Job design its importance and approach:
Answer: definition: Job design is the systematic and purposeful allocation of tasks to individuals and
groups within an organization. In other words, In other words, it is a systematic process of organizing
work into the tasks required to perform a specific job. It defines the contents and the way the tasks are
combined to complete a job. It integrates the tasks, function and relationship in order to achieve certain
organizational objectives.
IMPORTANCE: Job design is important for an organization to perform the organizational
activities in the most efficient and effective manner. Therefore, job design is very important for
the organization due to its benefits as follows:
Organizational Design: The job design specifies the contents and procedures of performing the task in
the organization. The organizational structure is determined by the job design process and plays a key
role in assessing the need and requirement of organizational structure. Job design also specifies
organizational culture, norms and values.
Structure of Competent Employee: Job design is a systematic approach of providing job-related data
and information on skills, knowledge and ability of perform the task. On the basis of the information
provided by it, the job description and job specification schedule are prepared. It provides a milestone
to select the competent employee who is capable of performing the task well in the organization.
Motivation and Commitment of Employees: Job design makes the work more interesting and
challenging. The challenging and interesting job provides better pay for the employees which inspire
them for better performance. Along with motivation it also brings high degree of commitment towards
the organization. This helps to increase organizational productivity and employee satisfaction at work.
Environmental Adaptation: An organization is operated in a dynamic environment. Hence, any change
in the environmental forces can have direct impact upon organizational performance. Therefore, a
systematic job design process tries to address the change that has occurred in the organizational
environment.
Labor Relations: A well prepared job design brings a harmonious relation between employees and
management. On the other hand, poorly prepared job design creates employee-grievances, in
disciplinary actions, greater employee turnover, greater absenteeism and conflict.
Quality of Work Life: A quality of work life is understood as an efficient relationship between
employees and organizational working environment. A properly prepared job design leads to
improvements in quality of work life. With a good design of work schedules, people see a growing future
in organization which ultimately leads to high motivation at work and a positive change.
Organizational Productivity: The job design specifies the contents and working procedures of how the
task is performed and leads to a positive change in job performance and job analysis. As a result of
which, the organizational productivity will be enhanced through efficient work performance.
Approaches of job design: Job Design approach
1. Identify the general operations problem and the jobs that seem to be contributing to or causing the
problem
2. Carefully analyze and document how work is being performed. Use established industrial engineering
techniques that are available to help analyse and document
3. Analyze the tasks that the job comprises
4. Develop and implement new work methods
5. Work Simplification: It is a process through which the job is broken down into small work units.
6. Job Rotation: It is a process of transferring workers from one job to another or from one work unit to
another without disrupting the flow of work.
7. Job Enlargement: It refers to a process of expanding the job’s duties. It increases a number of
different tasks performed by an individual in a single job.
8. Job Enrichment: It is concerned with the process of putting specialized tasks together so that the
individual who is assigned with the task is responsible to perform the whole task.
9. Job Characteristics: This method states that job characteristics affect the job designing process. It
focuses on job redesign, work structuring, job enrichment, and so on to improve organizational
productivity and quality of work life of employees.
10. Autonomous Team: It is a group of workers in which they solve problems, implement solution and
take full responsibility for outcomes. They are self-directed and self-managed work groups who perform
related or interdependent tasks.
11. Modified Work Schedule: It is a technique of job design through which the working schedules,
timing, work week etc. are rescheduled as per the convenience of the workers.
