Hr Chapter 4 PDF

SECTION 1 SECTION 2 SECTION 3 SECTION 4 SECTION 5 The Environment Jobs and...

SECTION 1 SECTION 2 SECTION 3 SECTION 4 SECTION 5 The Environment Jobs and Talent Compensation 371 Employee of Human Resource Labor 109 Development 259 Relations and Management 1 Global HRM 451 Workforce, Jobs, C H A P T E R 4 and!Job Analysis Learning Objectives After you have read this chapter, you should be WHAT’S TRENDING IN able to: WORKFORCE, JOBS, AND JOB ANALYSIS LO1 Explain how the The creation of jobs that motivate employees is a critical issue that companies workforce is changing address. Human resource professionals assist with workforce management, the cre- in unpredictable ways. ation of satisfying work, and the assessment of jobs. In particular, they must under- LO2 Understand how stand that jobs play an important role in the effective and efficient use of human technology changes resources in companies. Here’s what’s currently trending in the area of workforce, jobs and workflow. jobs, and job analysis: LO3 Define job design 1. Skills gaps!continue to challenge organizations, and proper steps!need to be and identify common approaches to job taken to reduce these gaps!so that workers are best positioned to make valu- design. able contributions in their jobs. Persistent shortages in some industries (such as trucking) are creating major problems for firms in those industries. LO4 Discuss how flexible work arrangements 2. Many employees desire flexible work arrangements so that they can work in help employees ways that accommodate their individual preferences, obligations, and schedules. achieve work–life While some companies offer a wide array of flexible!job opportunities, others integration. have begun to require more “face time” at company facilities. LO5 Describe job analysis 3. Focusing on the right mix between work and home is an important issue that and the steps!in the companies address on an ongoing basis. Human resource professionals should process. create policies that help workers to integrate their work and personal lives so LO6 List the components that they can fully engage in all aspect of their lives. of job descriptions. 4. Technology advancements are dramatically reshaping workplaces and employee skills need continuous updating to keep pace. Rather than displacing work- ers, automation and robotics are creating new jobs and helping companies to increase productivity. Maintaining relevant, accurate job descriptions is a chal- lenge for organizations as the pace of change is rapid and unpredictable. These trends show that the way the workforce is managed is constantly being altered to accommodate the needs of both companies and employees. The variety of challenges that employers face also suggests that jobs will likely continue to change based on these needs. This chapter explores many of the important workforce issues that affect the jobs employers create and develop,!as well as techniques for deter- mining exactly what people do in their jobs and how they should perform. 110 Copyright 2020 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. May not be copied, scanned, or duplicated, in whole or in part. Due to electronic rights, some third party content may be suppressed from the eBook and/or eChapter(s). Editorial review has deemed that any suppressed content does not materially affect the overall learning experience. Cengage Learning reserves the right to remove additional content at any time if subsequent rights restrictions require it.  HR HR HEADLINE Preparing for Industry 4.0 Preparing for Industry 4.0 111 T HEADLINE he world of work is undergoing a transformation, and jobs will never be the same again. No industry sector will be HR COMPETENCIES & APPLICATIONS spared from the coming technological revolution described as Capitalizing “Industry 4.0.” The combination of integrated hardware, software, and on the Graying people through “cyber-physical systems,” artificial intelligence, and Workforce 116 machine learning will lead us to the fourth industrial revolution and Telecommuting create new ways of doing business. in the Global At multinational technology manufacturer Flex (previously known Business as Flextronics), tomorrow has already arrived. Flex serves over a dozen Environment industries in 32 countries. The company designs and engineers supply 125 chain innovations and logistics and employs over 200,000 workers. Writing Since customers work with Flex on innovative solutions that increase Appropriate Job efficiencies, it was only natural that Flex took a look at its own internal Descriptions 140 processes and work methods in response to technological advances. HR PERSPECTIVE Leaders at Flex recognized that the Internet of Things (IoT) means Women Dig that massive amounts of data are available upon request, but that with- Mining Careers out some sensible control of data, it can overwhelm workers. The com- 118 pany is focusing on creating smart connectivity that helps!machines Flexing on the and devices interact with humans to generate higher productivity. Front Line 129 These cyber-physical systems eliminate labor redundancies. However, rather than leading to fewer workers needed, it actually increases the number of skilled workers that assess, install, and maintain the hard- ware in “lights out” factories (fully automated). Further, the demand for people with programming and data analytics talent will be in high demand to fine-tune the software and monitor information. Job categories will transform as work methods change. Some jobs will disappear as they are replaced by technology, while others will be created. Think back a decade or so. Cloud computing specialists, data scientists, and drone operators did not exist. It is impossible to predict what jobs will look like in the next decade, but Flex is working to pre- pare its managers and leaders for what may come. The company is investing in various systems to pro- vide seamless information flow to Zapp2Photo/Shutterstock.com employees and to facilitate work– life integration by providing easy access to telemedicine and real- time doctor consultations around the world. 