Human Resources Management (HRM)

Week Two: Job Design and Analysis

 Learning Objectives

 Nature of Jobs and Work

 Job Design:
 Common Approaches to Job Design/Redesign
 Characteristics of Jobs
 Using Worker Teams in Jobs

 Job Analysis
 Use of Job Analysis
 Job Analysis and Other HR Activities
 The Job Analysis Process
 Job Descriptions and Job Specifications
 Behavioral and Legal Aspects of Job Analysis
 Nature of Jobs and Work
• Work is effort directed toward accomplishing results.

• Work Flow Analysis: Study of the way work (inputs, activities,

and outputs) moves through an organization.

• An integrating work flow analysis is likely to lead to better

employee involvement, greater efficiency, and more customer
satisfaction as organizational work is divided into jobs so that it can
be coordinated.
• A job is a grouping of the tasks, duties, and responsibilities that
constitutes the work assignment for an employee. Tasks, duties,
and responsibilities may change over time; therefore, jobs may
change and may increase or decrease in number.
 Nature of Jobs and Work (Cont.)
• The way work is done and how jobs are designed and
performed vary significantly under these two approaches:

1- Technology and Work Flow Analysis: The information-based systems

make work flow (understanding of how work is being done) different from
what it was in the past.
• Sometimes the differences are positive and highly productive, but
technology also can reduce work flow and productivity.

For example, consider the amount of time some employees spend on

personal use of technology such as text-messaging, twitters, and personal
websites such as Facebook. Such usage can distract workers and may
reduce work-related productivity.
 Nature of Jobs and Work (Cont.)
2- Business Process Reengineering (BPR): Reengineering generates the
needed changes in the operations. The purpose of (BPR) is to improve such
activities as product development, customer service, and service delivery.

• BPR consists of three phases:

1. Rethink: Examine how the current organization of work and jobs affects
customer satisfaction and service.
2. Redesign: Analyze how jobs are put together, the work flow, and how
results are achieved; then redesign the process as necessary.
3. Retool: Look at new technologies (equipment, computers, software, etc.) as
opportunities to improve productivity, service quality, and customer
satisfaction.

• Although implementation of reengineering can be difficult, if done well it

can aid work success.
 Job Design

• Job design refers to is allocation of tasks to an employee or

group of employees in an organization
• Job design receives attention for three major reasons:
1- Job design can influence performance in certain jobs, especially those
where employee motivation can make a substantial difference.
2- Job design can affect job satisfaction. Because people are more satisfied
with certain job elements than others, identifying what makes a “good” job
becomes critical. Reduced turnover and absenteeism also can be linked to
effective job design.
3- Job design can impact both physical and mental health. Problems that may
require assistance such as hearing loss, backache, leg pain, stress, high
blood pressure, and even heart disease sometimes can be traced directly to
job design.
 Job Design (Cont.)

• The nature and characteristics of both jobs and people should

be considered when job design is done.

• Managers can influence or control job characteristics

( i.e. Time requirements, Policies/ Procedures), but not people
characteristics ( i.e. Physical characteristics, Honesty, and
Intelligence).
 Job Design (Cont.)

• Workers and Job Design: Organizations are employing a variety of

workers, and not just full-time ones. Depending on economic and
competitive factors, the types of workers in one firm may include:
 Full-time employees
 Part-time employees
 Independent contractors
 Temporary workers

• Contingent workers: Is someone who is not an employee, but a temporary

or part-time worker for a specific period of time and type of work. who
may be on-call, working through an employment agency, or operating as
independent contractors.
 Job Design (Cont.)

Common Approaches to Job Design/Redesign:

1- Job Simplification:
Used to simplify the job tasks and responsibilities. Job simplification may
be appropriate for jobs that are to be staffed with entry-level employees.
However, making jobs too simple may result in boring jobs that appeal to
few people, causing high turnover.

2- Job Enlargement and Job Enrichment:

Attempts to alleviate some of the problems encountered in excessive job
simplification .
Job enlargement involves broadening the scope of a job by expanding the
number of different tasks to be performed.
Job enrichment is increasing the depth of a job by adding responsibility
for planning, organizing, controlling, or evaluating the job.
 Job Design (Cont.)

Some examples of job enrichment are:

• Giving the employee an entire job rather than just a piece of the work.
• Allowing the employee more flexibility to perform the job as needed.
• Increasing the employee’s accountability for work by reducing external
control.
• Expanding assignments for employees to develop special areas of expertise.
 Job Design (Cont.)

3- Job Rotation: The process of shifting a person from job to job, used to
break the boredom of simple routine job.
The main advantage of this approach is to develops an employee’s
capabilities for doing several different jobs.

4- Job Sharing: In which two employees perform the work of one full-time
job. For instance, a hospital allows two radiological technicians to fill one job, and
each individual works every other week.
Such arrangements are beneficial for employees who may not want or be
able to work full-time because of family, school, or other reasons.
The keys to successful job sharing are that both “job sharers” must work
effectively together and each must be competent in meeting the job
requirements.
 Job Design

Characteristics of Jobs:
 Skill variety: Extent to which the work requires several different activities
for successful completion.
 Task identity: Extent to which the job includes a whole identifiable unit of
work that is carried out from start to finish and that results in a visible
outcome.
 Task significance: Impact the job has on other people.
 Autonomy: Extent of individual freedom in the work and its scheduling.
 Feedback: The amount of information employees receive about how well
or how poorly they have performed.
 Job Design (Cont.)

