Jab analysis and design

Jab analysis and design

Job Analysis - A Basic Understanding

Job Analysis is a systematic exploration, study and recording the responsibilities, duties, skills, accountabilities, work environment and ability requirements of a specific job. It also involves determining the relative importance of the duties, responsibilities and physical and emotional skills for a given job. All these factors identify what a job demands and what an employee must possess to perform a job productively. What Does Job Analysis Involve? The process of job analysis involves in-depth investigation in order to control the output, i.e., get the job performed successfully. The process helps in finding out what a particular department requires and what a prospective worker needs to deliver. It also helps in determining particulars about a job including job title, job location, job summary, duties involved, working conditions, possible hazards and machines, tools, equipments and materials to be used by the existing or potential employee.

However, the process is not limited to determination of these factors only. It also extends to finding out the necessary human qualifications to perform the job. These include establishing the levels of education, experience, judgment, training, initiative, leadership skills, physical skills, communication skills, responsibility, accountability, emotional characteristics and unusual sensory demands. These factors change according to the type, seniority level, industry and risk involved in a particular job.

Importance of Job Analysis

The details collected by conducting job analysis play an important role in controlling the output of the particular job. Determining the success of job depends on the unbiased, proper and thorough job analysis. It also helps in recruiting the right people for a particular job. The main purpose of conducting this whole process is to create and establish a perfect fit between the job and the employee.

Job analysis also helps HR managers in deciding the compensation package and additional perks and incentives for a particular job position. It effectively contributes in assessing the training needs and performance of the existing employees. The process forms the basis to design and establish the strategies and policies to fulfill organizational goals and objectives.

However, analysis of a particular job does not guarantee that the managers or organization would get the desired output. Actually collecting and recording information for a specific job involves several complications. If the job information is not accurate and checked from time to time, an employee will not be able to perform his duty well. Until and unless he is not aware of what he is supposed to do or what is expected of him, chances are that the time and energy spent on a particular job analysis is a sheer wastage of human resources. Therefore, proper care should be taken while conducting job analysis.

A thorough and unbiased investigation or study of a specific job is good for both the managers and the employees. The managers get to know whom to hire and why. They can fill a place with the right person. On the other hand, existing or potential employee gets to know what and how he is supposed to perform the job and what is the desired output. Job analysis creates a right fit between the job and the employee.

Purpose of Job Analysis

As discussed already, job analysis involves collecting and recording job-related data such as knowledge and skills required to perform a job, duties and responsibilities involved, education qualifications and experience required and physical and emotional characteristics required to perform a job in a desired manner. The main purposes of conducting a job analysis process is to use this particular information to create a right fit between job and employee, to assess the performance of an employee, to determine the worth of a particular task and to analyze training and development needs of an employee delivering that specific job. Let’s understand the concept with the help of an example. If the job of an executive sales manager is to be analyzed, the first and foremost thing would be to determine the worth of this job. The next step is to analyze whether the person is able to deliver what is expected of him. It also helps in knowing if he or she is perfect for this job. The process doesn’t finish here. It also involves collection of other important facts and figures such as job location, department or division, compensation grade, job duties, routine tasks, computer, educational, communicational and physical skills, MIS activities, reporting structure, ability to adapt in a given environment, leadership skills, licenses and certifications, ability to grow and close sales, ability to handle clients, superiors and subordinates and of course, the presentation of an individual.

Purpose of Job Analysis

Job Analysis plays an important role in recruitment and selection, job evaluation, job designing, deciding compensation and benefits packages, performance appraisal, analyzing training and development needs, assessing the worth of a job and increasing personnel as well as organizational productivity.

• Recruitment and Selection: Job Analysis helps in determining what kind of person is required to perform a particular job. It points out the educational qualifications, level of experience and technical, physical, emotional and personal skills required to carry out a job in desired fashion. The objective is to fit a right person at a right place.
• Performance Analysis: Job analysis is done to check if goals and objectives of a particular job are met or not. It helps in deciding the performance standards, evaluation criteria and individual’s output. On this basis, the overall performance of an employee is measured and he or she is appraised accordingly.
• Training and Development: Job Analysis can be used to assess the training and development needs of employees. The difference between the expected and actual output determines the level of training that need to be imparted to employees. It also helps in deciding the training content, tools and equipments to be used to conduct training and methods of training.
• Compensation Management: Of course, job analysis plays a vital role in deciding the pay packages and extra perks and benefits and fixed and variable incentives of employees. After all, the pay package depends on the position, job title and duties and responsibilities involved in a job. The process guides HR managers in deciding the worth of an employee for a particular job opening.
• Job designing and Redesigning: The main purpose of job analysis is to streamline the human efforts and get the best possible output. It helps in designing, redesigning, enriching, evaluating and also cutting back and adding the extra responsibilities in a particular job. This is done to enhance the employee satisfaction while increasing the human output.

Therefore, job analysis is one of the most important functions of an HR manager or department. This helps in fitting the right kind of talent at the right place and at the right time.

Job Analysis Process

Where to place the employees in order to best utilize their skills and talent? How to determine the need of new employees in the organization? How to eliminate unneeded jobs? How to set realistic performance measurement standards? How to identify the jobs and prepare a plan to fill them? Well, all this can be effectively done by a proper and thorough job analysis. Managers deal such kinds of challenges in day-to-day company operations where they need to fulfill effectively and efficiently fulfill the organization’s requirements related to human resource recruitment, selection, performance, satisfaction and cutting down and adding extra responsibilities and duties. And there is no scope where they can avert the risk of being wrong. An effective and right process of analyzing a particular job is a great relief for them. It helps them maintain the right quality of employees, measure their performance on realistic standards, assess their training and development needs and increase their productivity. Let’s discuss the job analysis process and find out how it serves the purpose.

