Industrial Psychology and Job Analysis

Industrial/Organizational Psychology

• Applies psychology principles in the workplace, focusing on issues involving people in organizations.
• The International Labor Organization (ILO) defined decent work in 1999 as work that complies with international labor standards, provides equal opportunities, offers social protection, and engages in tripartism.

Job Analysis

• Identifies the tasks performed in a specific job using a range of methods including:
  • Systematic observation
  • Interviews
  • Checklists
  • Technical conference method
  • Diary methods
  • Ammerman technique
  • Job participation
  • Questionnaires

Task Statements

• Concisely and clearly describe the actions, objects, and conditions involved in a task.

Task Analysis

• Evaluates the frequency and importance of each task using a group of subject matter experts (SMEs).

KSAOs (Knowledge, Skills, Abilities, and Other Characteristics)

• Identifies the essential qualifications needed to perform a job:
  • Knowledge: Body of information required.
  • Skill: Proficiency in performing a learned task.
  • Ability: Capacity for performing a wide range of tasks.
  • Other Characteristics: Personality traits, willingness, interests, motivation, licenses, degrees, and experience.

Job Analysis Tools and Techniques

• Several tools are used to gather data for job analysis:
  • Position Analysis Questionnaire (PAQ): 194 items covering input, mental processes, work output, relationships, job context, schedule, pay, and responsibility.
  • Job Structure Profile (JSP): A revised PAQ emphasizing intellectual and decision-making aspects.
  • Job Elements Inventory (JEI): Alternative to PAQ, with 153 items designed for easier understanding.
  • Functional Job Analysis (FJA): Quick method focusing on the time spent on data, people, and things.
  • Job Components Inventory (JCI): Used in England, with over 400 questions regarding tools, equipment, perceptual and physical requirements, math and communication skills, and decision-making.
  • Arbeitswissenschaftliches Erhebungsverfahren zur Tätigkeitsanalyse (AET): Focuses on the relationship between worker and work objects.

Job Analysis Terminology

• Helps to define the scope of job analysis:
  • Element: Smallest unit of job action.
  • Task: Work act performed to achieve a specific objective.
  • Position: Place or role within an organization defined by the tasks performed.
  • Job: Collection of similar positions with a shared job title.

Job Evaluation

• Determines a job's worth relative to other jobs within an organization.
• Key steps:
  • Determining compensable job factors: Responsibility level, physical and mental demands, education, training, experience, and working conditions.
  • Establishing levels for each compensable factor: Determining the level of education required or the level of responsibility, for example.
  • Assigning factor weights: Giving weighted points to each factor based on its importance.

Pay Equity

• Ensures fair and equitable pay for different jobs and among employees:
  • Internal Pay Equity: Comparing jobs within the organization to ensure those with higher value are paid accordingly.
  • External Pay Equity: Comparing jobs outside the organization to ensure competitiveness by considering salaries, benefits, taxes, and other factors.
  • Sex and Race Equity: Preventing pay disparities based on gender or race through comparable worth principles, where different but comparable jobs should be paid the same.

Products of Job Analysis

• Job analysis serves as the foundation for several essential HR documents and processes:
  • Job Description: A written statement outlining the duties, responsibilities, and most important contributions of a specific position, including reporting relationships and coworkers.
  • Job Specifications: Minimum qualifications required for a job.
  • Job Evaluation: Determines the relative worth of a job within the organization.