111 Copyright 2020 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. May not be copied, scanned, or duplicated, in whole or in part. Due to electronic rights, some third party content may be suppressed from the eBook and/or eChapter(s). Editorial review has deemed that any suppressed content does not materially affect the overall learning experience. Cengage Learning reserves the right to remove additional content at any time if subsequent rights restrictions require it. 112 S E C T I O N 2 Jobs and!Labor Managers at Flex have a dashboard that reflects what is happening in their operation in real time. The multiple metrics that are keys to each operation are presented in graphic form to make it easy to spot problems or interruptions in service. Managers can respond quickly and resolve problems before they get too big to handle. For example, an explosion in the city of Tianjin, China, where Flex has an operation, was easily detected, and the company was able to obtain information about the status of its workers and operations quickly. Engineers working at Flex’s operation center in India can monitor and adjust production equipment in factories as far away as Hungary or Mexico. This agility and responsiveness has increased the company’s production output and decreased its costs. While no one can say for sure what the future will hold, the workplace of 2025 will cer- tainly look different than that of today. Flex is leading the way to Industry 4.0 and is likely to be on the cutting edge of Industry 5.0 when it arrives.1 To understand the workforce and the jobs that people perform, it is important to consider the trends driving how workplaces are managed. As discussed in the opening “HR Headline” feature, evolutions in technology are transforming work methods and jobs. The latest industrial revolution is causing many organizations to rethink the worker experience and to determine how to help em- ployees deal with technological advances. Further, companies must adjust to changing demands from customers and employees who expect a 24/7 service approach. Companies also face “skills gaps” in certain occupations such as health care and truck driving. Skills shortages exist in a variety of industries because many people do not have the skills needed to fill available jobs. Generational differences in the!workforce may also pose challenges to managers and HR staff. Can technology resolve some of the skill gaps? Will technology create new skill gaps? How will younger and older workers adapt!to changes in the workplace? Will differences between the generations at work really amount to differences in the way jobs get done? Human resource pro- fessionals must address these questions to help organizations manage dynamic workplaces. Prac- tices and policies will likely need to be developed to address these concerns. Other critical issues must also be considered by human resource professionals and organiza- tional leaders. Historically, part-time positions have not been viewed favorably; people would be- grudgingly accept!part-time work until they could find a full-time employment opportunity. Yet today, employers want more contingent employees for the flexibility they provide, and the gig economy offers employees the personal flexibility that they desire. These preferences require new approaches to human resource management that recognize the varying needs of employers and employees. LO1 Explain how the workforce is changing 4-1 The Workforce Profile in unpredictable ways. Human resource professionals deal with the segment of the population that works in current jobs or that is looking for work. The goal is to develop jobs that are inherently motivating to employees or to create work situations that are desirable enough to attract and hire competent workers. We begin with an overview of the workforce and jobs. Today’s labor force is more diverse than in the past and now includes older adults, females, and people from different racial and ethnic backgrounds. This diversity will increase in the future. The overall workforce is getting older and younger workers are more educated than in the past. Since U.S. population growth has slowed, the available labor pool is shrinking.2 Copyright 2020 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. May not be copied, scanned, or duplicated, in whole or in part. Due to electronic rights, some third party content may be suppressed from the eBook and/or eChapter(s). Editorial review has deemed that any suppressed content does not materially affect the overall learning experience. Cengage Learning reserves the right to remove additional content at any time if subsequent rights restrictions require it.  C H A P T E R 4 Workforce, Jobs, and!Job Analysis 113 The Census Bureau projects that the U.S. population in 2060 will be about 417 million, and people aged 65 and older will comprise about 24 percent of this total, a greater share than people under age 18. Flows into the population include fertility (births) and immigration, while flows out of the population include deaths and outmigration. The fertility (or birth) rate in the United States is roughly at a replacement level of 1.8 children per woman, and population-wide life expectancies continue to increase.3 Immigration is volatile and difficult to predict because it depends on other countries and economics, but it is estimated that immigration adds 1.4 million people to the popula- tion annually. Foreign-born individuals make up over 13 percent of the U.S. population.4 Labor force The labor force participation rate is the percentage of the population working or seeking participation rate work. The labor force participation rate has been declining in the past decade. It peaked at 67 per- The percentage of the cent before 2000 and has since declined to around 63 percent. Part of the reason for this trend is that population working older people are still in the population, but they are not as likely to be in the workforce as younger or!seeking work people. Figure 4-1 shows the trend in labor force participation for the decade 2008–2018. 4-1a Important Elements of the Workforce Profile Participation rates help us understand which segments of the population are more likely to be in the labor market in the future. Several variables—like age, generation status, employee skills (or the lack of in the case of skills gaps), and individual readiness for work—are important factors that determine the workforce profile. Figure 4-2 shows the age and gender profile of the U.S. workforce in 1996 and projects today’s workforce to 2026. Generational Groups!and the Aging Workforce Much has been written about the dif- ferent expectations and participation rates of individuals in various age groups!and generations. Some common categories for generational groups!are as follows:5 Traditionalists (born 1925 to 1945) Baby Boomers (born 1946 to 1964) Generation X (born 1965 to 1981) Generation Y (Millennials) (born 1982 to 2000) Generation Z (iGen) (born 2001 to present) Different characteristics have been attributed to these groups. However, it is critical for man- agers to avoid stereotyping employees based on their generational cohort. Two individuals in the same generational group may be as different from each other as two individuals from different FIGURE 4-1 Labor Force Participation Rates, 2008 –2018 67 Labor force participation 