Job Analysis Process

• Identification of Job Analysis Purpose: Well any process is futile until its purpose is not identified and defined. Therefore, the first step in the process is to determine its need and desired output. Spending human efforts, energy as well as money is useless until HR managers don’t know why data is to be collected and what is to be done with it.
• Who Will Conduct Job Analysis: The second most important step in the process of job analysis is to decide who will conduct it. Some companies prefer getting it done by their own HR department while some hire job analysis consultants. Job analysis consultants may prove to be extremely helpful as they offer unbiased advice, guidelines and methods. They don’t have any personal likes and dislikes when it comes to analyze a job.
• How to Conduct the Process: Deciding the way in which job analysis process needs to be conducted is surely the next step. A planned approach about how to carry the whole process is required in order to investigate a specific job.
• Strategic Decision Making: Now is the time to make strategic decision. It’s about deciding the extent of employee involvement in the process, the level of details to be collected and recorded, sources from where data is to be collected, data collection methods, the processing of information and segregation of collected data.
• Training of Job Analyst: Next is to train the job analyst about how to conduct the process and use the selected methods for collection and recoding of job data.
• Preparation of Job Analysis Process: Communicating it within the organization is the next step. HR managers need to communicate the whole thing properly so that employees offer their full support to the job analyst. The stage also involves preparation of documents, questionnaires, interviews and feedback forms.
• Data Collection: Next is to collect job-related data including educational qualifications of employees, skills and abilities required to perform the job, working conditions, job activities, reporting hierarchy, required human traits, job activities, duties and responsibilities involved and employee behaviour.
• Documentation, Verification and Review: Proper documentation is done to verify the authenticity of collected data and then review it. This is the final information that is used to describe a specific job.
• Developing Job Description and Job Specification: Now is the time to segregate the collected data in to useful information. Job Description describes the roles, activities, duties and responsibilities of the job while job specification is a statement of educational qualification, experience, personal traits and skills required to perform the job.

Thus, the process of job analysis helps in identifying the worth of specific job, utilizing the human talent in the best possible manner, eliminating unneeded jobs and setting realistic performance measurement standards.

What to Collect during Job Analysis?

Gathering job-related information involves lots of efforts and time. The process may become cumbersome if the main objective of it is not known. Any information can be gathered and recorded but may be hazardous for health and finances of an organization if it is not known what is required and why. Before starting to conduct a job analysis process, it is very necessary to decide what type of content or information is to be collected and why. The purpose of this process may range from uncovering hidden dangers to the organization or creating a right job-person fit, establishing effective hiring practices, analyzing training needs, evaluating a job, analyzing the performance of an employee, setting organizational standards and so on. Each one of these objectives requires different type of information or content. While gathering job-related content, a job analyst or the dedicated person should know the purpose of the action and try to collect data as accurate as possible. Though the data collected is later on divided in to two sets - job description and job specification but the information falls in three different categories during the process of analyzing a specific job - job content, job context and job requirements.

What to Collect?

• Job Content
• Job Context
• Job Requirements

1.      Job Content: It contains information about various job activities included in a specific job. It is a detailed account of actions which an employee needs to perform during his tenure. The following information needs to be collected by a job analyst:

§  Duties of an employee

§  What actually an employee does

§  Machines, tools and equipments to be used while performing a specific job

§  Additional tasks involved in a job

§  Desired output level (What is expected of an employee?)

§  Type of training required

Fig 1.1 Categorization of Job Analysis Information

The content depends upon the type of job in a particular division or department. For example, job content of a factory-line worker would be entirely different from that of a marketing executive or HR personnel.

2.      Job Context: Job context refers to the situation or condition under which an employee performs a particular job. The information collection will include:

§  Working Conditions

§  Risks involved

§  Whom to report

§  Who all will report to him or her

§  Hazards

§  Physical and mental demands

§  Judgment

Well like job content, data collected under this category are also subject to change according to the type of job in a specific division or department.

3.      Job Requirements: These include basic but specific requirements which make a candidate eligible for a particular job. The collected data includes:

§  Knowledge or basic information required to perform a job successfully

§  Specific skills such as communication skills, IT skills, operational skills, motor skills, processing skills and so on

§  Personal ability including aptitude, reasoning, manipulative abilities, handling sudden and unexpected situations, problem-solving ability, mathematical abilities and so on

§  Educational Qualifications including degree, diploma, certification or license

§  Personal Characteristics such as ability to adapt to different environment, endurance, willingness, work ethic, eagerness to learn and understand things, behavior towards colleagues, subordinates and seniors, sense of belongingness to the organization, etc

For different jobs, the parameters would be different. They depend upon the type of job, designation, compensation grade and responsibilities and risks involved in a job.

Job Analysis Methods

Though there are several methods of collecting job analysis information yet choosing the one or a combination of more than one method depends upon the needs and requirements of organization and the objectives of the job analysis process. Typically, all the methods focus on collecting the basic job-related information but when used in combination may bring out the hidden or overlooked information and prove to be great tools for creating a perfect job-candidate fit. Selecting an appropriate job analysis method depends on the structure of the organization, hierarchical levels, nature of job and responsibilities and duties involved in it. So, before executing any method, all advantages and disadvantages should be analyzed because the data collected through this process serves a great deal and helps organizations cope with current market trends, organizational changes, high attrition rate and many other day-to-day problems.

Let’s discuss few of job analysis methods that are commonly used by the organizations to investigate the demands of a specific job.

