Chapter 3- Job Analysis & Design

Outline
 Job Analysis

 What is Job Analysis?

 Information needed in job analysis
 Purposes of Job analysis
 When Job analysis performed?
 Results of Job analysis

 Job Design
 Job Analysis and Design
 Job Analysis
 Job analysis (JA)- is a purposeful and systematic process for
investigation of
• job content,
• the physical circumstances in which the job is carried out, and
• the qualifications needed to carry out job responsibilities (Mondy et
al,, 2002).

 It refers to a scientific and systematic analysis of a job in order to

obtain all pertinent facts about a given job.

 The job analysis indicates what activities and accountabilities the job
entails; it is an accurate recording of the activities involved.
 Job Analysis….
 Job Analysis
• It involves studying jobs to determine
• what tasks and responsibilities they include,
• their relationships to other jobs, and the conditions under which work is
performed,
• tools and equipment used, and the personal capabilities required for
satisfactory performance

• Job analysis is a systematic study of a job.

• collects information related to the job
• analyzes the information
• outlines the duties, responsibilities and accountabilities within the job
• defines the conditions under which a job is performed
• describes the nature of the job
 Types of Information Needed for
Job Analysis
1. Work Activities (What the worker does?)
• Specific tasks or activities that are involved in the job
• Procedures used to perform activities
• Complexity of activities and their relative timing
• Personal responsibility for property, funds, etc.

2. Worker-oriented activities (How the job is performed?)

• Nature of operations, motions such as handling, lifting, walking, etc.
• Human behaviors such as communicating, sensing, decision making
skills, etc.

3. Machines and materials used (What does the worker use?)

• Types of machines, equipment and tools used
• Type of materials used, such as metal, plastic, grain etc.
5
 Types of Information Needed for Job
Analysis (cont’d…)
4. Job performance standards (What are performance standards?)
• Quantity standards for the job
• Quality standards for the job
• Time taken for the job (Time study).
5. Job context (What is the job context?)
• Physical working conditions
• Incentives, financial and non-financial
• Job relationships (interactions with people and organizations)
6. Personal Attributes (What personal attributes are needed?)
• Education and training (or KSAs) required
• Work experience needed
• Aptitudes and social skills
• Physical characteristics, interests, personality, etc.
6
 Purpose of Job Analysis
 The purpose of job analysis is to obtain answers to six
important questions:
1. What physical & mental tasks does the worker accomplish?
2. How does the worker do the job?
3. Why is the job done?
4. When is the job completed?
5. Where is the job accomplished?
6. What qualifications are needed to perform the job?

• In general, Job analysis is a procedure used to determine:

 tasks, duties and responsibilities
 the qualifications needed for each job.
 the relationships of one job to other jobs
 the working conditions.
7
 When is Job Analysis Performed?
Job analysis is performed on three occasions.
1.When the organization is founded & a job analysis program is
initiated for the first time.

2.When new jobs are created.

3.When jobs are changed significantly as a result of new

technologies, methods, procedures, or systems.

8
 Results of Job Analysis
 Job analysis information is used to prepare:
• Job descriptions,
• Job specifications,
• Job performance standards, and
• Job evaluation.
 These are usually called as components of
Job Analysis.

9
Interrelationship of the Components
of Job Analysis
Job .
Analysis

Job Description Job Job Performance

Specification standards

Job
Evaluation
10
 What is Job Description?
 Job Description - is a written statement of
• what a jobholder does(job content)
• how it is done (methods and conditions)
• why it is done (purpose)
• role profiles
 It portrays job content, job environment, the machines &
equipment used,
 It describes job title, duties and responsibilities, authority,
accountabilities and job relationships.
 It is a profile of the job.

11
 Benefits of Job Description
 It describes the job to the recruiters and potential
candidates.

 It guides newly hired employees about what they are

expected to do.

 It is used for appraising whether the actual activities of the

employees match with their stated duties.

 It is used for performance appraisal of the employee.

