JOB ANALYSIS, DESCRIPTION & JOB EVALUATION

For HRP in an organization, effective information and documentation on job analysis, job description and job evaluation are important prerequisites.

All these processes help in identifying job requirements and suitably describing the job and job families, skill sets, and developing skill inventories in an organization.

JOB INFORMATIONJob information is one essential input for effective HRP. It not only facilitates job evaluation for compensation designing but also helps in disseminating information to employees about their duties and responsibilities.

Imperfect knowledge of employees about their duties and responsibilities due to inadequate job information also affect their performance and overall organizational productivity.

OBJECTIVES OF JOB INFORMATION To communicate duties and responsibilities attached to a job to the employees for their clear understanding. This also helps employee to understand the organizational expectations from them.

To analyze organization. It helps in work flow analysis with respect to a job and also helps in identification of redundant (fired) work elements in a job and thus facilitates in job restructuring.

For HRP, job information helps in analyzing the scope for internal hiring and the requirements of external hiring for staffing various positions in the organization.

Qualitative and quantitative job information help in setting performance standards and establishing job objectives. This also facilitates in appraising performance of an employee against standards more scientifically.

For other HR related decisions like, promotion, transfer, relocation, redundancy and compensation designing, job information provides critical inputs.

JOB DESIGNJob design is defined as the process of deciding on the content of a job in terms of its duties and responsibilities; on the methods to be used in carrying out the job, in terms of techniques, systems and procedures and on ' the relationships that should exist between the job holder and his, superiors, subordinates and colleagues."' Two important goals of job design are: To meet the organizational requirements such as higher productivity, operational efficiency, quality of product/service etc. and To satisfy the needs of the individual employees like interests, challenge, achievement) or accomplishment, etc.

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APPROACHES TO JOB DESIGN There are three important approaches to job design viz.: (1) Engineering approach, (2) Human approach, and (3) The job characteristic approach.*

1. ENGINEERING APPROACH: (F.W. TAYLOR, 1911)The most prominent single element in the Engineering approach, visualized by F.W. Taylor and others, was the task idea. "The work of every workman is fully planned out by the management at least one day in advance and each man received in most cases complete written instructions, describing in details the task which he is to accomplish. This task specifies not only what is to be done but how it is to be done and the exact time allowed for doing it."' The principles offered by scientific management to job design can be summarized thus:*

Work should be scientifically studied. Taylor advocated fragmentation (division) and reutilization of work to reap the advantages of specialization. Work should be arranged so that workers can be efficient. Employees selected for work should be matched to the demands of the job.Employees should be trained to perform the job. Monetary compensation should be used to reward successful performance of the job.*

2. HUMAN APPROACHThe human relations approach recognized the need to design jobs which are interesting and rewarding. According to Herzberg there are types of factors viz: (i) motivators like achievement, recognition, work itself. Responsibility, advancement and growth, (ii) hygienic factors (which, merely, maintain the employee on the job and in the organization) like working conditions, organizational policies, interpersonnel relations, pay and job security. *

According to Herzberg, the employee is dissatisfied with the job if required maintenance factors to the required degree are not introduced into the job. But employee may not, be satisfied even if the required maintenance factors are provided. Herzberg feels that the employee will be satisfied with his job and he will be more productive in motivators are introduced into the job content. As such, he asserts that the job designer has to introduce hygienic factors adequately so as to reduce dissatisfaction and build motivating factors.*

3. THE JOB CHARACTERISTICS APPROACHThe Job Characteristics Theory of Hadunan and Oldham states that employees will work hard when they are rewarded for the work they do and when the work gives them satisfaction. Hence, they suggest that motivation, satisfaction and performance should be integrated in the job design.' According to this approach, any job can be described in terms of five core job dimensions which are defined as follows.*

Skill Variety: The degree to which a job requires a variety of different activities so that the workers can use a number of different skills and talents.Task identity: The degree to which the job requires completion of a whole and identifiable piece of work.Task Significance The degree to which the job has a substantial impact on the lives or work of other people.Autonomy: The degree to which the job provides substantial freedom, independence, and discretion to the individual in scheduling the work and in determining the procedures to be used in carrying it out.Feedback: The degree to which an individual requires direct and clear information about the effectiveness of his or her performance. *

JOB DESIGN OPTIONSAs discussed earlier, scientifically structured job design motivates the employees for higher efficiency, productivity and generates job satisfaction than the one designed on the basis of traditional engineering system. Specification should be introduced in job design so that the needs of the employees for accomplishment, recognition, psychological growth etc., can be satisfied. Personnel departments use a variety of methods to improve jobs such as job rotation, job enlargement and job enrichment. *

JOB ROTATIONJob rotation refers to the movement of an employee from one job to another. Jobs themselves are not actually changed, only the employees are rotated among various jobs. An employee who works on a routine/respective job moves to and works on another job for some hours/ days/months and backs up to the first job. *

This measure relieves the employee from boredom and monotony, improves employee's skills regarding various jobs and prepares the competent employees to meet the contingencies.

