales assistants are interviewed, questionnaire to identify skills
needed for the job
• HR then meet with top performers to identify the difference b/w them and
mediocre
• Observe behaviors of sales assistants while on job
• Prepare draft of competencies with descriptions .eg..
•  level
• Pilot testing
• Based on feedback , competency framework was made
Competency Chart
Competencies Definitions
 
   
Communication skill
Positive feedback
Delivering results
Delivering customer service
 
 
 

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Assign 1-5 level of proficiency there by forming competency dictionary

  Level 1 (basic knowledge) Level 2 (intermediate, Level 3 (expert)

Communication skill  
 

Positive feedback      
 

Delivering results      
Delivering customer service
 

       

BITS Pilani, Hyderabad Campus

Human Resource Management, 5E 49
Human Resource Management, 5E 50
Human Resource Management, 5E 51
Human Resource Management, 5E 52
Human Resource Management, 5E 53
Human Resource Management, 5E 54
)

The Personal Effectiveness Index (For

Associates and Executives

Competency Definition

Technical and Professional expertise Demonstrated knowledge and skills within a particular functional domain.

Teamwork A cooperative attitude between those working together on a task/series of tasks and
jobs

Initiative A preference to act and doing more than what is required or expected

Decision making and Problem solving An ability to select a course of action amongst several alternatives.

Communication An ability to impart or exchange thoughts and ideas orally and in written

Human Resource Management, 5E 55

Required Competencies
Actual level & Gap
KEY TERMS

job analysis
job description
job specifications
organization chart
process chart
diary/log
position analysis questionnaire (PAQ)
Functional Job analysis
job enlargement
job rotation
job enrichment
competency-based job analysis