66 65 64 63 62 61 60 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Copyright 2020 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. May not be copied, scanned, or duplicated, in whole or in part. Due to electronic rights, some third party content may be suppressed from the eBook and/or eChapter(s). Editorial review has deemed that any suppressed content does not materially affect the overall learning experience. Cengage Learning reserves the right to remove additional content at any time if subsequent rights restrictions require it. 114 S E C T I O N 2 Jobs and!Labor FIGURE 4-2 U.S. Civilian Labor Force by Age and Gender Number Projected Growth Percent of Total Population (in thousands) (%) Segment 1996 2016 1996 2016 2016–2026 Total (16 years 133,900 159,200 100.0 100.0 0.6 and older) Age (years) 16–24 21,183 21,202 15.8 13.3 –0.6 25–54 96,786 102,248 72.3 64.2 0.5 55 and older 15,974 35,737 11.9 22.4 1.7 Gender Men 78,087 84,755 53.8 53.2 0.5 Women 61,857 74,432 46.2 46.8 0.8 Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. generations. Research has shown no generational difference in endorsement of work ethic, per- haps!surprising in light of the common perception of Millennials as lazy or less committed. Further, the results of numerous studies on generational differences in the workplace have resulted in con- flicting findings.6 Therefore, it is advisable to treat employees as unique individuals despite their membership in a generational group. Since Millennials will represent approximately 50 percent of the workforce by the year 2020, many organizations are adjusting HR practices to appeal to this group of workers. Managing employ- ees from multiple generations can pose challenges for companies. Managers report that communi- cation skills, adapting to change, technical skills, and collaboration are all areas where members of different generations may work differently. Some research shows that workers in Generations Y and Z may favor a more collaborative, coaching style of management than the more reserved Baby Boomers. Traditional instructor-led training may be more effective for Baby Boomers and Gener- ation X workers, while technology-enhanced training may appeal to younger workers.7 One aspect of work life that may differ among the generational groups!is career mobility and job retention. Millennial workers are more likely to change jobs than older workers. However, since Millennials are early in their careers, it is not surprising that they are more mobile then individuals more settled in their occupations. However, with a looming labor shortage, companies should still work to retain Millennial workers to ensure a solid talent pipeline.8 Leadership roles in many organizations are now being handed over to Generation X and Millennial workers as baby boomers begin to retire. Talent management is a particular concern for these leaders as loyalty to one employer over an entire career is no longer the norm for workers. Service and knowledge workers with unique talent are not as easy to replace as manual laborers in decades past. Thus, CEOs like Matt Levatich of Harley-Davidson are working to make their com- panies appealing to workers in the younger generation.9 In addition, Millennials are increasingly Copyright 2020 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. May not be copied, scanned, or duplicated, in whole or in part. Due to electronic rights, some third party content may be suppressed from the eBook and/or eChapter(s). Editorial review has deemed that any suppressed content does not materially affect the overall learning experience. Cengage Learning reserves the right to remove additional content at any time if subsequent rights restrictions require it.  C H A P T E R 4 Workforce, Jobs, and!Job Analysis 115 being given the responsibility of supervising Baby Boomers, often because senior individuals are staying employed (instead of retiring), and younger workers are getting promoted rapidly because of their high levels of motivation and talent. In addition, these individuals can have different ideas about appropriate leadership styles, with younger leaders using technology to communicate and develop working relationships!with others and older individuals wanting more close contact with their bosses.10 Companies can provide training to help reduce the challenges associated with gener- ational differences, and they should also utilize the skills of older workers while building the talents of younger employees.11 The U.S. workforce is aging, and workers over age 50 will constitute one–third of the labor force by 2022. These workers may represent lower risk in hiring as they are generally more experienced and self-aware than younger workers. Their substantial level of job knowledge, professionalism, and networking contacts can provide benefits to the companies that employ them. Older workers tend to have a slightly higher level of engagement, which can also lead to greater productivity and less absenteeism and turnover.12 The following “HR Competencies & Applications: Capitalizing on the Graying Workforce” feature demonstrates ways in which companies can take advantage of the aging workforce in ways that benefit both workers and organizations. Skill Gaps Being able to hire people with the skills needed to help a business accomplish its goals is fundamental to sound human resource management. Employees need certain skills to help them make valuable contributions to their employers. For instance, the skills associated with mindfulness, including a focused awareness, a rational mind-set, and positive decision making, are all considered to be important in the workplace.13 Interpersonal skills such as collaboration, empathy, and man- aging others are also important. Female employees often possess more of these soft skills, which is enhancing their career prospects.14 Unfortunately, there is growing awareness that individuals don’t always have the skills needed to be successful at work. In a recent survey, almost half of managers working for a selection of large companies surveyed in the United States claimed that skills gaps!exist in their professions, especially in the areas of information technology, engineering, research/development, and sales.15 Economic and political forces in the United States make it more attractive for manufacturing than in the past. However, vocational training is not as popular in high schools, and today’s manufacturing jobs require much more technical expertise and knowledge. This is limiting the ability of manufacturing companies to find workers who can perform the high-skilled jobs they need. 16 The confluence of these factors means that more jobs requiring science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) skills