This measure also improves worker's selfimage and provides personal growth. However, frequent job rotations are not advisable in view of their negative impact on the organization and the employee.*

JOB ENLARGEMENTJob enlargement means adding more and different tasks to a specialized job to provide greater variety. This process is called horizontal job loading or horizontal job enlargement." It tackles dissatisfaction and reduces monotony variety and scope of tasks. This technique, though leads to higher wages, it improves worker satisfaction, quality of production, and overall efficiency of the organization. *

JOB ENRICHMENTJob enrichment loads the job vertically. Job enrichment means adding duties and responsibilities that will provide for skill variety, task identity, task significance, autonomy and feedback on job performance. It tries to deal with dissatisfaction by increasing job depth as work activities from a vertical slice of the organizational unit are combined in one job. As work becomes more challenging and worker responsibility increases, motivation and enthusiasm also increase. *

JOB MORPHINGJob morphing means readjusting skills to match job requirements.

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JOB ANALYSISJob analysis is the process of gathering information about the job and evaluating such information in terms of what is necessary and relevant.

Essentially, job analysis involves three questions:What is a job?What should be analyzed?What methods of analysis should be used?

WHAT IS A JOB?A job is a group of essentially similar activities or tasks performed by a person or a group of persons. These activities or tasks together become a job. Obviously tasks or activities of jobs need not be identical. They may be performed in different places, with different equipment, in a different sequence.A more generic description of a job is used, which is identified by position rather than job. A position is a family of jobs in which specific duties vary but some interchangeability of work is possible and the functional nature of the work is similar.It is the managers responsibility to assign a job. The role of a job analyst is essentially to gather job information and not to evaluate the logic of work assignments. He is primarily responsible for recording of those responsibilities that a manager has assigned to an employee.

WHAT SHOULD BE ANALYZED?Fundamental purpose of the jobWork elements of the job (specific task, areas of responsibility and example of work)Importance of each job element and its relationship to the total operationApproximate time spent on each task or specific area of responsibilityScope of the job and its impact on the operationInherent Authority and formal or informal audits of workWorking relationshipsSpecific methods, equipment or techniques that are required for the jobJob climate including working environmentJob conditions like physical effort, hazards, discomfort, chasing of deadlines, travel requirement, creativity and innovations required etc.

WHAT METHODS OF ANALYSIS SHOULD BE USEDJob information can be obtained in various ways either by a staff analyst or by the individual line managers.Relatively simple and inexpensive method of analysis is obtaining information through the questionnaire response.Direct observation of work performed is another important method of job analysis. Observation of work is essential to understand the job role. It is more costly and time consuming.Valuable job information can be obtained from organizational manuals, time study reports, and former job description and method studies.

JOB DESCRIPTIONJob descriptions are written record of job duties and responsibilities and they provide a factual basis for job evaluation. It is recorded on a standard form in a uniform manner.A job descriptionClarifies work functions and reporting relationships, helping employees understand their jobs.Aids in maintaining a consistent salary structure. Aids in Performance evaluations. Is a set of well written duty statements containing action words which accurately describe what is being done.

OBJECTIVES OF JOB DESCRIPTIONEfficient organization of jobsProper recruitment or staffing in the organizationAssigning jobs to people by communicating to them about their duties and responsibilities and by setting job standards.Reviewing performance of the peopleImproving performance through appraisal and trainingRewarding employees

Duty statements (how to write a duty statement)Should focus on primary, current, normal, daily duties and responsibilities of the position (not incidental duties, an employees qualifications or performance, or temporary assignments). Related or similar duties should be combined and written as one statement.

Should be a discreet, identifiable aspect of the work assignment, described in one to three sentences, and should be outcome-based, allowing for alternate means of performing the duty, changes in technology, preferences of employees and supervisors, and accommodations of workers with disabilities, without altering the nature of, and/or the duty itself.

GUIDELINES FOR WRITING A JDDuties are to be listed in order of importance, not necessarily frequency. There is no need to group tasks/duties under sub headings, however it is acceptable. Commence each statement with a verb eg 'processes', 'maintains', 'records' etc, . Avoid using the term 'responsible for' rather describe the action e.g. 'obtains', 'coordinates' etc.

OBJECTIVES OF JOB DESCRIPTIONEfficient organization of jobsProper recruitment or staffing in the organizationAssigning jobs to people by communicating to them about their duties and responsibilities and by setting job standards.Reviewing performance of the peopleImproving performance through appraisal and trainingRewarding employees

Should Employee see their Job Description?

JOB SPECIFICATIONJob Specification is a statement derived from the job analysis process and the job description. Of the characteristics that an individual would need to possess in order to fulfill the requirements of a jobJob specification include education or experience required to do the job. It also includes special knowledge and skill set necessary to carry out the job.In addition, Job specification also identify the soft skills like, interpersonal skill, analytical ability, problem solving skill or decision making skills.Job specification helps in the evaluation of the jobs and at the same time it defines the attributes required for a job position, which are required while going for recruitment.

