CHAPTER 3 : JOB ANALYSIS AND DESIGN 1

LEARNING OBJECTIVES 2

 Explain what is meant by job analysis and job design

 Understand the uses of job analysis
 Describe the content and format of a job description
and a job specification
 Discuss the collection of job analysis data and explain
the major analysis techniques
LEARNING CONTENTS
3

 The Basics of Job Analysis & Design

 Job Analysis Methods & Techniques

 Job Description & Specifications

Textbook : page 113

The Basics of Job Analysis &
Design

Job analysis is the procedure for

determining the duties and skill
requirements of a job and the kind of
person who should be hired for it.
 FEATURES OF JOB ANALYSIS

 Job analysis is a process of gathering relevant information about various

aspects of a job and is concerned with the identification of tasks required to be
performed as part of it. ( or Job analysis produces information for writing job
descriptions (a list of what the job entails) and job (or “person”) specifications
(what kind of people to hire for the job).
 It approaches the task of defining the role, context, conditions, human behavior,
performance standards, and responsibilities of a job systematically.
 It helps in establishing the job’s worth to an organization. In other words, it
measures the value and contribution of a job to the growth of the organization.
 It establishes job relatedness, which is a crucial input for HR decisions
involving recruitment, selection, compensations, training, health and safety.
 6

TYPES OF INFORMATION SHOULD BE COLLECTED VIA THE

JOB ANALYSIS

Work activities

Human behaviors

Machines

Performance standards

Job context

Human requirements
• Work activities. : Information about the job’s actual work activities, such as cleaning, selling,
teaching, or painting. This list may also include how, why, and when the worker performs each
7

activity.
• Human behaviors: Information about human behaviors the job requires, like sensing,
communicating, lifting weights, or walking long distances.
• Machines, tools, equipment, and work aids: For instance, tools used, materials processed, and
knowledge applied (such as finance or law).
• Performance standards.: Information about the job’s performance standards (in terms of
quantity or quality levels for each job duty, for instance).
• Job context: Information about such matters as physical working conditions, work schedule,
incentives, and, for instance, the number of people with whom the employee would normally
interact.
• Human requirements: Information such as knowledge or skills (education, training, work
experience) and required personal attributes (aptitudes, personality, interests).
 STEPS IN JOB ANALYSIS
8

1 2 3 4 5 6
identify the review relevant select a sample analyze the job verify the develop a job
information to background info of positions to information description & job
use about the job focus on specifications
Identify the use to which the information will be put
because this will determine how you collect the
information.
Some data collection techniques—like interviewing the
employee—are good for writing job descriptions. Other
techniques, like the position analysis questionnaires,
provide numerical ratings you can use to compare jobs for
compensation purposes.
• Review relevant background information about the job, such as organization charts
10
and process charts
• An organization chart shows where the job fits in the organization.
• A process chart provides a detailed picture of the job’s work flow
• With a job to analyze, the manager then generally selects a sample of
positions to focus on. For example, to analyze an assembler’s job, it is
probably unnecessary to analyze the jobs of all the firm’s 200 assembly
workers; instead, a sample of 10 jobs will do.
• Analyze the job. The manager then turns to actually analyzing the job, using
one or more of the methods we describe in the next section.
 12

• After actually analyzing the job, verify the information with the worker and
with his or her immediate supervisor. The aims here are to confirm that the
information (for instance, on the job’s duties) is factually correct and complete,
and to help gain the worker’s and supervisor’s acceptance.
• Develop a job description and job specification. The job description lists the
duties, activities, and responsibilities of the job, as well as its important
features, such as working conditions. The job specification summarizes the
personal qualities, traits, skills, and background required for getting the job
done.
 Job Analysis Methods & Techniques 13

METHODS

Interviews Questionnaires Observations Logs/ Diaries

Job Analysis Types
▷ task-based analysis
task = distinct, identifiable work activity comprised of motions that employees perform
duty = larger work segment comprised of several tasks that are performed by individuals
responsibilities = obligations that individuals have to perform certain tasks and duties