Job Analysis Methods

Most Common Methods of Job Analysis

• Observation Method: A job analyst observes an employee and records all his performed and non-performed task, fulfilled and un-fulfilled responsibilities and duties, methods, ways and skills used by him or her to perform various duties and his or her mental or emotional ability to handle challenges and risks. However, it seems one of the easiest methods to analyze a specific job but truth is that it is the most difficult one. Why? Let’s Discover.

It is due to the fact that every person has his own way of observing things. Different people think different and interpret the findings in different ways. Therefore, the process may involve personal biasness or likes and dislikes and may not produce genuine results. This error can be avoided by proper training of job analyst or whoever will be conducting the job analysis process.

This particular method includes three techniques: direct observation, Work Methods Analysis and Critical Incident Technique. The first method includes direct observation and recording of behavior of an employee in different situations. The second involves the study of time and motion and is specially used for assembly-line or factory workers. The third one is about identifying the work behaviors that result in performance.

• Interview Method: In this method, an employee is interviewed so that he or she comes up with their own working styles, problems faced by them, use of particular skills and techniques while performing their job and insecurities and fears about their careers.

This method helps interviewer know what exactly an employee thinks about his or her own job and responsibilities involved in it. It involves analysis of job by employee himself. In order to generate honest and true feedback or collect genuine data, questions asked during the interview should be carefully decided. And to avoid errors, it is always good to interview more than one individual to get a pool of responses. Then it can be generalized and used for the whole group.

• Questionnaire Method: Another commonly used job analysis method is getting the questionnaires filled from employees, their superiors and managers. However, this method also suffers from personal biasness. A great care should be takes while framing questions for different grades of employees.

In order to get the true job-related info, management should effectively communicate it to the staff that data collected will be used for their own good. It is very important to ensure them that it won’t be used against them in anyway. If it is not done properly, it will be a sheer wastage of time, money and human resources.

These are some of the most common methods of job analysis. However, there are several other specialized methods including task inventory, job element method, competency profiling, technical conference, threshold traits analysis system and a combination of these methods. While choosing a method, HR managers need to consider time, cost and human efforts included in conducting the process.

Job Analysis Tools

Job Analysis supports all other management activities including recruitment and selection, training and development need analysis, performance analysis and appraisal, job evaluation, job rotation, enrichment and enlargement, a right job-individual fit creation and regulation of entry and exit of talent in an organization. The process is the basis of all these important management activities, therefore, requires solid ground preparation. A properly performed job analysis is adequate for laying strong organization foundation. There are various tools and techniques such as O*Net model, PAQ model, FJA model, F-JAS model and competency model that help HR managers to develop genuine job description and job specification data. Though not very new but these specialized tools and techniques are used by only a few of very high profile organizations. Not very common in use but once understood, these systematic approaches prove to be extremely useful for measuring the worth of any job in an organization.

Job Analysis Tools

O*Net Model: The beauty of this model is that it helps managers or job analysts in listing job-related data for a very large number of jobs simultaneously. It helps in collecting and recording basic and initial data including educational requirements, physical requirements and mental and emotional requirements to some extent. It also links the level of compensation and benefits, perks and advantages to be offered to a prospective candidate for a specific job.

FJA Model: FJA stands for Functional Job Analysis and helps in collecting and recording job-related data to a deeper extent. It is used to develop task-related statements. Developed by Sidney Fine and his colleagues, the technique helps in determining the complexity of duties and responsibilities involved in a specific job. This work-oriented technique works on the basis of relatedness of job-data where complexity of work is determined on a scale of various scores given to a particular job. The lower scores represent greater difficulty.

PAQ Model: PAQ represents Position Analysis Questionnaire. This well-known and commonly used technique is used to analyze a job by getting the questionnaires filled by job incumbents and their superiors. Designed by a trained and experienced job analyst, the process involves interviewing the subject matter experts and employees and evaluating the questionnaires on those bases.

F-JAS Model: Representing Fleishman Job Analysis System, it is a basic and generic approach to discover common elements in different jobs including verbal abilities, reasoning abilities, idea generation, quantitative abilities, attentiveness, spatial abilities, visual and other sensory abilities, manipulative abilities, reaction time, speed analysis, flexibility, emotional characteristics, physical strength, perceptual abilities, communication skills, memory, endurance, balance, coordination and movement control abilities.

Competency Model: This model talks about the competencies of employees in terms of knowledge, skills, abilities, behaviors, expertise and performance. It also helps in understanding what a prospective candidate requires at the time of entry in an organization at a particular designation in a given work environment and schedule. The model also includes some basic elements such as qualifications, experience, education, training, certifications, licenses, legal requirements and willingness of a candidate.

Job Scan: This technique defines the personality dynamics and suggests an ideal job model. However, it does not discuss the individual competencies such as intellect, experience or physical and emotional characteristics of an individual required to perform a specific job.

Different tools can be used in different situation. Selection of an ideal job analysis tool depends upon job analysis needs and objectives and amount of time and resources.

Problems with Job Analysis

No process can be entirely accurate and fully serves the purpose. Job analysis is no exception to it. The process involves a variety of methods, tools, plans and a lot of human effort. And where there people are involved, nothing can be 100 percent accurate. However, they may be appropriate considering various factors including organizational requirements, time, effort and financial resources. Since the entire job analysis processes, methods and tools are designed by humans only, they tend to have practical issues associated with them. Human brain suffers with some limitations, therefore, everything created, designed or developed by humans too have some or other constraints. Coming back to the subject, even the process of job analysis have lot of practical problems associated with it. Though the process can be effective, appropriate, practical, efficient and focused but it can be costly, time consuming and disruptive for employees at the same time. It is because there are some typical problems that are encountered by a job analyst while carrying out the process. Let’s discuss them and understand how the process of job analysis can be made more effective by treating them carefully.

