Analyzing Jobs

Chapter 4

Kleiman

Linking Job Analysis to Competitive Advantage

• Job analysis successfully done, enhance the success of HRM practices (“spadework” is job analysis; the “garden” is the HRM practices)

• Job analysis identifies selection criteria (knowledge, skills, and abilities) needed to perform the job successfully

• HR and line managers can use the info to choose or develop the appropriate selection devices (i.e., questions, tests)

Linking Job Analysis to Competitive Advantage

• Also a legal requirement—if an organization is facing discrimination charges—the org would have to demonstrate that the challenged selection practice was developed on the basis of job analysis information

• ADA—has even made the need for firms to base selection criteria on job analysis information (perform the essential functions of the job)

• Job analysis determines what job functions are essential

Laying the Foundation for Training & Development Programs

• Job analysis is used to assess training needs and to develop and evaluate training programs

• Job analysis identifies tasks needed to be performed

• Performance appraisal process supervisors can identify which tasks are identified properly and which ones improperly

• Then we can determine if training would be an appropriate mechanism to correct a deficiency

Laying the Foundation for Training & Development Programs

• HR professionals use job analysis information to develop training programs (i.e., PC courses)

• Evaluating the effectiveness of training programs—the org must identify training objectives or the level of performance expected of trainees when they finish the program

• Job analysis identifies expected performance levels

Laying the Foundation for Performance Appraisal Forms

• Performance appraisal forms can be developed from job analysis information

• How would the form be set up?--List the tasks and behaviors on one side--Specify the expected levels of performance

• Job analysis is very important because without job analysis what you typically see in organizations are “generalized” performance appraisal forms (i., categories—leadership, cooperation, dependability)

Laying the Foundation for Performance Appraisal Forms

• Key point—job analysis-based forms do a much better job than generalized forms because they communicate performance outcomes, in addition to providing on-going coaching and feedback as well as consequences (i.e., promotion, merit increase, termination)

• All the above are critical HRM decisions

Laying the Foundation for Compensation Decisions

• Base pay rates are based on the relative worth or importance of each job in the job hierarchy

• Positions are evaluated based on factors such as leadership, decision making, communications (SERW)

• Job analysis serves as the basis for job evaluation

• Pay for performance programs (bonuses, incentives)

Job Analysis

• When conducting job analysis an organization determines:– Type of info to be collected– How it will be collected– How it will be recorded or documented

Type of Information to be Collected

• Job Analysis information is divided into three categories:– Job content -refers to workers’ activities—

what employees actually do on the job– Job content – conditions under which work is

performed and the demands such jobs impose on the worker

– Worker requirements – workers qualifications needed to perform the job successfully

Job Content

• Job Content—discuss 4-2-page 92– Broad level (function or duty)– Intermediate level (task and work behavior)– Specific level (subtasks and critical incidents)

(have students work on examples)

When gathering information about tasks, the job analyst seeks to determine what the worker does, the purpose of the action, the tools, equipment, or machinery used in the process

Job Content

• Job Content refers to the conditions under which work is performed and the demands such work imposes on workers (discuss figure 4-3 page 91)

• Worker requirements:– Knowledge-the body info needed to perform the job– Skill-the ability to perform a learned motor task, such

as forklift operating skills and word processing skills– Ability- the capability needed to perform a non-motor

task, such as communication ability, mathematical ability, reasoning or problem-solving ability

Job Content

• Worker requirements:– Personal characteristics- an individual’s traits (e.g.,

tact, assertiveness, concern for others, objectivity, work ethic) or their willingness/ability to adapt to circumstances in the environment (e.g., ability to withstand boredom, willingness to work overtime, willingness to treat others cordially)

– Credentials-proof or documentation that an individual possesses certain competencies, such as diplomas, certifications, and licenses

Job Content

• First the job analyst needs to determine what information needs to be gathered– Technical training program for new employees

—focus on information about sub-tasks (step by step description how the job is carried out) KSAs needed to carry the job out

– Written employment test-specific tasks of the job and knowledge required to perform each task (facts, theories, and principles)

How to Collect Information

• Supervisors and incumbents are required to help gather and interpret the pertinent information

• Gather info:– Interviewing workers– Observing them work– Completion of Job Analysis Questionnaires

(Discuss Exhibit 4-1 page 93

Job Analysis Interviews

• Structured interviews between job analyst and one or more subject-matter experts

• Interviews with incumbents focus on job content and job context information (what they do, how they do it, and conditions under which they perform their jobs

• Interviews with supervisors focus on verification of worker’s responses and information on task importance, expected performance levels, training needs of new workers, and worker requirements

Job Analysis Interviews

• Most frequently used job analysis method—interviews provide a potential wealth of information—much info can be collected (figure 4-1)