▷ competency-based analysis
competencies = individual capabilities that can be linked to enhanced performance
technical competencies = specific knowledge & skills
behavioral competencies = customer focus, results orientation, communication
effectiveness, leadership, business acumen, innovation, …
CHALLENGES AFFECTING THE EFFECTIVENESS OF JOB ANALYSIS

 Employees’ Anxiety
Management’s Attitude towards Job Analysis
Undue Importance to Job Holders
Environmental Influence
 Absence of Follow-up Action
Job design/ redesign

Job design - Organizing tasks, duties, responsibilities,

and other elements into a productive unit of work.
Job redesign – Changing existing jobs in different ways
to improve them
Common approach to Job Design ▷ job simplification
▷ job enlargement
▷ job rotation
▷ job enrichment
 JOB DESCRIPTIONS & SPECIFICATIONS

job descriptions

a list of a job’s
duties,
responsibilities,
reporting
relationships,
working conditions,
and supervisory
responsibilities –
one product of a
job analysis.
Writing job descriptions

▷ job identification >> job summary >> relationships >> responsibilities and duties >>
standards of performance >> working conditions >> job specification

specify the name of the job any exemptions applied

might also be space for the

job’s grade/ level the date the JD actually approved
Writing job descriptions
▷ job identification >> job summary >> relationships >> responsibilities and duties
>> standards of performance >> working conditions >> job specification

RELATIONSHIPS
o reports to:
o supervises:
o works with:
o outside the company:
summarize the essence of the job and include
only its major functions or activities
Writing job descriptions

▷ job identification >> job

summary >> relationships
>> responsibilities and
duties >> standards of
performance >> working
conditions >> job
specification
Writing job descriptions

▷ job identification >> job summary >> relationships >> responsibilities and duties >>
standards of performance >> working conditions >> job specification

◆ standards of performance
list the standards the company expects the employees to achieve
for each of the JD’s main duties and responsibilities.

◆ working conditions
list specific working conditions, for instance noise level, hazardous
conditions, or heat.
Writing job specifications

Specifications based on Judgment

✔ based on judgment & educated guesses of people like line/ HR managers
✔ what does it take in terms of education, intelligence, training, and the like to do
this job well?

Specifications based on Statistical Analysis

✔ determine statistically the relationship between (1) some predictors of human trait,
and (2) some indicators or criteria of job effectiveness
Writing job specifications

analyze the job measure statistically

select
test these analyze the
decide how to personal traits
candidates candidates’ relationship
measure job that should
for these subsequent between the
performance predict
traits job human trait &
performance
performance job performance
IN SUMMARY
Job analysis: the procedure to determine the duties of the department’s positions and the characteristics of
the people to hire for them
Basic steps of job analysis
• deciding the use of the job analysis information, reviewing relevant background info including
organization charts, analyzing the job, verifying the information, and developing job descriptions and
job specifications.
• involves collecting info on matters such as work activities; required human behaviors; and machines,
tools, and equipment used.
Methods of collecting information
• interviews, questionnaires, observations, diary/ logs
Job descriptions
• job identification, job summary, relationships, standards of performance, working conditions,
specifications
Job specifications
• identify what kind of people to hire for the job: the knowledge, skills,
and abilities (KSAs) to perform a job satisfactory
• based on judgment or statistical analysis
CRITICAL THINKING

Self-Assessment Questions

◆ Explain how you would conduct a job analysis in a company that has never had job
descriptions.
◆ You have recently assumed the role of HR Manager in your company. In reviewing the
company records, you note that the JDs were last updated five years ago. The President
does not feel necessary to update the JDs. However, you also note that the company
has grown by 50 percent during the past five years, resulting in many changes, including
some in job functions. You want to build a business case to convince the President of
the need to update the JDs.
o how can JDs be used as a management tool?
o What role do JDs have in helping companies achieve their business
goals and objectives? .