Problems with Job Analysis

• Lack of Management Support: The biggest problem arises when a job analyst does not get proper support from the management. The top management needs to communicate it to the middle level managers and employees to enhance the output or productivity of the process. In case of improper communication, employees may take it in a wrong sense and start looking out for other available options. They may have a notion that this is being carried out to fire them or take any action against them. In order to avoid such circumstances, top management must effectively communicate the right message to their incumbents.
• Lack of Co-operation from Employees: If we talk about collecting authentic and accurate job-data, it is almost impossible to get real and genuine data without the support of employees. If they are not ready to co-operate, it is a sheer wastage of time, money and human effort to conduct job analysis process. The need is to take the workers in confidence and communicating that it is being done to solve their problems only.
• Inability to Identify the Need of Job Analysis: If the objectives and needs of job analysis process are not properly identified, the whole exercise of investigation and carrying out research is futile. Managers must decide in advance why this process is being carried out, what its objectives are and what is to be done with the collected and recorded data.
• Biasness of Job Analyst: A balanced and unbiased approach is a necessity while carrying out the process of job analysis. To get real and genuine data, a job analyst must be impartial in his or her approach. If it can’t be avoided, it is better to outsource the process or hire a professional job analyst.
• Using Single Data Source: A job analyst needs to consider more than one sources of data in order to collect true information. Collecting data from a single source may result in inaccuracy and it therefore, defeats the whole purpose of conducting the job analysis process.

However, this is not the end. There may be many other problems involved in a job analysis process such as insufficient time and resources, distortion from incumbent, lack of proper communication, improper questionnaires and other forms, absence of verification and review of job analysis process and lack of reward or recognition for providing genuine and quality information.

Advantages and Disadvantages of Job Analysis

Though job analysis plays a vital role in all other human related activities but every process that has human interventions also suffers from some limitations. The process of job analysis also has its own constraints. So, let us discuss the advantages and disadvantages of job analysis process at length.

Advantages of Job Analysis

• Provides First Hand Job-Related Information: The job analysis process provides with valuable job-related data that helps managers and job analyst the duties and responsibilities of a particular job, risks and hazards involved in it, skills and abilities required to perform the job and other related info.
• Helps in Creating Right Job-Employee Fit: This is one of the most crucial management activities. Filling the right person in a right job vacancy is a test of skills, understanding and competencies of HR managers. Job Analysis helps them understand what type of employee will be suitable to deliver a specific job successfully.
• Helps in Establishing Effective Hiring Practices: Who is to be filled where and when? Who to target and how for a specific job opening? Job analysis process gives answers to all these questions and helps managers in creating, establishing and maintaining effective hiring practices.
• Guides through Performance Evaluation and Appraisal Processes: Job Analysis helps managers evaluating the performance of employees by comparing the standard or desired output with delivered or actual output. On these bases, they appraise their performances. The process helps in deciding whom to promote and when. It also guides managers in understanding the skill gaps so that right person can be fit at that particular place in order to get desired output.
• Helps in Analyzing Training & Development Needs: The process of job analysis gives answer to following questions:
• Who to impart training
• When to impart training
• What should be the content of training
• What should be the type of training: behavioral or technical
• Who will conduct training
• Helps in Deciding Compensation Package for a Specific Job: A genuine and unbiased process of job analysis helps managers in determining the appropriate compensation package and benefits and allowances for a particular job. This is done on the basis of responsibilities and hazards involved in a job.

Disadvantages of Job Analysis

§  Time Consuming: The biggest disadvantage of Job Analysis process is that it is very time consuming. It is a major limitation especially when jobs change frequently.

• Involves Personal Biasness: If the observer or job analyst is an employee of the same organization, the process may involve his or her personal likes and dislikes. This is a major hindrance in collecting genuine and accurate data.
• Source of Data is Extremely Small: Because of small sample size, the source of collecting data is extremely small. Therefore, information collected from few individuals needs to be standardized.
• Involves Lots of Human Efforts: The process involves lots of human efforts. As every job carries different information and there is no set pattern, customized information is to be collected for different jobs. The process needs to be conducted separately for collecting and recording job-related data.
• Job Analyst May Not Possess Appropriate Skills: If job analyst is not aware of the objective of job analysis process or does not possess appropriate skills to conduct the process, it is a sheer wastage of company’s resources. He or she needs to be trained in order to get authentic data.
• Mental Abilities Cannot be Directly Observed: Last but not the least, mental abilities such as intellect, emotional characteristics, knowledge, aptitude, psychic and endurance are intangible things that cannot be observed or measured directly. People act differently in different situations. Therefore, general standards cannot be set for mental abilities.

Role of Job Analysis in Establishing Effective Hiring Practices

A major change has been observed in the world of work since 1980s. The era of structured jobs, packed or fixed work schedules, male-dominated working culture and no family intruding started diminishing gradually. Companies and employees around the world faced dramatic effects of modernization, flexibility in work schedules, job sharing, work from home options and employee-supportive policies, etc. All thanks to the then managers who analyzed the importance of fitting an individual at a job he or she excelled at to increase the company turnover, employee satisfaction and achieve a professional-personal life balance. And all this was possible by analyzing the worth of a specific job and collecting genuine job-related data. A proper job analysis, hence, may prove to be a turning point for an organization. It not only creates the right job-candidate fit but also enhance the success of management practices, which in turn, lays the foundation for a strong organization. A step-by-step process of discovering the different aspects of a job results in a proper regulation of incoming and outgoing of the talent or human resource. Job Analysis thus, started gaining popularity in early 1990s in order to create competitive advantage and has been considered as the basis for other HRM practices since then.

