Personnel Psychology: Job

AnalysisGuide for UHS 2062 students at UTM, Malaysia

Prepared by : Siti Rokiah Siwok srsiwok@gmail.com

Major Fields in IOP

Personnel Psychology Organizational Psychology Ergonomics

Job analysis Employee Recruitment

◦Different methods of recruitment◦Recruiting special populations

Employee Selection◦Characteristics of effective selection

techniques◦Different types of employee selection

Personnel Psychology :Overview

It is a process of gathering, analyzing and structuring about a job’s components, characteristics and requirements ( Sanchez & Levine, 2000)

A process of determining the work activities and requirements

Job analysis

Very important.

A job analysis provides information for :◦ Job description◦ Employee selection◦ Performance Appraisal/Competency criteria◦ Job Evaluation◦ Job Classification◦ Job Design◦ Organizational analysis◦ Training ◦ etc

Job Analysis

Who will conduct? How often? Who should participate?

Job Analysis: Essential Questions

Internal Department Internal Task Force Supervisors Employees Consultants Interns

Who will conduct Job Analysis?

Choices◦ All employees◦ Random sample◦ Representative sample◦ Convenience sample

Consisderations: Diversities◦ Job competence◦ Race ◦ Gender◦ Education◦ Perspectives

Who should participate?

1. Identify task performed2. Write tasks statements3. Rate task statements4. Determine essential KSAOs5. Select tests to tap KSAOs

Job Analysis : The Basic process

Conducting a Job Analysis

Step 1: Identify Tasks Performed Gathering existing information Interviewing subject matter experts

(SMEs)◦ Individual interviews◦ Subject Matter Experts Conferences◦ Ammerman Technique

Observing incumbents Job participation

Characteristics of well-written task statements◦ One action and one object◦ Appropriate reading level◦ The statement should make sense by itself◦ All statements should be written in the same

tense◦ Should include the tools and equipment used to

complete the task◦ Task statements should not be competencies◦ Task statements should not be policies

Step 2: Write Task Statements

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Poorly written task statement

Properly written task statement

Sends purchase requests Sends purchase requests to the purchasing department using campus mail

Drives Drives a five-speed truck to make food deliveries within the city of Toledo

Locks hall doors Uses master key to lock hall doors at midnight so that nonresidents cannot enter the residence hall

Tasks can be rated on various scales◦ Importance◦ Part-of-the-job◦ Frequency of performance◦ Time spent◦ Relative time spent◦ Complexity◦ Criticality

Research shows only two scales are necessary◦ Frequency◦ Importance

Step 3: Rate Task Statements

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Example of a Rating ScaleFrequency

0 Task is not performed as part of this job

1 Task is seldom performed

2 Task is occasionally performed

3 Task is frequently performed

Importance0 Unimportant. There would be no negative consequence if

the task were not performed or not performed properly

1 Important: Job performance would be diminished if task were not completed properly

2 Essential: The job could not be performed effectively if the incumbent did not properly complete this task

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Step 4: Determine Essential KSAOsKnowledge A body of information needed to perform a task

Skill The competence to perform a certain task

Ability A basic capacity for performing a wide range of different tasks, acquiring a knowledge, or developing a skill

Other characteristics

Personal factors such as personality, willingness, interest, and motivation and such tangible factors as licenses, degrees, and years of experience

Examples of KSAOs

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Competency KSAO1. Typing speed Skill2. Finger dexterity Ability3. Driving a car Skill4. Traffic rules Knowledge5. A driver’s license Other6. A friendly personality Other7. Ten years of experience Other8. Basic intelligence Ability

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Competency KSAO 9. Physical strength Ability10. Color vision Ability11. Being a nonsmoker Other12. Customer service experience Other13. Use of PowerPoint Skill, knowledge14. Willingness to work weekends Other15. Spelling and grammar Skill, knowledge16. Writing reports Skill

The written product of the job analysis is the job description, which is a brief 2-5 page summary of the tasks and job requirements found in the job analysis.

Thus, job analysis is the process of determining the work activities and requirements and job description is the written result of the job analysis.

Job analysis and job description is the basis for many HR activities, such as employee selection, evaluation , training, performance appraisal, job design etc (Brannick & Levine, 2002)

Job Description

Job Description

Job Description Sections Job title Brief summary Work activities Tools and equipment used Work context Work Performance Compensation information Job competencies

The job title must describe the nature of the job.

Assists in employee selection and recruitment

The job title influences the perceptions of job worth and status.

Affects the accuracy of resumes.

Job Description sections: Job title

The summary is useful for recruitment advertising

The language used should be easily understandable.

Avoid the use of jargon and abbreviations

Job Description sections: Brief summary

Organize work activities by dimensions◦ Similar activities◦ Similar KSAOs◦ Temporal order

Task statements◦ One activity per statement◦ “stand alone” statements◦ Written in easy to understand style◦ Precise, not general

Job Description sections: Work Activities

Job Description sections: Tools and equipment used

Job Description sections: Work Context

Work context includes:

◦Work schedule◦Degree of supervision◦Ergonomic details

Contains description of performance evaluation, which includes:◦The standard used◦Evaluation frequency◦Evaluation dimensions◦Evaluation personnel

Job Description sections: Work Performance

Job Description sections: Compensation Information

Job Description sections: Job Competencies

The importance of Job Analysis

Without a clear understanding of the tasks performed and competencies needed to perform the tasks, employee selection cannot be made.

With clear understanding and requirements for tasks identified, tests or interview questions can be formulated to determine suitability of applicants.

Employee Selection

The evaluation of employee performance must be job related, thus job analysis is crucial in the construction of a performance appraisal instrument (PAI).

Through job analysis, performance appraisal instrument, are specific, job-related and valid; leading to accurate performance appraisals.

PAI, when properly administered and utilized, serve as excellent source of employee training and counselling.

Performance Appraisal

Job analysis enables the HR to classify jobs into groups based in requirements and duties.

Useful in determining pay levels, transfers and promotions.

Job classification

Another use of the job analysis is to determine the worth of a job .

The process of determining a job’s worth is called job evaluation.

Job evaluation is usually done in 2 stages, namely determining internal pay equity and determining external pay equity

Job Evaluation

Job analysis information can be use to determine the optimal way in which a job should be performed.

Examples : the best way to sit at the computer table, the best way for a warehouse person to lift boxes etc

Good work design prevents wasted and unsafe motions; resulting in higher productivity and reduced number of injuries.

Job Design

Job analysis provides requirements of a job and yields lists of job activities that can be

used to create training programs.

Training

Personpower planning is important (but seldom used).

Personpower planning is to determine employees’ mobility within an organization, that is looking into other jobs that employees can be expected to be eventually promoted and become successful.

Job analysis results are used to compare all jobs in the company so as to promote the best employee from the most similar job, thus better match between the person being promoted and the requirements of the job.

Personpower Planning

Also…..

Any employment decision must be based on job-related information and job analysis is one of the ways to directly determine job relatedness.

No law specifically requires a job analysis , but several important guidelines and court cases mandate job analysis for all practical purposes.

Legal Guidelines Compliance

During the course of their work, job analysts often become aware of certain problems within the organization.

Job analysts thus help to correct lapses in the organization and correct problems so as to promote better organizational functioning.

Organizational Analysis

Aamodt, M. G ( 2010). Industrial/Organizational Psychology. An Applied Approach.( 6th Ed) USA: Wadsworth

Spector, P. E. ( 2008). Industrial and Organizational Psychology (5th ed). USA: Wiley

Job Analysis (2010). Cengage Learning

Main references: