Chapter-04 Job Analysis

The main purpose of this chapter is to show you how to analyze a job and write job description.

THE BASICS OF JOB ANALYSIS

Job analysis is the procedure through which you determine the duties of these positions and the characteristics of the people to hire for them. Job analysis produces information used for writing job descriptions(a list of what the job entails) and job specifications(what kind of people to hire for the job).

The human resources specialist normally collects one or more of the following types of information via the job analysis:

• Work activities. the job’s actual work activities, such as cleaning, selling, teaching, or painting.
• Human behaviors. like sensing, communicating, deciding, and writing.
• Machines, tools, equipment, and work aids. regarding tools used, materials processed, knowledge dealt with or applied, and services rendered.
• Performance standards. management will use these standards to appraise employees.
• Job context. physical working conditions, work schedule, and the organizational and social context.
• Human requirements. job-related knowledge or skills(education, training, work experience) and required personal attributes(aptitudes, physical characteristics, personality, interests).

Uses of Job Analysis Information

Job analysis–>Job description and job specification–>Recruiting and selection decisions,Performance appraisal,Job evaluation--wage and salary decisions(compensation),Training requirements

Recruitment and Selection Job analysis provides information about what the job entails and what human characteristics are required to perform these activities. help managers decide what sort of people to recruit and hire.

Compensation Job analysis information is indispensable for estimating the value of each job and its appropriate compensation.

Training The job description lists the job’s specific duties and requisite skills–and therefore the training–that the job requires

Performance Appraisal A performance appraisal compares each employee’s actual performance with his or her performance standards.

Discovering Unassigned Duties Job analysis can also help reveal unassigned duties.

EEO Compliance Job analysis also plays a big role in EEO compliance.

Steps in Job Analysis

There are six steps in doing a job analysis.

Step 1: Decide how you’ll use the information, since this will determine the data you collect and how you collect them. Some data collection techniques: interviewing, questionnaire.

Step 2: Review relevant background information such as organization charts, process charts, and job descriptions.

Step 3: Select representative positions.

Step 4: Actually analyze the job–by collecting data on job activities, required employee behaviors, working conditions, and human traits and abilities needed to perform the job.

Step 5: Verify the job analysis information with the worker performing the job and with his or her immediate supervisor.

Step 6: Develop a job description and job specification.

Process Chart for Analyzing a Job’s Workflow

Information input from plant manager, Components input from suppliers–>Job under study--Quality Control Clerk–>Information output to plant manager regarding component quality, Product quality output to plant manager

To shorten job analysis time, the steps might include: (1) Greet participants, and conduct very brief introductions; (2) briefly explain the job analysis process and the participants’ roles in this process; (3) spend out 15 minutes determining the scope of the job you’re about to analyze, by getting agreement on the job’s basic summary; (4) identify the job’s broad functional or duty areas, such as “adminitrative” and “supervisory”; (5) identify tasks within each duty area, using a flip chart or collaboration software; and, finally (6) print the task list and get the group to sign off on it.

METHODS FOR COLLECTING JOB ANALYSIS INFORMATION

There are various ways(interviews, or questionnaires, for instance) to collect information on the duties, responsibilities, and activities of a job.

Some Job Analysis Guidelines

First, conducting the job analysis usually involves a joint effort by a human resources specialist, the worker, and the worker’s supervisor.

Second, job analysis almost always requires collecting job analysis information from several people familiar with the job(called “subject matter experts”) such as job incumbents and their supervisors, using questionnaires and interviews.

Third, if there are several employees doing the same job, it is typical to collect job analysis information from several of them from different departments, and then average up your results, to determine how much time a typical employee on that job spends on each job duty.

Fourth, make sue the questions and surveys are clear and understandable to the respondents.

Fifth, if possible, observe and question respondents early enough in the job analysis process to catch any problems while there’s still time to correct the job analysis procedure.

Interviews, questionnaires, observations, and diary/logs are the most popular methods for gathering job analysis data.

The Interview

Interviews are popular methods for obtaining job-related information. It is helpful to spend several minutes prior to collecting job analysis information explaining the process that you will be following.

Pros and Cons The interview is probably the most widely used method for identifying a job’s duties and responsibilities, and its wide use reflects its advantages.

Distortion of information is the main problem.

Typical Questions typical interview questions include:

• What is the job being performed?
• What are the major duties of your position? What exactly do you do?
• What physical locations do you work in?
• What are the education, experience, skill, and [where applicable] certification and licensing requirements?
• In what activities do you participate?
• What are the job’s responsibilities and duties?
• What are the basic accountabilities or performance standards that typify your work?
• What are your responsibilities? What are the environmental and working conditions involved?
• What are the job’s phsical demands? The emotional and mental demands?
• What are the health and safety conditions?
• Are you exposed to any hazards or unusual working conditions?

Structured interviews Many interviews follow structrued or checklist formats.

Interviewing Guidelines Keep several things in mind when conductng a job analysis interview.

• First, the job analyst and supervisor should work together to identify the workers who know the best–and preferably those who’ll be most objective in describing their duties and responsibilities.
• Second, quickly establish rapport with the interviewee. Know the person’s name, speak in easily understood language, briefly review the interview’s purpose, and explain how the person was chosen for the interview.
• Third, follow a structured guide or checklist, one that lists questions and provides space for answers.
• Fourth, when duties are not performed in a regular manner, ask the worker to list his or her duties in order of importance and frequency of occurrence.
• Fifth, after completing the interview, review and verify the data. Specifically, review the information with the worker’s immediate supervisor and with the interviewee.

Questionnaires

Having employees fill out questionnaires to describe their job-related duties and responsibilities is another popular way to obtain job analysis information.

A typical job analysis questionnaire might have several open-ended questions as well as structured questions.

Observation

Direct observation is especially useful when jobs consist mainly of observable physical activities–assembly-line work and accounting clerk are examples. On the other hand, observation is usually not appropriate when the job entails a lot of mental activity.

Participant Diary/Logs

Another approach is to ask workers to keep a diary/log of what they do during the day.

Quantitative Job Analysis Techniques

The position analysis questionnaire and the Department of Labor approach are popular quantitative methods.

Position Analysis Questionnaire PAQ is a very structured job analysis questionnaire(see: http://www.paq.com).

The advantage of the PAQ is that it lets you assign a quantitative score to each job based on its decision-making, skilled activity, physical activity, vehicle/equipment operation, and information-processing characteristics.

You can therefore use the PAQ results to quantitatively compare jobs to one another, and then assign pay levels for each job.

Department of Labor (DOL) Procedure The U.S. Department of Labor job analysis procedure also provides a standardized method by which to quantitatively rate, classify, and compare different jobs. The heart of this analysi is a data, people, and things rating for each job.

Another technique, functional job analysis is similar to the DOL method, but rates the job not just on data, people, and things, but also on the extent to which performing the task requires specific instructions, reasoning and judgment, mathematical ability, and verbal and language facilities.

Internet-Based Job Analysis

The U.S. Navy Project The basic aim was to reduce ambiguities by having respondents complete step-by-step, structured forms. (Read more: Http://online.onetcenter.org)

A Final Point: Use Multiple Sources to Collect the Data

WRITING JOB DESCRIPTIONS

A job description is a written statement of what the worker actually does, how he or she does it, and what the job’s working conditions are.

Most description contain sections that cover:

1. Job identification
2. Job summary
3. Responsibilities and duties
4. Authority of incumbent
5. Standards of performance
6. Working conditions
7. Job specifications

Job Identification

The job identification section contains several types of information. For example

JOB TITLE: Telesales Respresentive JOB CODE: 100001

RECOMMENDED SALARY GRADE: EXEMP/NONEXEMP STATUS: Nonexempt

JOB FAMILY: Sales EEOC: Sales Workers

DIVISION: Higher Education REPORTS TO: District Sales Manager

DEPARTMENT: In-House Sales LOCATION: Boston

                                    DATE: April 2007

Job Summary

The job summary should summarize the essence of the job, and include only its major functions or activities.

Relationships

Which shows the jobholder’s relationships with others inside and outside the organization. For a HR manager, such a statement might look like this:

Reports to: Vice president of employee relations

Supervises:: HR clerk, test administrator, labor relations director, and one secretary.

Works with:: All department managers and executive management.

Outside the company: Employeement agencies, executive recruiting firms, union representatives, state and federal employment offices, and various vendors.

Responsibilities and Duties

This is the heart of the job description. It should present a list of the job’s significant responsibilities and duties.

The SOC (Standard Occupational Classification) classifies all workers into one of 23 major groups of jobs. (Read more: http://www.bls.gov/soc/socguide.htm)

Standards of Performance and Working conditins

This lists the standards the employee is expected to achieve under each of the job description’s main duties and responsibilities.

Using the Internet for Writing Job Descriptions

(Read more: http://www.jobdescription.com)

WRITING JOB SPECIFICATIONS

It shows what kind of person to recruit and for what qualities that person should be tested.

Specifications for Trained Versus Untrained Personnel

Writing job specifications for trained employees is relatively straightforward.

For untrained people, you must specify qualities such as physical traits, personality, interests, or sensory skills that imply some potential for performing or for being trained to do the job.