The data collected during the process helps managers in identifying the risks and challenges involved in a specific job and kind of person suitable for delivering the desired duties perfectly. An employer’s recruitment and selection process purely depends on job analysis. Until the recruiting managers do not know about job to be performed, expectations from prospective candidate and the right individual profile required for performing a specific job, it is almost impossible to source or target talent or human resource in order to fill the vacancy. Job analysis process helps in establishing effective hiring practices and guides managers in identifying the selection criteria required to deliver the expected output. Let’s discuss how.

How to Establish Effective Hiring Strategies?

• Identifying KRAs: Job Analysis process helps in identifying Key Result Areas/ Key Responsibilities Areas (KRAs) such as knowledge, technical, communication and personal skills, mental, aptitude, physical and emotional abilities to perform a particular task. Different jobs have different requirements. Therefore, the process needs to be performed every time when there is a requirement to fill the job opening. This is a basis for developing questionnaires, devising interview questions and setting selection test papers. The information in the form of scores or grades can then be used for hiring process.
• Setting Selection Standards: Job Analysis also helps managers in setting certain standards for selection process in terms of educational qualifications, work experience, expertise, special skill sets, unusual sensory abilities, specific career track, certifications and licenses and other legal requirements. This helps in identifying the basic requirements that make a candidate eligible for a particular post.
• Identifying KSAs: The process also helps managers in determining Key Success Areas or Key Performance Areas. These are performance measurement tools that are used by companies around the world to measure those aspects that determine success of a job such as organizational goals, individual goals and the actions required to achieve these goals. This is about comparing the actual results delivered by an individual with pre-set success factors and analyzing the performance. Once through, the whole process may require few changes if achieved results are around the set standards. They may require a complete change if there is a huge gap between the expected and delivered results.

Therefore, a thorough and unbiased job analysis process can help organizations source right candidates, hire the most suitable individual and set appropriate selection standards.

Job Analysis and Strategic HRM

Human Resource Management is the most critical function of any organization as it deals with the most complicated problems - the people problems, especially when the organizations are operating in highly competitive and uncertain environments. Strategic HRM lays emphasis on developing and implementing policies and strategies in order to get the desired output. Therefore, job analysis and strategic HRM are inter-related. In fact, we can say, establishing a person-job-environment fit is the basic function of SHRM. Person-Job-Environment Fit Job analysis demonstrates who can fit at a particular place and why. The process promotes the alignment of other HR processes and functions. Additionally, it supports the organizational strategy to deal with talent crisis and market competition. The process of job analysis involves collecting job-related information and assembling it together to design a corporate strategy that helps HR managers in determining whom to target and how to fill a particular job vacancy.

It also creates linkages between other HR verticals including recruitment and selection, training needs analysis, performance evaluation and appraisal, entry and exit of talent and many more. Strategic Human Resource Management endeavors to connect all these HR functions with organizational goals, work quality, organizational culture, annual turnover and profit and tapping resources for future organizational needs.

SHRM is basically concerned with the strength, weakness, opportunities and threats of an organization. The identification of organization’s competencies and flaws is extremely crucial for its success. It provides a clear vision to managers to source, recruit and retain people, develop their skills and competency, address their issues and concerns, motivate people to produce desired output and ensure future planning.

Inter-relationship between Job Analysis and SHRM

Job Analysis, being an integral part of strategic planning, provides a detailed analysis of tasks and responsibilities, risks and hazards, functions and duties, tools and equipments to be used and the expected output. The main objective of conducting the process is to understand who to fit at a particular place to get the work done. Whereas, the fundamental aim of Strategic Human Resource Management is to determine how to exploit human capital to achieve organizational goals.

Job Analysis deals in determining the training needs analysis of employees to get the desired output whereas SHRM decides upon the training content, when and how to train the employees to increase the output to achieve higher business profits. To successfully plan the future strategies of a company, the process of job analysis serves as the basis. If information collected during the process is genuine, managers can make effective strategies and policies in advance and can remain pro-active to deal with unforeseen situations.

The main aim of conducting job analysis process is to determine the things affecting human behavior in an organization. The idea is to find out if they are competent enough to perform the assigned job successfully or they need to be placed somewhere else. Strategic Human Resource Management is all about making strategies and policies to place right person at the right place and at the right time to get the maximum out of an employee. In other way, it is concerned about optimal utilization of human resources.

Job Analysis and Total Quality Management (TQM)

TQM is a management approach that concentrates on teamwork, integrity, continuous improvement and continuous assessment jobs and their worth. On the other hand, job analysis deals in investigating each job separately and collecting the job-related information. Usually, the process is conducted in an organization once in a while especially when HR department has to source candidates for a particular job. TQM is a new approach and is almost inconsistent with traditional management approaches and processes. Job Analysis is no exception. Points of Inconsistency between Job Analysis and TQM The concept of Total Quality Management stresses on continuous improvement of management processes as well as employees. For example, if employee joins an organization at a certain level, according to TQM, he or she should not confine themselves to their basic jobs only. Instead they should consider other options and try to learn more and more in order to explore other areas of operations. Whereas, job analysis process is conducted to determine what an employee is supposed to do and how specific duties and activities need to be performed.

Total Quality Management approach focuses on an all-round development of employees and expects them to do everything while on job in order to attain higher levels of quality. It also concentrates on their continuous improvement personally as well as professionally. While job analysis defines specific duties and responsibilities of an employee and each one of them is supposed to do only what is assigned to them. The concept is just opposite to TQM approach.