• These interviews are quite time consuming—typically takes one to eight hours—solution group interviews with several incumbents at once

Job Analysis Observation

• Sometimes interviews are supplemented with direct observation

• Most useful when jobs are complex and difficult to accurately describe

• Job analyst observes or videotapes job and then meets with incumbent for further clarification (“A picture is worth a thousand words”)

• Observation alone is best when one is trying to identify sub-tasks in routine repetitive type jobs (i.e., printed circuit board assemblers)

• Concern some workers may behave atypically when being observed or slow done to demonstrate how difficult job is

Job Analysis Questionnaires

• Job analysis questionnaires ask subject matter experts to record job information in writing (may be open-ended or closed-ended questions) See PAQ from CCC

• Closed-ended questions are more commonly used because they provide greater uniformity of responses and are more easily scored

• JAQ containing only closed ended questions is called a job analysis inventory

• Task inventory – inventory containing a list of task statements

• Ability inventory- worker ability requirements

Job Analysis Questionnaires

• Companies used job analysis inventories when information is needed from several incumbents (e.g., people who hold the same job title)

• We also group jobs (job families)

How Job Analysis Information Will Be Recorded

• Job description is the main tool used to record information

• Why is a job description used?– Communicating job responsibilities to employees– Specifying minimum requirements (interview process)

• Why sections are contained in a job description?– Job identification– Job summary

How Job Analysis Information Will Be Recorded

• Why sections are contained in a job description?– Essential functions– Worker requirements(See Exhibit 4-3 pages 96 – 97)

• General-purpose job descriptions that are used by most companies provide only a brief summary of job analysis information and may lack sufficient detail for some HRM applications (PAQ plus Job Description at CCC)

• VERJAS- job description contains a list of duties, tasks, task ratings for importance and for needed training, job context descriptions, and a list of competencies

Special Purpose Job Descriptions

• Ability Requirements Approach (ARA)—assumes that the skills needed to perform a job can be described in terms of abilities that are more basic

• Example—skill hitting a ball described in terms of basic abilities as reaction time, wrist strength, and eye-hand coordination (Discuss Figure 4-4 page 98)

• ARA compliance with ADA—set medical standards for jobs

Special Purpose Job Descriptions

• Position Analysis Questionnaire (PAQ)-is premised on the notion that “there is some underlying behavioral structure or order to the domain of human work, and there is a limited set of job characteristics that describe this domain (Discuss Figure 4-5 page 99)

• Particularly useful for establishing compensation rates—combine the 13 dimension scores of a job to arrive at an appropriate rate (i.e., a rate similar to job in other companies that have the same profile)

• Group jobs into families

Special Purpose Job Descriptions

• Critical Incident Technique (CIT)-developed in the military during WW II as a means of identifying critical factors in human performance in a variety of military situations

• Specific work behavior that may determine success or failure in executing an assigned task

• Job analyst collect critical incidents from people familiar with the job (collected in the form of stories or anecdotes that depict successful and unsuccessful job behaviors. Then they are described in a single statement

Special Purpose Job Descriptions

• What are the useful HRM applications?– Tool for identifying selection criteria– Tool for identifying training needs– Tool for developing performance appraisal

forms

Recording Job Analysis Information: Selecting the Best Approach

• As we stated earlier, the purpose or intended use of the job analysis dictates the particular information to be gathered

The Manager’s Guide: Job Analysis and the Manager’s Job

• Completing the Job Analysis– Managers nearly always have input into the

job analysis process—depends on the culture of the organization

– Some managers have to write job descriptions– Other cases HR conducts the job analysis

Implementing Job Analysis Results

• Managers most commonly use job analysis results to help determine selection criteria and to help communicate job responsibilities to their employees– Selecting applicants—assess applicants for

jobs, managers should carefully review the content, context, and work requirement info to determine who is best suited for the job

Implementing Job Analysis Results

– Communicating job responsibilities—drive the orientation process for new hires

– Communicate performance standards to all employees

How the HRM Department Can Help

• Gaining upper-management support—by forcibly and continually emphasizing the importance of conducting job analyses that are sufficiently thorough and accurate– Stress need to update on a regular basis

Planning & Implementing a Job Analysis Project

• HR is responsible for:– Determining goals and objectives– Choose methods for collecting and recording

job analysis info– Select subject-matter experts– Establish a project schedule– Document the data– Disseminate the information– Manage the study

HRM Skill Building for Managers

• In organizations where managers conduct the job analysis a guide is provided:– State the purpose of the interview– Structure the interview– Steer the interview– Record the interview– Close the intervieew

Documenting Job Analysis Information

• Utilizing the VERJAS approach:– Identify duties– Identify tasks– Evaluate tasks– Evaluate job content– Evaluate worker competencies (worker

requirements)