should be available. Research studies point to shortages in some STEM fields such as cyber- security and electrical and mechanical engineering while there are surpluses in field such as aca- demia and biomechanical engineering.17 While the workforce is becoming more educated, students are not studying the necessary subjects to fill the jobs of today and tomorrow. Overall growth in jobs is expected to be around 7 percent in the coming decade. However, particular occupations are on dramatically different trajectories. Occupations in health care, data analysis, and alternative energy production will grow rapidly while demand for many manual labor occupations and other jobs that can easily be automated will drop substantially. Figure 4-3 shows the fastest growing and declining occupations anticipated by 2026. The skills needed to perform jobs on the decline do not match well with the requirements to perform those jobs expected to grow. Organizations that need high-skilled employees, such as those that operate in the science, medi- cal, technical, and managerial fields, also experience skills gaps, making it difficult to hire the right people. Recent evidence indicates that two-thirds of companies face recruiting challenges because job candidates often lack decision-making, leadership,!ethics, math, and communication skills.18 The transportation industry is under particular strain as a shortage of truck drivers jeopardizes trucking companies’ ability to meet demand for hauling freight. Demographics create additional issues as many current truck drivers are reaching retirement age and the lifestyle of over-the-road driving is not attractive to many younger workers.19 School bus driver shortages are causing some school districts to change their starting times so that drivers can handle multiple routes or to limit bus service to students who live further from the schools. Nearly 90 percent of school districts in a recent survey reported driver shortages. Some cities are increasing pay and offering incentives for Copyright 2020 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. May not be copied, scanned, or duplicated, in whole or in part. Due to electronic rights, some third party content may be suppressed from the eBook and/or eChapter(s). Editorial review has deemed that any suppressed content does not materially affect the overall learning experience. Cengage Learning reserves the right to remove additional content at any time if subsequent rights restrictions require it. 116 S E C T I O N 2 Jobs and!Labor HR Capitalizing on the Graying Workforce Organizations can use all of the skilled, commit- strategies. Modifications to existing practices COMPETENCIES & APPLICATIONS ted talent that is available. Despite persistent may smooth the way for mature workers to stereotypes about older workers, such as they remain actively in the workforce. Among the may resist change, incur medical problems, and most common HR initiatives are the following: lack energy and enthusiasm, the reality is much Offering reduced work hour schedules different. Many Baby Boomers want to continue Hiring retired employees as consultants or working and have some abilities and habits that temporary workers employers value, including strong basic skills Offering flexible schedules (writing in English, reading comprehension), a Creating or redesigning jobs to help transi- positive work ethic, greater work experience tion workers to retirement and knowledge, enhanced professionalism, and Offering phased or gradual retirement reliability. While many older workers continue or Training and upgrading workers’ skills return to work for financial reasons, many also Allowing older workers to transfer to jobs seek personal fulfillment and social interaction. with less pay and responsibility In the past, companies that overlooked older workers, or were anxious to send them The aging of the workforce is inevitable, into retirement, are now realizing that these and the lack of talent following the Baby Boom- individuals are more of an asset than a liability. ers’ exit from organizations will create major For example, at Brooks Brothers’ Long Island gaps!for many employers. Creative, thoughtful factory, more than half of the employees are changes to HR policies and practices, coupled over 55. They produce high-quality products with a focused effort to recruit and retain older and willingly share their knowledge and exper- workers, may be the steps!that differentiate tise with younger workers. Hiring and retain- between companies that will succeed and fail in ing skilled employees is a business imperative, the future. There are ways to provide meaningful and companies need to find ways to capitalize work to mature workers while providing great on the graying of the workforce. However, only benefits to organizations. HR staff can contrib- one-fifth of organizations have assessed the ute to the strategic success of organizations by impact of potentially losing workers aged 55 capitalizing on this graying workforce.20 and older. In addition, very few organizations Human resource professionals should lead have formal strategies for retaining and recruit- the discussion with organization leaders about ing older workers. Inflexible scheduling and rigid the imminent workforce shortage and the tac- employment policies are driving high levels of tics that might be used to welcome older work- turnover in this age group. ers into their work settings. If you were given Organizations use the following recruiting the responsibility of doing this: techniques to connect with older workers: 1. How would you encourage line managers to Employee referrals alter work schedules and other work prac- Networking tices to make them more inviting to older Internet (websites aimed at mature workers? What information might you pres- audiences) ent that would help to make the case for Employment agencies investing in this segment of the workforce? 2. How might you recruit older workers? What Companies interested in employing older advertising means would you use? What workers also utilize various HR policy and practice other outreach approaches could you use? KEY COMPETENCIES: Consultation (Behavioral Competency), Strategy (Technical Competency), and People (Technical Competency) Copyright 2020 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. May not be copied, scanned, or duplicated, in whole or in part. Due to electronic rights, some third party content may be suppressed from the eBook and/or eChapter(s). Editorial review has deemed that any suppressed content does not materially affect the overall learning experience. Cengage Learning reserves the right to remove additional content at any time if subsequent rights restrictions require it.  