The job description and job specification talk about employee’s job title, job summary, job duties, job responsibilities, educational qualifications and working conditions. While it does not discuss about maintaining quality in operations, treating waste and scraps properly and quality of services delivered. It simply gives brief details about what an employee needs to do and how. Though it deals in assessing a job but has nothing to do with improving quality in operations.

TQM does not confine employees only to a particular job. The concept leaves scope for additional duties along with the basic job duties. Whereas, it is not true in case of job analysis. It simply measures the worth of a job and determines the duties involved in it. Employees are not encouraged to explore other areas of operations. Instead they are supposed to perform only the assigned job.

Relevance of Job Analysis

Job Analysis is not consistent with TQM. They do not go hand in hand as they focus on entirely different theories and operate on different models. But it does not mean that job analysis has lost its relevance in today’s world. It has its own importance and is still required to be carried out as this gives basic information related to specific jobs and helps managers in decision making process.

It assists in various other management processes including recruitment and selection, job evaluation, performance evaluation and appraisal and training and development need analysis. It also regulates the entry of talent in an organization and helps in sourcing and attracting a pool of talent to work with the organization.

Job Description and Job Specification

Job Analysis is a primary tool to collect job-related data. The process results in collecting and recording two data sets including job description and job specification. Any job vacancy cannot be filled until and unless HR manager has these two sets of data. It is necessary to define them accurately in order to fit the right person at the right place and at the right time. This helps both employer and employee understand what exactly needs to be delivered and how. Both job description and job specification are essential parts of job analysis information. Writing them clearly and accurately helps organization and workers cope with many challenges while onboard.

Though preparing job description and job specification are not legal requirements yet play a vital role in getting the desired outcome. These data sets help in determining the necessity, worth and scope of a specific job.

Job Description

Job description includes basic job-related data that is useful to advertise a specific job and attract a pool of talent. It includes information such as job title, job location, reporting to and of employees, job summary, nature and objectives of a job, tasks and duties to be performed, working conditions, machines, tools and equipments to be used by a prospective worker and hazards involved in it.

Purpose of Job Description

• The main purpose of job description is to collect job-related data in order to advertise for a particular job. It helps in attracting, targeting, recruiting and selecting the right candidate for the right job.
• It is done to determine what needs to be delivered in a particular job. It clarifies what employees are supposed to do if selected for that particular job opening.
• It gives recruiting staff a clear view what kind of candidate is required by a particular department or division to perform a specific task or job.
• It also clarifies who will report to whom.

Job Specification

Also known as employee specifications, a job specification is a written statement of educational qualifications, specific qualities, level of experience, physical, emotional, technical and communication skills required to perform a job, responsibilities involved in a job and other unusual sensory demands. It also includes general health, mental health, intelligence, aptitude, memory, judgment, leadership skills, emotional ability, adaptability, flexibility, values and ethics, manners and creativity, etc.

Purpose of Job Specification

• Described on the basis of job description, job specification helps candidates analyze whether are eligible to apply for a particular job vacancy or not.
• It helps recruiting team of an organization understand what level of qualifications, qualities and set of characteristics should be present in a candidate to make him or her eligible for the job opening.
• Job Specification gives detailed information about any job including job responsibilities, desired technical and physical skills, conversational ability and much more.
• It helps in selecting the most appropriate candidate for a particular job.

Job description and job specification are two integral parts of job analysis. They define a job fully and guide both employer and employee on how to go about the whole process of recruitment and selection. Both data sets are extremely relevant for creating a right fit between job and talent, evaluate performance and analyze training needs and measuring the worth of a particular job.

General and Specific Purpose of Job Description

Job description is all about collecting and recording basic job-related data that includes job title, job location, job summary, job duties, reporting information, working conditions, tools, machines and equipments to be used and hazards and risks involved in it. A job description may or may not have specific purpose. It depends on what HR managers want to determine and what is the objective of conducting the process of job analysis. Job Description is a summary of job analysis findings that helps managers determine what an employee is supposed to do when onboard. The purpose of job description depends on the level of details the job findings include. Job description carried for general purpose typically involves job identification (title, designation, location) and a statement of duties and functions of a prospective or existing employee. A specifically carried job description includes detailed information about the kind of job, how it is supposed to be performed and what is expected to be delivered. Let’s discuss the general and specific purpose of conducting a job description process.

General Purpose of Job Description

General purpose job descriptions are used by organizations to find the very basic information about a particular job opening. Though data includes worker’s duties but does not contain sub tasks, performance standards and basis for evaluating jobs and establishing right compensation packages.

Advantages

The main benefit of general purpose job description is that it does not consume much time and quickly provides basic information to managers. It does not require much human efforts and is very easy and convenient to carry out. Additionally, a job analyst does not have to conduct deep research to gather the required details.

Disadvantages

The main disadvantage of general purpose job description is that it does not provide managers with full-fledged information about job context and sub tasks. Sometimes, a manager may fail to extract correct information from such small amount of data.

Specific Purpose of Job Description

Specific purpose job description includes detailed information about job responsibilities of an employee. It also covers sub tasks, essential functions and detailed job duties. It involves huge amount of details such as what an employee needs to do, how it is to be done and what are the performance standards, etc.

Advantages

The main benefit of specific purpose job description is that it offers ample information to evaluate job performance and determine training needs of employees. It serves as a basis for all other HR processes including recruitment and selection, performance appraisal, compensation decision and many more.

Disadvantages

Though it assists managers in decision making process but it has its own limitations. The process, however, may take very long and consume lots of human efforts. Since, it involves collecting detailed information; the biased nature of job analyst can cause severe problems. The data collected may not be 100 percent genuine.

