Human Resources Management Chapter 5

JOB ANALYSIS, JOB DESIGN AND QUALITY OF WORK LIFE

Objectives
Explain what is meant by job analysis and job design. Understand the uses of job analysis. Describe the content of a job description and a job specification. Discuss the collection of job analysis data. Explain the major methods of job analysis. Discuss competency profiling. Understand the major approaches to job design. Discuss quality of work life, employee participation and industrial democracy.
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Defining Job Analysis

Obtaining information about jobs by determining their essential duties, tasks, responsibilities and requirements. Information includes: the end result, behaviours required to do the job, equipment that must be used to do the job, environmental factors relevant to performance, personal factors relevant to job performance. Including JOB DESCRIPTIONS, JOB SPECIFICATIONS and JOB DESIGN
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When do we need a job analysis?

When a new job is created When a job is changed significantly as a result of new methods, procedures or technology A long period since the last job analysis was undertaken Disagreement between a supervisor and job holder on the work to be perform Increasing grievances regarding job content/working conditions Reorganization, restructuring or downsizing
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Job-oriented and Employee Oriented Approach

Job-oriented: job content: task, duties and responsibilities Employee oriented: job requirement : human behaviour required to perform the job, including knowledge, skills, abilities. Only include relevant factors like aptitudes, abilities etc. but not details like sex, age marital status, ethnic background.

Defining Job Analysis

Why does the job exist? What physical and mental activities does the worker undertake? When is the job to be performed? What qualifications are needed to perform the job? What are the working conditions (i.e. temperature, light, offensive fumes and noise) of the job? What machinery or equipment is used in the job? What constitutes successful performance?
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Reasons for Job Analysis

Job description Job specifications Recruitment Selection Training and development Performance appraisal Job evaluations Salary & benefits Enterprise bargaining Working conditions Authority relationships Standards expected Fringe benefits
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JOB ANALYSIS OBJECTIVE The purpose of the job analysis is to collect information for: job description selection job specification job design HR planning recruitment

TYPE OF INFORMATION TO BE COLLECTED What is performed? Where is it performed? How is it performed? Why is it performed? When is it performed? Sources of data Job incumbent Supervisor Job analyst Experts Methods of data collection Observation Diaries/log Interviews Questionnaire Critical incident report

Records/files/manuals Plans and blueprints HR information systems

Source: Asia Pacific Management Co Ltd. 2001

Form of data analysis Qualitative Quantitative

Job Descriptions
Identify job content, requirements and context Provide a written summary of the duties and responsibilities of the job Help managers and employees understand what the job is and how it is to be performed.

Components of Job Descriptions

Job identification
(Job title,department)

Accountability
(Impact of job in terms of sales, assets or payroll)

Job summary
(objective of the position)

Duties and responsibilities

(list of duties of responsibility)

Authority
(Decision making authority)

Relationships
(relationship with other positions)

Special circumstances
(Special/hazardous about job)

Performance standards
(required standard performance)

Know-how
(knowledge, skills, experience)

Problem solving
(environment:dynamic, creative or unstable)

Trade union/association
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Job Specification
A written statement of the qualifications, skills, experience, ability and know-how a person needs to perform a given job successfully

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Data Collection Methods for job analysis

Interviews Job analysis questionnaires Observation Diaries and logs Critical incidents Focus and consultative groups Combination
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Methods of Job analysis

1. Functional job analysis (FJA)
Use standardised statements and terminology to describe nature of job and prepare job descriptions and specifications Use a structured questionnaire for quantitatively assessing jobs. Use a behaviourally oriented, structured questionnaire to describe, compare, classify and evaluate management positions Use to classify occupations and assess person
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2. Position analysis questionnaire (PAQ)

3. Management position description questionnaire

4. Position classification inventory (PCI)

The Hay Guide Chart Profile Method

Widely used in job evaluation, the Hay Guide Chart Profile Method is commercially available through Hay Group. Job content is analysed in terms of three major factors which are present to some degree in every job.
Know how => specialized knowledge, managerial skills, human relations Problem solving => environment and challenges Accountability => answerability for actions, freedom to act, job impact etc
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New Multi-method Approaches

Based on computer technology. Sophisticated quantitative techniques are now coming into use. Use multidimensional perspectives on the source of job information, the type of data analysed and the response scale formats. Designed to concurrently support multiple HR applications. They are structured questionnaires to be completed by employees, supervisors and/or subject-matter experts. They use computer-friendly computer systems which may perform complex multivariate statistical procedures and provide graphical, quality reports for data interpretation.
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Evaluation of Job Analysis

Competency profiling Job analysis method that focuses on the skills and behaviour needed to successfully perform a job. Specifically a competency is an underlying characteristic of a person that leads to or causes superior or effective performance.

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Competency Characteristics
Motives what drives, directs and selects behaviour towards certain actions or goals and away from others. Traits physical characteristics and consistent responses to situations or information. Self-concept a persons attitudes, values or self-image. Knowledge information a person has in specific content areas. Skill the ability to perform a certain physical or mental task.
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The Behavioural Event Interview(BEI)

BEI is a development of critical incident reporting. It generates information about the job and what the job holder thinks, feels and hopes to achieve in the job. Helps the HR manager identify and measure competencies such as achievement motivation and logical problem solving.

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Job Analysis and Equal Employment Opportunities (EEO)

There should be no obvious or disguised violations of EEO requirements. Avoid listing lengthy experience requirements (for example, 1015 years) unless no-one with less experience could satisfactorily perform the job. Job specifications and job descriptions should not be based on opinion without a proper job analysis being undertaken.
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Job Design
Specification of the content of a job The material and equipment required to do the job The relation of the job to other jobs.

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Methods of Job Design

Job specialisation Job enlargement - horizontal Job rotation Job enrichment - vertical Autonomous work teams Compressed work week Flexitime Job sharing Part - or fractional time Telecommuting
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A) Job Specialization
Using standardized work procedures Employees perform repetitive, precisely defined task Usually used by industrial engineers and analysts Adv:
Improve operating efficiencies through use of low-skill and low cost labour Minimum on-job-training Easy control of production quantities Fewer errors

Disadv:
Boredom and lack of challenge Employees are restricted by the speed of assembly line No end product Limited social interaction Employees have no decision making involvement

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Job Enlargement
Horizontal expansion of a job by adding similar level responsibilities By adding multiple skilling, task varieties or increasing work interests

Job Rotation
Increase task variety by moving employees from one task to another function/geography Typical in Japanese company Adv: higher satisfaction, develop general perspective, increase skills Disadv: increase training costs, lower productivity, disruption, lower specialty

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Job Enrichment
Vertical expansion of a job by adding planning and decision making responsibilities Employees may have greater achievement, recognition, responsibility and personal growth and motivation By combing tasks, establishing client relationships, expanding jobs vertically (increase employees autonomy and control ability), and opening feedback channels
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Quality of Work Life

Adequate remuneration Development of human capabilities Growth and security Constitutionalism Total life space Social relevance
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Quality Circles
Quality circles usually consist of small groups of five to ten workers who meet on a regular basis. Meetings generally involve the groups supervisor The objective is to identify problems as a group, process suggestions and examine alternatives for improving productivity, raising product and service quality, and increasing worker satisfaction.
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Employee Participation and Industrial Democracy

Industrial democracy is often confused with the less emotive term employee participation. Industrial democracy and employee participation have been described as different aspects of the same concept. Industrial democracy implies at least the redistribution of decision making power.
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