REASONS FOR CONDUCTING JOB ANALYSISStaffing would be haphazard if recruiter did not know qualifications needed for jobTraining and Development if specification lists a particular knowledge, skill, or ability, and the person filling the position does not possess all the necessary qualifications, training and/or development is neededCompensation and Benefits value of job must be known before dollar value can be placed on it.Safety and Health helps identify safety and health considerationsEmployee and Labor Relations lead to more objective human resource decisionsLegal Considerations having done job analysis important for supporting legality of employment practices

SUMMARY OF TYPES OF DATA COLLECTED THROUGH JOB ANALYSISWork Activities work activities and processes; activity records (in film form, for example); procedures used; personal responsibilityWorker-oriented activities human behaviors, such as physical actions and communicating on the job; elemental motions for methods analysis; personal job demands, such as energy expenditureMachines, tools, equipment, and work aids usedJob-related tangibles and intangibles knowledge dealt with or applied (as in accounting); materials processed; products made or services performed

SUMMARY OF TYPES OF DATA COLLECTED THROUGH JOB ANALYSISWork performance error analysis; work standards; work measurements, such as time taken for a taskJob context work schedule; financial and nonfinancial incentives; physical working conditions; organizational and social contextsPersonal requirements for the job personal attributes such as personality and interests; education and training required; work experience

JOB EVALUATIONJob evaluation is the process of determining the worth of one job in relation to that of another . It analysis and assess the content of jobs, to place them in some standard rank order. The end result is used as the basis for a fair and logical remuneration system.Job evaluation is a way of breaking down a job into measurable parts, so each part of a job can be given a points value. To do this, job evaluation looks at all aspects of the job. Job evaluation is about the job and not the person doing the job.

*OBJECTIVES OF JOB EVALUATIONJob evaluation is done to achieve a number of objectives in the organization. These objectives are given below:To provide systematic, definite and factual information for determining the relative worth of the jobs of an organization.

To provide a basis for equity in wage and salary administration within the organization.

To enable the management to predict and control pay roll cost more accurately.

*OBJECTIVES OF JOB EVALUATIONTo serve as a basis for negotiation with the employees unions and collective bargaining agent of the organization.

To help in selecting, placing, training, promoting and transferring of the employees of the organization.

To provide a frame work for periodic review of the wages and salaries of the employees in the organization

REASONS FOR USING JOB EVALUATIONTo reduce turnover.To improve output.To improve morale.To reduce loss of time due to wage negotiation and disputes.To reduce the complaints regarding wages.To reduce wage and salary anomalies.

STEPS IN JOB EVALUATIONThrough examination of the job.Preparation of job description.Preparation of job analysis to set out the requirement of the job under various factor.Comparison of one job with another.Arrangement of jobs in a progressionRelating the progression of jobs to a money scale.

TYPES OF JAB EVALUATION SCHEMESRankingClassificationsPoint ratingsFactor Comparison.

*JOB EVALUATION METHODSRanking method: In the ranking method jobs of the organization are arranged or values in order of their increasing levels i.e. from lower position to higher position.

In another way it can be said that, the different jobs, depending upon their requirements, responsibilities involved and their importance to the organization ere ranked, graded or placed from top to bottom.

*JOB EVALUATION METHODSFor Example:Jobs: A B C D Arrangements on departmental level: Department -1 Department -2 Department -3 Jobs Ranks Jobs Ranks Jobs Ranks B 3 A 4 A 4 C 1 B 3 C 2 A 4 D 1 B 3 D 2 C 2 D 1

*JOB EVALUATION METHODSJob Classification Method: In this method first major job classes of the organization are established with necessary job descriptions. Then each job of the organization is compared and fitted or placed in the related job class on the basis of job descriptions.For Example: Job class for clerical positions:Job Classification Job DescriptionsA grade clerk Capable of handling complicated work. B grade clerk Must assume more clerical responsibilities.C grade clerk Must be skilled for the clerical job by a knowledge of details.

*JOB EVALUATION METHODSPoint Method: In this method the evaluator first of all decides a number of factors Which are more or less common to all jobs of the organization. Then some point values / weight values are assigned to each of these factors on the basis of their relative importance to the jobs of the organization.

For Example: Factors Point Values A (Skills) 500 1 100 2 125 3 75 4 150 5 50

*JOB EVALUATION METHODSPoint Method:For Example: Factors Point Values B (Efforts) 250 1 50 2 50 3 50 4 50 5 50Each degree is awarded certain points, these points are totaledand then they indicate the importance of job.

*JOB EVALUATION METHODSFactor Comparison Method: In this method the evaluator first of all selects number key jobs from among the jobs of the organization.

Then the evaluator will select a number of factors which are common more or less to all jobs of the organization.

Then key jobs are ranked on the basis of their relative importance to the organization. This ranking is done in two ways:Firstly- On overall basis.Secondly- Factor by factor basis.

*JOB EVALUATION METHODS This method depends upon four factors:Skill ( the experience, training, ability, and education ).

Mental or Physical effort ( the measurement of the physical or mental exertion needed for performance).

Responsibility (the extent to which an employer depends on the employee to perform the job as expected, with emphasis on the importance of job obligation).

Working condition (hazards, dust, smoke, noise, temperature).

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