12
 Job Description an example of DOT(Dictionary of
Occupational Title)
1. Occupational Code: 183.137-010
2. Occupational Title: Manager (Branch, Area, Division, etc.)

3. Lead Statement:
 Directs production, distribution, and marketing operations for
branch plant, or an assigned territory of industrial organization.
 Coordinates production, distribution, warehousing, and selling
activities in accordance with policies, principles, and procedures
established by General Manager.
 Confers with customers and industrial representatives to
evaluate and promote possibilities for improved and expanded
services in area. . .
 Plans and directs sales program by reviewing competitive
position and developing new markets, using sales aids,
advertising, promotional programs, and field services.
 Directs personnel program.
 Directs preparation of accounting records.
 Recommends budgets to management.
 Performs any other duties assigned by the manager.
13
Precautions

 After jobs have been analyzed and the descriptions

written, the results should be reviewed with

• The supervisor and the worker to ensure that they are

accurate, clear, and understandable.

• Reviewing results with employees also helps to gain their

acceptance.

14
 What is Job Specification?
 Job specification – is statement of
• minimum acceptable qualifications (knowledge, skills, abilities,
experience)
• person specification
 It states personal characteristics and qualifications needed to
perform the job.
 It identifies knowledge, skills and abilities needed to do the job
effectively.
 The key difference between a job description and a job
specification is that
• a job description expands on the characteristics of the job, while
• a job specification expands on the characteristics of the person
doing the job.

15
 Benefits of Job Specification
 It sets minimum qualifications needed in potential
candidates for recruitment purposes.

 It guides selectors to select candidates with right

qualifications.

 It is an important input for preparation of Human Resources

Inventory.

16
Job Description & Job Specification, Example

Position Title: Code: Salary Grade

Administrative Support JM008.002 Jm12
Work Location Report to: Function:
Jimma General Manager

Accountabilities:
• Responsible for providing and coordinating administrative
support to assigned functional groups.
• Focus is on aligning contributions to department needs and
company goals.
See next slide

17
 Job Description & Job Specification, Administrative Support
Primary Functions/Responsibilities:
Preparation of time sheets
Track employee attendance
Manage fixture, furniture, and equipment
necessary to support the function
Process invoices, monitor expenditures
Coordinate and support meetings
Participate in planning process on
projects
 Type documentation to individuals
external to the organization
Assist with presentation preparation and
planning
Coordinate large scale documentation
reproduction
External mailing/facsimile transmission
Coordinate central office supplies
Resource computer software
applications
Coordinate work activities with other
functions
Generate alternatives and make
recommendations on improving area work
Critical Skills/Leadership Criteria:
CRITICAL SKILLS
Interpersonal skills/team player
Ability to influence others
Knowledge of business software
applications Confidentiality
Planning, organizing, and time
management
Written and oral communication
Customer orientation
Knowledge of operations and
organization
LEADERSHIP CRITERIA
Able to lead others
Engenders trust
Understands and uses functional
expertise to contribute
Accepts ownership, is accountable, and
delivers on commitments
Oriented towards continuous learning
Education and Experience
BA in Administrative Management and
18
related field of studies
 What are Job Performance
Standards?
 What are Job Performance Standards?
• They are the statement of attainable as well as acceptable
levels of job achievement.

• They indicate quality and quantity of job performance.

 Benefits of Job Performance Standards
• Motivation
• Performance evaluation -Control

19
 What is Job Evaluation?
 Job evaluation and grading- specifying the relative
value of each job in the organization used to design
equitable compensation program
 It ranks all jobs in a hierarchy

 Benefits of job evaluation:

• It serves as the basis for fixing a fair and equitable
salary and wage structure.