Therefore, it can be said that information collected during job analysis defines the purpose of job description. If data collected is extremely basic, it will serve only the general purpose and therefore, cannot be used for making management decisions. On the other hand, detailed data serves the specific purpose and can be easily used while making important decisions.

Job Design - Meaning, Steps and its Benefits

Job design follows job analysis i.e. it is the next step after job analysis. It aims at outlining and organizing tasks, duties and responsibilities into a single unit of work for the achievement of certain objectives. It also outlines the methods and relationships that are essential for the success of a certain job. In simpler terms it refers to the what, how much, how many and the order of the tasks for a job/s. Job design essentially involves integrating job responsibilities or content and certain qualifications that are required to perform the same. It outlines the job responsibilities very clearly and also helps in attracting the right candidates to the right job. Further it also makes the job look interesting and specialized. There are various steps involved in job design that follow a logical sequence, those that were mentioned earlier on. The sequence is as follows: 1.      What tasks are required to e done or what tasks is part of the job? 2.      How are the tasks performed? 3.      What amount are tasks are required to be done? 4.      What is the sequence of performing these tasks?

All these questions are aimed at arriving upon a clear definition of a specific job and thereby make it less risky for the one performing the same. A well defined job encourages feeling of achievement among the employees and a sense of high self esteem.

The whole process of job design is aimed to address various problems within the organizational setup, those that pertain to ones description of a job and the associated relationships. More specifically the following areas are fine tuned:

• Checking the work overload.
• Checking upon the work under load.
• Ensuring tasks are not repetitive in nature.
• Ensuring that employees don not remain isolated.
• Defining working hours clearly.
• Defining the work processes clearly.

The above mentioned are factors that if not taken care of result into building stress within the employees.

Benefits of Job Design

The following are the benefits of a good job design:

1.      Employee Input: A good job design enables a good job feedback. Employees have the option to vary tasks as per their personal and social needs, habits and circumstances in the workplace.

2.      Employee Training: Training is an integral part of job design. Contrary to the philosophy of “leave them alone’ job design lays due emphasis on training people so that are well aware of what their job demands and how it is to be done.

3.      Work / Rest Schedules: Job design offers good work and rest schedule by clearly defining the number of hours an individual has to spend in his/her job.

4.      Adjustments: A good job designs allows for adjustments for physically demanding jobs by minimizing the energy spent doing the job and by aligning the manpower requirements for the same.

Job design is a continuous and ever evolving process that is aimed at helping employees make adjustments with the changes in the workplace. The end goal is reducing dissatisfaction, enhancing motivation and employee engagement at the workplace.

Approaches to Job Design

Job design is the next step after job analysis that aims at outlining, and organizing tasks and responsibilities associated with a certain job. It integrates job responsibilities and qualifications or skills that are required to perform the same. There are various methods or approaches to do this. The important ones are discussed below Human Approach The human approach of job design laid emphasis on designing a job around the people or employees and not around the organizational processes. In other words it recognizes the need of designing jobs that are rewarding (financially and otherwise) and interesting at the same time. According to this approach jobs should gratify an individual’s need for recognition, respect, growth and responsibility. Job enrichment as popularized by Herzberg’s research is one the ways in human approach of job design. Herzberg classified these factors into two categories - the hygiene factors and the motivators.

Motivators include factors like achievement, work nature, responsibility, learning and growth etc that can motivate an individual to perform better at the work place.

Hygiene factor on the other hand include things like working conditions, organizational policies, salary etc that may not motivate directly but the absence of which can lead to dissatisfaction at the work place.

Engineering Approach

The engineering approach was devised by FW Taylors et al. They introduced the idea of the task that gained prominence in due course of time. According to this approach the work or task of each employee is planned by the management a day in advance. The instructions for the same are sent to each employee describing the tasks to e undertaken in detail. The details include things like what, how and when of the task along with the time deadlines.

The approach is based on the application of scientific principles to job design. Work, according to this approach should be scientifically analyzed and fragmented into logical tasks. Due emphasis is then laid on organizing the tasks so that a certain logical sequence is followed for efficient execution of the same. The approach also lays due emphasis on compensating employees appropriately and training them continuously for work efficiency.

The Job Characteristics Approach

The job characteristics approach was popularized by Hickman and Oldham. According to this approach there is a direct relationship between job satisfaction and rewards. They said that employees will be their productive best and committed when they are rewarded appropriately for their work. They laid down five core dimensions that can be used to describe any job - skill variety, task identity, task significance, autonomy and feedback.

• Skill variety: The employees must be able to utilize all their skills and develop new skills while dealing with a job.
• Task Identity: The extent to which an identifiable task or piece or work is required to be done for completion of the job.
• Task Significance: How important is the job to the other people, what impact does it create on their lives?
• Autonomy: Does the job offer freedom and independence to the individual performing the same.
• Feedback: Is feedback necessary for improving performance.

These are different approaches but all of them point to more or less the same factors that need to be taken into consideration like interest, efficiency, productivity, motivation etc. All these are crucial to effective job design.

Issues in Job Design

As we know, job design is a systematic organization of job-related tasks, responsibilities, functions and duties. It is a continuous process of integration of content related to job in order to achieve certain objectives. The process plays a vital role as it affects the productivity of employees and organizations. However, there are a number of existing issues emerged recently while designing the jobs in organizations. These are alternative work patterns that are equally effective in handling organization’s functions.

• Telecommuting / Work from Home: Telecommuting or work from home is considered as the best alternative of working from the actual office. The concept of virtual office is gaining more and more popularity because of ease and convenience associated with it. By using computer networks, fax machines, telephones and internet connection, employees can communicate and perform the job from home. It eliminates the need of coming to office everyday and offers employees the convenience to work at the comfort of their home.

