Chapter 4 ADMN2230

Job Analysis and Work Design

• Job analysis is a process of gathering information about jobs to understand duties, tasks, and activities.
• Job analysis helps determine job descriptions, which detail tasks, duties, and responsibilities of a job.
• Job analysis also helps determine job specifications, outlining the knowledge, skills, and abilities required for a job.
• Different methods for collecting job analysis data include interviews, questionnaires, observations, and diaries.
• Sources of job analysis data include job analysts, employees, and supervisors.
• Job analysis information is used in HRM functions, including recruitment, selection, training and development, performance appraisal, and compensation management.

Popular Approaches to Job Analysis

• Critical Incidents Technique is a qualitative method identifying superior and ineffective performance behaviors.
• Behaviorally Anchored Rating Scales (BARS) use statements of job behavior anchored to a numerical scale.
• Position Analysis Questionnaire (PAQ) is a structured checklist of 194 items to rate a job.
• Functional Job Analysis analyzes jobs based on people, data, and things elements and their complexity levels.
• The HAY Method uses three key factors to analyze jobs: know-how, problem-solving, and accountability.

Job Requirements

• Job description encompasses tasks, responsibilities, duties of a particular job.
• Job specification details the required knowledge, skills, and abilities of a job applicant.
• Job requirements are essential for HR planning, recruitment, training, performance evaluation, and compensation.

Relationship of Job Requirements and HRM Functions

• Job requirements are crucial to strategic HR planning.
• Job requirements are used in recruitment and selection of candidates.
• Job requirements guide training and development of employees.
• Job requirements inform performance appraisals.
• Job requirements aid compensation management.
• Job requirements are relevant to ensuring legal compliance.

Problems with Job Descriptions

• Poorly worded job descriptions lack specific details.
• Job descriptions often lag behind changes in job duties or requirements.
• Some descriptions may contain irrelevant criteria not related to job performance.
• Job descriptions may limit job flexibility and opportunities.

Job Design

• Job design is an extension of job analysis that streamlines jobs using technological and human factors to promote efficiency and employee satisfaction.
• Job design considers multiple aspects including behavioral, industrial engineering, and ergonomic aspects.
• Behavioral concerns look at ways to increase employee job satisfaction, for instance using job enrichment or job characteristics models.
• Industrial engineering considerations focus on work methods and time standards.
• Ergonomic considerations focus on designing equipment and tools to enhance human use and reduce injuries.
• Job design basis includes organizational goals coupled with industrial engineering aspects, ergonomics, and behavioral elements.

Job Enrichment

• Job enrichment aims to increase the job's difficulty and responsibility.
• Employees have more authority and control over work outcomes.
• Performance reports directly to employees.
• Incorporates new tasks requiring training and development.
• Job enrichment tasks are based on employee competencies and skills.

Job Characteristics Model

• Job characteristics model aims to motivate employees through designing jobs.
• Attributes include skills variety, task identity, task significance, autonomy and feedback.
• Psychological states encompass meaningfulness of work, responsibility, and knowledge of results.
• Job outcomes include improved performance, increased motivation, lower absenteeism, and turnover.

Flexible Work Schedules

• Compressed workweek shortens the number of days in a workweek by increasing daily working hours.
• Flextime allows employees to choose starting and quitting times while maintaining a fixed number of hours.
• Job sharing involves two part-time employees performing a single job that would otherwise be a full-time position.
• Telecommuting uses technology to facilitate home-based work.

Designing Work for Groups and Teams

• Employee involvement groups (EIGs) help resolve problems and improve organizational processes.
• EIGs are also known as quality circles.
• Success with EIGs requires group member training, recognition of contributions, continuing management support focusing on a participative/democratic leadership style.
• Motivated and energetic team members, clear roles, cooperation, trust, accountability, shared leadership, open communication, commitment to shared goals are associated with successful teams.

Benefits of Employee Teams

• Teams improve integration of employee skills.
• Increased efficiency through solving unique problems.
• Reduced turnover and absenteeism.
• Better performance and more efficient use of resources and time.

This quiz explores the essential concepts of job analysis and work design. It covers the methods, sources, and HRM applications of job analysis. Learn about different techniques used to assess job performance and gather critical data for effective workforce management.