Specifications Based on Judgment

1. review the job’s duties, and deduce from those what human traits and skills the job requires.
2. choose them from the competencies listed in Web-based job descriptions. (read more:«http://www.jobdescription.com> and http://online.onetcenter.org)

Use common Sense generic work behaviors:

• Industriousness: Keeps working even other employees are standing around talking; takes the initiative to find another task when finished with regular work.
• Thoroughness: Clean equipment thoroughly, creating a more attractive display; notices merchandise out of place and returns it to the proper area.
• Schedule flexibility: Accepts schedule changes when necessary; offers to stay late when the store is extremely busy.
• Attendance: Arrives at work on time; maintains good attendance.
• Off-task behavior(reverse): Uses store phones to make personal unauthorized calls; conducts peronal business during work times; lets joking friends be a distraction and interruption to work.
• Unruliness(reverse): threatens to bully another employee; refuses to take routine orders from supervisors; does not cooperate with other employees.
• Theft(reverse): (As a cashier) Underrings the price of merchandise for a friend; cheats on reporting time worked; allows nonemployees in unahthorized areas.
• Drug misuse(reverse): Drinks alcohol or takes drugs on company property; comes to work under the influence of alcohol or drugs.

Using O*NET

Step 1. Decide on a Plan

Step 2. Develop an Organization Chart

Step 3. Use a Job Analysis/Description Questionnaire

Step 4. Obtain Lists of Job Duties from O*NET

Step 5. Compile the Job’s Human Requirements from O*NET

Step 6. Complete Your Job Description

(Read more: http://online.onetcenter.org)

Job Specifications Based on Statistical Analysis

The procedure has five steps:

(1) analyze the job and decide how to measure job performance;

(2) select personal traits like finger dexterity that you believe should predict successful performance;

(3) test candidates for these traits;

(4) measure these candidates’ subsequent job performance;

(5) statistically analyze the relationship between the human trait(finger dexterity) and job performance.

This method is more defensible than the judgmental approach.

JOB ANALYSIS IN A “JOBLESS” WORLD

Dejobbing: brpad amd flexible job

Why Managers Are “Dejobbing” Their Companies

Companies are grappling with challenges like rapid product and technological change, global competition, deregulation, political instability, demographic changes, and a shift to a service economy. This has increased the need for firms to be responsive, flexible, and much more competive.

There are some organizational factors that have contributed to encouraging workers not to limit themselves to narrowly defined jobs.

• Flatter Organizations
• Self-Managing Work Teams
• Reengineering

Competency-Based Job Analysis

Competency-based job analysis means describing the job interms of the measurable, observable, behavioral competencies(knowledge, skills, and/or behaviors) that an employee doing that job must exhibit to do the job well.

Examples of Competencies

for the job of systems engineer:

• Design complex software applications, establish protocols, and create prototypes.
• Establish the necessary platform requirements to efficiently and completely coordinate data transfer.
• Prepare comprehensive and complete documentation including specifications, flow diagrams, process patrols, and budgets.

Comparing Traditional Versus Competency-Based Job Analysis

Which of the duties would complete the phrase, “In order to perform this job competently, the employee should be able to…”

How to Write Job Competency-Based Job Analysis

The process is similar to traditional job analysis. (Read more: http://ww.opm.gov)

SUMMARY

1. Developing an organization structure results in jobs that have to be staffed. Job analysis is the procedure through which you find out (1) what the job entails and (2) what kinds of people you should hire for the job. It involves six steps: (1) determine the use of the job analysis information, (2) collect background information, (3) select the positions to be analyzed, (4) collect job analysis data, (5) review information with participants, and (6) develop a job description and job specification.
2. You can use four basic techniques to gather job analysis data: interviews, direct observation, questionnaires, and participant diary logs. These are good for developing job descriptions and specifications. The Department of Labor, functional job analysis, and PAQ approaches result in quantitative ratings of each job and are usually useful for classifying jobs for pay purposes.
3. The job description should portray the work of the position so well that the duties are clear without reference to other job descriptions. Always ask, “Will the new employee understand the job if he or she reads the job descrition?”
4. The job specification takes the job description and uses it to answer the question, “What human traits and experience are necessary to do this job well?” It tells what kind of person to recruit and for what qualities that person should be tested. Job specifications are usually based on the educated guesses of managers; a more accurate statistical approach to developing job specifications can also be used, however.
5. Use the Standard Occupational Classification to help you write job descriptions. Find and reproduce the descriptions that relate to the job you’re describing. Then use those descriptions to “anchor” your own description and particularly to suggest duties to be included. You can also use Internet sources like jobdescription.com.
6. Firms increasing use O*NET to create job descriptions. To use this tool, start at: http://online.onetcenter.org.
7. Dejobbing is ultimately a product of the rapid changes taking place in business today. As firms try to speed decision making by taking steps such as reengineering, individual jobs are becoming broader and much less specialized. Increasingly, firms don’t want employees to feel limited by a specific set of responsibilities like those listed in a job description. As a result, more employers are substituting brief job summaries, perhaps combined with summaries of the skills required for the position.
8. Competency-based analysis means describing a job in terms of measurable, observable, behavioral competencies that an employee doing the job must exhibit to do well. For example, these might include “create prototypes” and “design complex software programs.”