C H A P T E R 4 Workforce, Jobs, and!Job Analysis 117 FIGURE 4-3 Fastest Growing and Declining Occupations, 2016 –2026 Fastest Growing Occupations, 2016–2026 Fastest Declining Occupations, 2016–2026 Occupation % Change Occupation % Change Total, all occupations +7.4 Solar photovoltaic installer +104.9 Locomotive firers –78.6 Wind turbine service technician +96.3 Respiratory therapy technician –56.3 Home health aide +47.3 Parking enforcement worker –35.3 Personal care aide +38.6 Word processor/typist –33.1 Physician assistant +37.3 Watch repairer –29.7 Nurse practitioner +36.1 Motor vehicle electronic equipment –25.6 installer/repairer Statistician +33.8 Foundry mold and coremaker –24.0 Physical therapist assistant +31.0 Metal pourer/caster –23.4 Software developer (applications) +30.7 Computer operator –22.8 Mathematician +29.7 Telephone operator –22.6 Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. perfect attendance to attract and retain drivers. 21 The airline industry faces similar challenges as pilots reach retirement age. Tougher training requirements enacted a few years ago are leading to a perilous shortage of pilots, especially for regional airlines. Airline companies are working with legis- lators to change some of the restrictions on pilot preparation and training in an effort to expand the pool of potential employees.22 Other strategies can be used to manage talent gaps!before they become a serious issue. Some companies are moving their operations to regions where skilled talent is available. Other companies may reduce their hiring criteria and invest more in training workers for the jobs that need to be per- formed.23 The Last Mile is a creative solution to training convicts to become computer coders in STRATEGY California. This program reduces reoffending and fills a skill gap in the technology market. 24 Rural and other underserved regions of the country now look to physicians from overseas medical schools to fill their needs as U.S. medical schools are not producing enough graduates, especially for jobs in less desirable locations.25 Innovative solutions like these are needed to fill the talent needs of organi- zations both now and in the future. Improving Readiness for Work Many efforts focus on developing skills to improve employees’ readiness for work. For instance, the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act established a federal program “designed to strengthen and improve our nation’s public workforce system and help get Americans, including youth and those with significant barriers to employment, into high-quality jobs and careers and help employers hire and retain skilled workers.” The program is administered jointly by the Departments!of Labor (DOL) and Education (ED) along with Health and Human Services (HHS).26 Educational institutions are also developing programs that provide the skills necessary for success in business. Many liberal arts colleges such as Wake Forest University, Wesleyan University, and the University of Chicago offer learning opportunities that help students develop business and technical skills.27 Other institutions such as UCLA and the College for America offer competency-based and online educational programs to senior business professionals to promote skill enhancement.28 Coding school immersive “boot camps” have become a popular alternative to quickly train people interested in working in software development. However, there is no accrediting body for these schools, so individuals and companies need to carefully evaluate the quality of training provided.29 Organizations, including their human resource departments, can also address skills shortages. A survey of executives working in the United States determined that more than half of organizations planned to dedicate more resources to training their employees. Employees can also shadow their colleagues at work and participate in online discussion boards to develop their skills.30 The following “HR Perspective: Women Dig Mining Careers” demonstrates how companies are tapping new talent pools to create their own talent pipelines. Partnerships!among businesses, education providers, and government are likely to be the key to ensuring that workers have the appropriate knowledge and skills to perform jobs in an ever-changing world. Copyright 2020 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. May not be copied, scanned, or duplicated, in whole or in part. Due to electronic rights, some third party content may be suppressed from the eBook and/or eChapter(s). Editorial review has deemed that any suppressed content does not materially affect the overall learning experience. Cengage Learning reserves the right to remove additional content at any time if subsequent rights restrictions require it. 118 S E C T I O N 2 Jobs and!Labor HR Women Dig Mining Careers BHP Billiton Ltd., one of the world’s largest min- women making up 53 percent of the workforce PERSPECTIVE ing companies, is mining workers from an un- at that site. Ongoing conversations with their derrepresented workforce segment—women. male employees are important to assure them The company has set a goal of having women that gender balance will not mean that men will represent 50 percent of its workforce by 2025. be fired and replaced by women. While still a This is an ambitious goal since BHP’s work- work in progress, BHP has increased the over- force is currently 20 percent female, and jobs all share of its workforce that is female to 20.5 in mining are not traditionally filled by women. percent. There is work to be done to achieve the Diversity programs are being introduced at gender parity by 2025, which has been the com- BHP’s industry competitors as well because pany’s goal. many of the manual labor jobs in mining are be- The professional association, International ing replaced by robots and automation. Female Women in Mining (IWiM), offers a number of employees with a background in science or recommendations about how to achieve that engineering can perform many jobs as well as goal. Among the key enabling factors that the their male counterparts. In addition, safety and association has identified to enhance gender productivity are higher when more women are parity in the mining industry are as follows: in the workforce at these companies. Leadership and a visible commitment to BHP operates mines in remote regions of change Australia, commonly referred to as the Outback. Providing both top-down and bottom-up These rough-and-tumble locations have typically involvement to ensure collaboration with fostered a macho culture, making them unat- workers on how to address worker needs tractive to women. In addition to routine medical Getting buy-in from both men and women services, women’s