Using Worker Teams in Jobs:

• To improve productivity ,
• increase commitment ,
• greater co-worker trust,
• more widespread employee learning,
• and greater employee use of knowledge diversity.
 Job Design/ Team Work (Cont.)
A- Special-purpose team: formed to address specific problems, improve
work processes, and enhance the overall quality of products and services.
Often, special-purpose teams are a mixture of employees, supervisors, and
managers.

B- The self-directed team: composed of individuals who are assigned a

cluster of tasks, duties, and responsibilities to be accomplished. Unlike
special purpose teams, self-directed work teams become entities that use
regular internal decision-making processes. Use of self-directed work
teams must be planned well and fit the culture of the organization.

C- The virtual team: composed of individuals who are separated

geographically but linked by communications technology. I.e. Global
Teams: “meet” electronically using Web-based systems.
 Job Design (Cont.)
Teams and Work Efforts:
Encouraging Team Performance Success
 Job Design (Cont.)
Teams and Work Efforts:
• The role of supervisors and managers: Rather than giving orders, often the
team leader becomes a facilitator to:
 assist the team,
 mediate and resolve conflicts among team members,
 interact with other teams a managers elsewhere.
 Job Analysis
Job analysis: Systematic process of determining skills, duties, and
knowledge required for performing jobs in organization.

•Information coming from job analyses that can be helpful in making the
distinction among jobs includes the following:
Work activities and behaviors
Equipment used
Interactions with others
Working conditions
Performance Standards
Supervision given and received
Financial and budgeting impact
Knowledge, skills, and abilities needed
 Job Analysis (Cont.)
Types of Job Analysis: The most traditionally and widely used
methods are task-based job analysis and the need for competency-based
job analysis ( most common in healthcare organizations).

1- Task-Based Job Analysis: focuses on the tasks, duties, and

responsibilities performed in a job.

Task: A distinct, identifiable work activity

Duty: Larger work segment composed of several tasks that are
performed by an individual
Job Responsibilities: Obligations to perform certain tasks and duties.
 Job Analysis (Cont.)

2- Competency-Based Job Analysis:

The Competency Approach to Healthcare Job Analysis
 Focus on: competencies needed to perform the jobs
X Not: tasks, duties, responsibilities that compose a job

Competencies: Individual basic characteristics that can be

linked to enhanced performance by individuals or teams
*Skill *Team Orientation
*Knowledge *Technical expertise
*Ability *Leadership
*Training *Adaptability
*Education
*Licensure, certification, and/or registration
 Use of Job Analysis

Job Analysis is a logical process to determine:

 Purpose – the reason for the job

 Essential Functions – the job duties that are critical or fundamental to

the performance of the job

 Job Setting – the work station and conditions where the essential
functions are performed

 Job Qualifications – the minimal skills an individual must possess to

perform the essential functions
 The Job Analysis Process

EEO: equal employment

opportunitiy
ADA: Americans with disabilities
Act
 Implementing Job Analysis

I. Planning
A. Identify objectives of job analysis
B. Obtain top management support

II. Preparing
A. Identify jobs and methodology
B. Review existing job documentation
C. Communicate process to managers/employees

III. Conducting the Job Analysis

A. Gather job analysis data
B. Review and compile data
 Implementing Job Analysis (Cont.)

IV. Developing Job Descriptions and Job Specifications

A. Draft job descriptions and specifications
B. Review drafts with managers and employees
C. Identify recommendations
D. Finalize job descriptions and recommendations

V. Maintaining and Updating Job Descriptions and

Job Specifications
A. Update job descriptions and specifications as organization
changes
B. Periodically review all jobs
 Job Descriptions and Job Specifications

The output from analysis of a job is used to develop a job description and
its job specifications.

Job Description: A document that indicates the tasks, duties, and

responsibilities of a job

Performance Standards: Tells what the job accomplishes and how

performance is measured in key areas

Job Specifications: Lists the knowledge, skills, and abilities (KSAs) an

individual needs to perform a job satisfactorily
 Job Descriptions and Job Specifications (Cont.)

Job Description Components:

1- Identification: Job title, Department, Location, and Date of
analysis.
2- General Summary: is a concise statement of the general
responsibilities and components that make the job different from
others.
3- Essential Job Functions and Duties: It contains clear,
precise statements on the major tasks, duties, and responsibilities
performed. Writing this section is the most time-consuming aspect
of preparing job descriptions.
 Job Descriptions and Job Specifications

Job Description Components:

4- Job Specifications: Gives the qualifications needed to
perform the job satisfactorily. The job specifications typically are
stated as: (1) knowledge, skills, and abilities; (2) education and
experience; and (3) physical requirements and/or working
conditions.
5- Disclaimers and Approvals: The final section on many job
descriptions contains approval signatures by appropriate managers
and a legal disclaimer.
 Legal Aspects of Job Analysis
Legal Aspects of Job Analysis:
Job analysis should identify:
1- Essential job functions, which are the fundamental duties of a job.
2- Physical demands of jobs. For example, the important physical skills and capabilities used
on the job of nursing representative could include being able to hear well enough to aid
clients and doctors. However, hearing might be less essential for a heavy equipment
operator in a quarry.
3- Wage/Hour Regulations
 Thank You
Any Question