20
 Steps in job analysis
1. Examine the total organisation and the fit of each job
• Provides a broad view of how each job fits into the total fabric
of the organisation
• Organizational chart and process chart are used to complete
this step
2. Determine how the job analysis information will be used
• Encourages those involved to determine how the job analysis
and design information will be used – recruitment, training etc

3. Select jobs to be analyzed. These would be representative

job positions especially if there are too many jobs to be
analyzed
 Steps (cont…)

4. Collect data by using acceptable job analysis techniques

• The techniques are used to collect data on the characteristics of the
job, the required behaviors and the characteristic an employee needs
to perform the job
5. Prepare job descriptions
6. Prepare job specification
7: Use the information in step 1 – 6 for the purpose it was
meant to - recruitment, selection and training, performance
evaluation, compensation and benefits etc
 Job analysis: tools/methods
• Observation method – job analyst watches employees directly or reviews
film of workers on the job.
• Individual interview method – a single job incumbent is selected and
extensively interviewed.
• Group interview method – a number of job incumbents(groups) are
interviewed simultaneously.

• Structured questionnaire method – workers complete a specifically

designed questionnaire.

• Diary method – job incumbents record their daily activities

 Which method to use?
• Any or a combination - a multi-method job analysis approach
• It is recommended a combination because each of the method has its strengths
and can elicit more of some specific information
 Job Design
 Job Design
• is a process of structuring work and designating specific work activities of an
individual or group of individuals to achieve certain organizational objectives
• Refers to the way into which tasks can be combined to form complete jobs.

 Job design process are divided into:-

• Specification of individual tasks – What different tasks must be performed?
• Specification of the method of performing each task – Specifically, how will each
task be performed?
• Combination of individual tasks into specific jobs to be assigned to individuals –
How will the different tasks be grouped to form jobs?

 Goal of job design – Develop work assignments that meet requirements of the
organization and that satisfy personal and individual requirements of jobholder
• Key to successful job design is to balance requirements of organization and
jobholder
 Job Design
Approaches of Job Design
1. Job simplification/Job specialization- the job is simplified or specialized.
 A given job is divided into small sub-parts and each part is assigned to one individual employee.
 Job simplification is introduced when job designers feel that the jobs are not specialized enough.
2. Job rotation-This is the systematic movement of employees from one job to another to
reduce monotony by increasing variety.
 Job remains unchanged but employees performing them shift from one job to the other.
 With job rotation, an employee is given an opportunity to perform different jobs, which enriches
his skills, experience and ability to perform different jobs.
3. Job enlargement-This means combining previously fragmented tasks into one job, again
to increase the variety and meaning of repetitive work.
 Job enlargement means expanding the scope of the job. Many tasks and duties are aggregated
and assigned to a single job.
 It is opposite to job simplification. Job enlargement is an extension of Job rotation
 It is the horizontal expansion of a job. It involves the addition of tasks at the same level of skill
and responsibility. It is done to keep workers from getting bored.
 Job Design
Approaches of Job Design
4.Job enrichment-This goes beyond job enlargement to add greater autonomy and
responsibility to a job and is based on the job characteristics approach.
Job Enrichment is a job design strategy, applied to motivate the employees by delegating
them extra responsibilities to make it more rewarding.
The job holder is given responsibilities and power to plan, control and make important
decisions.
In short, we can say that job enrichment means to upgrade the quality of a job and to make
it more exciting, challenging and creative.
There are more responsibilities, diversity of tasks, autonomy and growth possibilities in an
enriched job as compared to a normal job.

5. Self-managing teams (autonomous work groups)-These are self-regulating teams who

work largely without direct supervision.
 Job Design
Approaches of Job Design
– Job Characteristics Model (JCM)-A conceptual framework for
designing motivating jobs that create meaningful work experiences
that satisfy employees’ growth needs.

• Five primary job characteristics in JCM:

– Skill variety: how many skills and talents are needed?
– Task identity: does the job produce a complete work?
– Task significance: how important is the job?
– Autonomy: how much independence does the jobholder has?
– Feedback: do workers know how well they are doing?
 Job Characteristics Model

Source: J.R. Hackman and J.L. Suttle (eds.). Improving Life at Work (Glenview,
IL: Scott, Foresman, 1977). With permission of the authors.