health clinics in the Outback in this workplace evolution also provide resources on coping with isolation Committing to a long-term vision and chang- and domestic violence. Women can be intimi- ing norms and behaviors dated by the male environment. BHP is trying to change that attitude by adding in yoga classes BHP leadership has clearly identified busi- and flexible work schedules at its remote mines. ness reasons for gender parity (better safety, They allow workers the freedom to work flexi- less wear and tear on equipment, higher output) bly in ways that make sense to each individual and also sees this goal as a moral imperative, and their team(s). Flexible work is extended to giving all qualified individuals a chance to dig in office-based workers and, where feasible, to to careers in mining.31 workers on operating sites. The company’s lead- Considering the obstacles to attracting ership ranks are 18 percent female, and there women to nontraditional careers in mining, are three women on the executive committee. answer the following questions about BHP’s In addition to modifying work schedules gender parity initiative. and improving conditions at remote mining 1. How would you ensure that male workers sites, the company has undergone a change do not sabotage their female coworkers out in its culture and engaged its suppliers and all of concern for being disadvantaged? levels of employees. They have a keen focus on eliminating any potential bias, and they compete 2. What additional training and support would harder for diverse talent. For example, at their you offer to women to help them overcome Brisbane logistics control center, people were skill gaps? What training would you provide recruited based on matched skills rather than to line managers to help them deal with a on mining experience alone. This resulted in more diverse workforce? Copyright 2020 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. May not be copied, scanned, or duplicated, in whole or in part. Due to electronic rights, some third party content may be suppressed from the eBook and/or eChapter(s). Editorial review has deemed that any suppressed content does not materially affect the overall learning experience. Cengage Learning reserves the right to remove additional content at any time if subsequent rights restrictions require it.  C H A P T E R 4 Workforce, Jobs, and!Job Analysis 119 LO2 Understand 4-2 The Nature of Work and Jobs how technology changes jobs and workflow. One way to visualize an organization is as an entity that takes inputs from the surrounding environ- ment and then, through some kind of work, turns those inputs into goods or services. Work is effort Work directed toward accomplishing results, and such effort may be performed by humans, machines, or Effort directed toward both. The total amount of work to be performed in an organization must be divided into jobs so that accomplishing results effort can be coordinated in some logical way. A job is a grouping of tasks, duties, and responsibili- ties that constitutes the total work assignment for an employee; these tasks, duties, and responsibili- Job ties may change over time, and therefore, the job may change. Grouping of tasks, duties, and responsibilities that Ideally, when the work processes to be done in all jobs in an organization are combined, the constitutes the total total should equal the amount of work that the organization needs to have done—no more, no less. work assignment for The degree to which this ideal situation is met drives differences in organizational productivity. In an!employee addition, jobs increase in number and/or evolve, and duties change and are combined or eliminated as the needs of the organization change. If this doesn’t occur, the organization fails to adapt!to the changes in its environment and may become outmoded or noncompetitive. Several approaches are used to deal with common issues related to jobs in any organization. Package delivery titans FedEx and UPS adjust staffing and utilize a network of “pop-up”!sorting centers to handle increased demand during the annual holiday season. Automating many steps!in the sorting and delivery processes allows the companies to limit seasonal hiring. Workers no longer memorize ZIP codes and manually route packages as technologies such as Radio-frequency identi- fication (RFID) have automated the process. The companies can open or close these satellite opera- tions to meeting fluctuations in shipping demand.32 Changes in work patterns created by technology shifts lead to new demands on HR and managers. Technology advances are changing nearly everything about the world of work. For human resource professionals, the technology revolution alters how work flows through the organization and leads to a determination of how to make work more efficient. Assessing changing technolo- gies, formally reviewing jobs through workflow analysis to identify what is to be accomplished, and changing the way jobs are done through job redesign may make people more satisfied. The follow- ing sections explore in more detail these issues related to work and jobs. 4-2a Technology Transformation Dire predictions are being made about a “robot apocalypse” whereby robots will soon replace human workers and unemployment will skyrocket.33 However, the reality is much different from the doomsday scenario. Automation has historically created more, better-paying jobs, and the current wave of technology advances seems to be doing the same.34 Retail and warehousing operations are being transformed with the introduction of collaborative robots that work side by side with workers. The robots can assist employees as they pick items from storage shelves and then transport them to a packaging station. The mobile robot can replace miles of conveyor belts and lead to a more flexible workplace with lower fixed capital equipment. This can increase company agility as changes to work processes can be implemented quickly. Further, it can reduce physical strain on workers, thereby lowering medical problems and industrial accident claims.35 Many industries are undergoing major changes in the way work is done. For instance, insur- ance companies use drones to inspect disaster or accident sites that speeds up claims and eliminates the risk to a human claims adjuster to enter a hazardous area.36 Emergency room physicians are using telemedicine to reduce waiting time and to handle nonurgent cases more efficiently. This is especially valuable for assessing patients in remote settings. There is often a nurse practitioner on site with the patient who can perform procedures directed by the physician.37 These examples show how dramatically different the workplace of today looks compared to yesterday. The technology evolution will continue into the future in ways we can only imagine. Companies are embracing these new technologies in their workplaces. HR and organization leaders need to adopt!management practices that support workers through these transitions and maintain a positive environment where both technology and humans are employed effectively.38 Copyright 2020 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. May not be copied, scanned, or duplicated, in whole or in part. Due to electronic rights, some third party content may be suppressed from the eBook and/or eChapter(s). Editorial review has deemed that any suppressed content does not materially affect the overall learning experience. Cengage Learning reserves the right to remove additional content at any time if subsequent rights restrictions require it. 120 S E C T I O N 2 Jobs and!Labor 4-2b Workflow Analysis Workflow analysis Workflow analysis is the study of the way work moves through an organization. Such analysis usu- Study of the way work ally begins with an examination of the quantity and quality of the desired and actual outputs (goods (inputs, activities, and and services), and then the activities (tasks and jobs) that lead to the outputs are evaluated to see outputs) moves through if they are achieving the desired outputs. Finally, the inputs (people, material, information, data, an organization equipment, etc.) must be assessed to determine if they make the outputs and activities more effec- tive and efficient. A workflow analysis framework is shown in Figure 4-4. An integrated workflow analysis is likely to lead to better employee involvement, greater effi- ciency, and more customer satisfaction because the organization’s work is divided into jobs that can be coordinated. For example, if a customer experiences a service problem when buying shoes from an online website, a customer service representative (CSR) typically takes the issue to an operations supervisor so that it can be addressed within the warehouse. Besides providing a free return or free shipping on a replacement order, at better-managed companies, a supervisor or manager can input the service problem and the customer’s name and contact information into a database so that other special offers can be sent later to ensure that the individual will shop from the online store again in the future. This action may also be delegated to a line employee such as a host or another custom- er-contact worker. A workflow analysis of this process might show that there are too many steps!involving too many jobs. So, the online store might consider implementing a new customer service system that empowers CSRs to resolve service problems immediately as they occur, rather than trying to find managers to discuss these issues. The process necessitates the redefinition of the tasks, duties, and responsibilities of several jobs, particularly the CSR position. In particular, CSRs should be trained to understand how they are expected to tackle service problems, including how to ensure accurate order processing, what types of offers should be given for certain complaints, and how actions should be reported to management later on. The result should be a more responsive workflow for customers, more efficient responses to service problems, and more empowered jobs for CSRs. FIGURE 4-4 Workflow Analysis Inputs: Material, information, data, etc. Output: Work: What comes Equipment: That which is from the work. Machines, required to Measured facilities, etc. produce for quality the output and quantity. People: Skills, experience, availability Copyright 2020 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. May not be copied, scanned, or duplicated, in whole or in part. Due to electronic rights, some third party content may be suppressed from the eBook and/or eChapter(s). Editorial review has deemed that any suppressed content does not materially affect the overall learning experience. Cengage Learning reserves the right to remove additional content at any time if subsequent rights restrictions require it.  C H A P T E R 4 Workforce, Jobs, and!Job Analysis 121 LO3 Define job 4-2c Job Design/Job Redesign design and identify Job design refers to organizing tasks, duties, responsibilities, and other elements into a productive common approaches to job design. unit of work. Job redesign involves changing existing jobs in different ways to improve them. Iden- tifying the components of a given job so that these factors can ultimately be enhanced is an integral Job design part of the job design process. Job design is important for a number of reasons: Organizing tasks, duties, Job design can influence performance in many different jobs, especially those jobs where employee responsibilities, and motivation can be influenced substantially by work factors so that performance improves. other elements into a Job design can affect employees’ overall job satisfaction. Since people are more satisfied productive unit of work with certain job elements and characteristics than others, identifying what makes a “good” Job redesign job becomes critical. In addition, lower turnover and absenteeism are often associated with Changing existing jobs in effective job design. different ways to improve Under many circumstances, job design can impact both physical and mental health. Problems them such as hearing loss, backache, leg pain, stress, high blood pressure, general fatigue, sleepless- ness, and heart disease can sometimes be linked directly to job design. Managers play a significant role in job design because they are commonly the individuals who establish jobs and their design components. Managers must make sure that the expectations, requirements, responsibilities, and accountabilities of work are made clear to all those who work in particular jobs. During job design, managers should consider the nature and characteristics of both jobs and people. As Figure 4-5 indicates, managers can influence or control job characteristics, but they usually cannot easily control the basic characteristics of people. 4-2d Using Contingent Workers as Job Design Organizations employ a wide variety of workers, not just full-time employees. Depending on economic and competitive factors, the types of workers in firms can vary greatly. These may include full-time and part-time employees, independent contractors, and temporary and contingent work- Contingent worker ers. A contingent worker is not a full-time employee but is a temporary or freelance worker for a Someone who is not a specific period of time and type!of work. The emergence of the “gig” economy has led to a prolifera- full-time employee but is tion of contingent workers who now constitute 35 percent of the total workforce.39 a temporary or freelance worker for a specific period of time and type!of FIGURE 4-5 Some Characteristics of Jobs and People work Job Characteristics People Characteristics (Management can control) (Management cannot easily control) Tasks Time Motivation Physical requirements characteristics Authority/ Social Interests Honesty responsibility opportunities Energy level Conscientiousness Policies and Working procedures conditions Personality Intelligence variables Tools Stress Satisfaction Variety predisposition Copyright 2020 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. May not be copied, scanned, or duplicated, in whole or in part. Due to electronic rights, some third party content may be suppressed from the eBook and/or eChapter(s). Editorial review has deemed that any suppressed content does not materially affect the overall learning experience. Cengage Learning reserves the right to remove additional content at any time if subsequent rights restrictions require it. 122 S E C T I O N 2 Jobs and!Labor The jobs found in organizations can be designed to utilize any of the different types of employees and workers. Although some firms still use the traditional approach of employing full-time and part-time employees, many firms are making significant use of independent, temporary, and contingent workers. For example, Virgin Airlines uses contractors for baggage delivery, heavy maintenance, reservations, and many other noncustomer-facing jobs.40 These individuals are not considered employees because they generally work at will or on limited contracts, and they may even be working for other employers as well. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, contingent workers are part of a group of “alternative workers” who may be on call, work through an employment agency, or operate as inde- pendent contractors. A number of contingent workers have contracts with employers that establish their pay, hours, job requirements, limitations, and time periods. Because of the inherent advan- tages, more employers are using contingent or temporary workers to staff different positions and their use is expected to increase.41 Person–Job Fit Not everyone would necessarily enjoy being a human resource manager, an engineer, a nurse, or a drill-press operator. However, some people do prefer these specific jobs and Person–job fit do well at them. These issues relate to person–job fit, which involves matching the characteristics of Matching the character- people with the characteristics of jobs. istics of people with the If a person does not fit a job, he or she can be changed or replaced, or the job can be redesigned characteristics of jobs to establish greater congruence. However, though an employer can try to make a “round” person fit a “square” job, it is generally difficult to successfully reshape!people. If it is possible to redesign a job, the person–job fit may be improved more easily than it would be if the focus were on developing employees. For example, bank tellers interact with people throughout a typical workday. An individ- ual who prefers not to talk to others at work may perform better in a position that does not require so much interaction because this particular aspect of the bank teller job cannot be changed signifi- cantly. Consequently, different people will consider some jobs more attractive than others based on the match between individual characteristics and the unchangeable components of a job. As a result, different people will find that they fit different kinds of work in unique ways. 4-2e Common Approaches to Job Design Job simplification One way to design or redesign jobs is to simplify the job tasks and responsibilities. Job simplification Breaking a more complex involves breaking a more complex job into relatively small subparts. This may be done to improve job into relatively small productivity as each worker performs the same job tasks repeatedly. It may be appropriate for entry- subparts level jobs; however, making jobs too simple may result in boring work situations that appeal to few people, causing higher turnover. Several other approaches have also been used as part of job design, including job enlargement, job enrichment, and job rotation. Job Enlargement and Job Enrichment Attempts to alleviate some of the problems encountered with excessive job simplification fall under the general categories of job enlargement Job enlargement and job enrichment. Job enlargement involves broadening the scope!of a job by expanding the Broadening the scope number of different tasks that are performed. Job enrichment involves increasing the depth of a of a job by expanding job by adding responsibility for planning, organizing, controlling, and/or evaluating the job. Some the!number of different examples of job enrichment are as follows: tasks that are performed Giving employees an entire job to complete rather than just a discrete part of the work to be Job enrichment performed Increasing the depth of a job by adding responsi- Giving employees more flexibility to perform jobs as needed bility for planning, orga- Increasing employees’ accountability for their work by reducing external control and overly nizing, controlling, and/or close supervision evaluating the job Expanding assignments for employees so that they can perform new tasks and!develop special areas of expertise Submitting feedback reports to employees rather than only to management so!that individuals have more ownership over their development Copyright 2020 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. May not be copied, scanned, or duplicated, in whole or in part. Due to electronic rights, some third party content may be suppressed from the eBook and/or eChapter(s). Editorial review has deemed that any suppressed content does not materially affect the overall learning experience. Cengage Learning reserves the right to remove additional content at any time if subsequent rights restrictions require it.  C H A P T E R 4 Workforce, Jobs, and!Job Analysis 123 Job Rotation One technique that can break the monotony of an otherwise simple routine job Job rotation is job rotation, which is the process of shifting a person from job to job. There are advantages to Process of shifting a job rotation, including that it develops!an employee’s capabilities for doing several jobs. Further, the person from job to job organization benefits by having workers with more diverse capabilities, which can increase staffing flexibility. For instance, large convention hotels can successfully use job rotation to prepare food and beverage employees to work in different areas of the organization, including banquets, fine din- ing, and room service. Such varied job experiences also make the workplace more interesting to employees be