Though there are lots of advantages associated with this working style but it suffers from many limitations. It allows employees to stay at home and manage their job tasks and functions without actually being present in the office but it doesn’t allow them to communicate with other employees and establishing relationships with them. They only deal with machines whole day, thus lose creativity. Moreover, it is a great hindrance in their way as it does not allow skill up gradation.

• Job Sharing: It is the second most preferable alternative of traditional working styles where two or more individuals share the responsibilities of a full time job. They divide the tasks, responsibilities and compensation according to their mutual consent. This option is generally used by women who are on maternity leave or have family and kids to look after but want to continue their job. These days, organizations are open to this kind of working style where two or more individuals can share a job.
• Flexi-Working Hours: These days, organizations allow their employees to work according to the timings that suit them best. There are 3-4 working schedules and individuals can choose any one of them depending upon their availability. Employees can work in early hours as well as night hours. This is good for those individuals who have colleges or some other engagements during the day or specific hours of the day. The best part is that unlike telecommuting, flexi-timings give them chance to communicate with other employees too.
• Alternative Work-Patterns: Companies these days allow their employees to work on alternate months or seasons. Though the concept is not that common in India but can be seen in European and American world of work. They also have the option of working two to three full days and can relax after that.

According to the latest concept, employees can work for fixed number of hours and then can attend to their personal needs during the left days.

• Techno stress: Techno stress is the latest technology to keep a check on employees’ performance even when they choose to work from home. Because of the introduction of new machines, there performance can be electronically monitored even when they are not aware of it.
• Task Revision: Task revision is nothing but modification of existing work design by reducing or adding the new job duties and responsibilities to a specific job.

Factors affecting Job Design

A well defined job will make the job interesting and satisfying for the employee. The result is increased performance and productivity. If a job fails to appear compelling or interesting and leads to employee dissatisfaction, it means the job has to be redesigned based upon the feedback from the employees. Broadly speaking the various factors that affect a job design can classified under three heads. They are: 1.      Organizational Factors 2.      Environmental Factors 3.      Behavioral Factors

1.      Organizational Factors

Organizational factors that affect job design can be work nature or characteristics, work flow, organizational practices and ergonomics.

§  Work Nature: There are various elements of a job and job design is required to classify various tasks into a job or a coherent set of jobs. The various tasks may be planning, executing, monitoring, controlling etc and all these are to be taken into consideration while designing a job.

§  Ergonomics: Ergonomics aims at designing jobs in such a way that the physical abilities and individual traits of employees are taken into consideration so as to ensure efficiency and productivity.

§  Workflow: Product and service type often determines the sequence of work flow. A balance is required between various product or service processes and a job design ensures this.

§  Culture: Organizational culture determines the way tasks are carried out at the work places. Practices are methods or standards laid out for carrying out a certain task. These practices often affect the job design especially when the practices are not aligned to the interests of the unions.

2.      Environmental Factors

Environmental factors affect the job design to a considerable extent. These factors include both the internal as well as external factors. They include factors like employee skills and abilities, their availability, and their socio economic and cultural prospects.

§  Employee availability and abilities: Employee skills, abilities and time of availability play a crucial role while designing of the jobs. The above mentioned factors of employees who will actually perform the job are taken into consideration. Designing a job that is more demanding and above their skill set will lead to decreased productivity and employee satisfaction.

§  Socio economic and cultural expectations: Jobs are nowadays becoming more employee centered rather than process centered. They are therefore designed keeping the employees into consideration. In addition the literacy level among the employees is also on the rise. They now demand jobs that are to their liking and competency and which they can perform the best.

3.      Behavioral Factors

Behavioral factors or human factors are those that pertain to the human need and that need to be satisfied for ensuring productivity at workplace. They include the elements like autonomy, diversity, feedback etc. A brief explanation of some is given below:

§  Autonomy: Employees should work in an open environment rather than one that contains fear. It promotes creativity, independence and leads to increased efficiency.

§  Feedback: Feedback should be an integral part of work. Each employee should receive proper feedback about his work performance.

§  Diversity: Repetitive jobs often make work monotonous which leads to boredom. A job should carry sufficient diversity and variety so that it remains as interesting with every passing day. Job variety / diversity should be given due importance while designing a job.

§  Use of Skills and abilities: Jobs should be employee rather than process centered. Though due emphasis needs to be given to the latter but jobs should be designed in a manner such that an employee is able to make full use of his abilities and perform the job effectively.

Job Redesign - Meaning, Process and its Advantages

Restructuring the elements including tasks, duties and responsibilities of a specific job in order to make it more encouraging and inspiring for the employees or workers is known as job redesigning. The process includes revising, analyzing, altering, reforming and reshuffling the job-related content and dimensions to increase the variety of assignments and functions to motivate employees and make them feel as an important asset of the organization. The main objective of conducting job redesigning is to place the right person at the right job and get the maximum output while increasing their level of satisfaction.

Job Redesign Process

• Revising the Job Content: Job redesigning process involves recollecting and revising job-related information to determine the inconsistency between person and the job.
• Analyzing Job-related Information: Once the job analyst is through with recollecting and revising the job content, analyzing the discrepancies is the next step. It is done to determine the hindrances in performing job-related tasks and duties and investigate why an employee is not able to deliver the expected output.
• Altering the Job Elements: The next step is to amend the job elements. It may include cut back on extra responsibilities or addition of more functions and a higher degree of accountability. The basic aim of altering the job content is to design a job in such a manner that encourages employees to work harder and perform better.
• Reformation of Job Description and Specification: After altering the job elements, a job analyst needs to reform the job description and specification in order to make sure that the worker placed at a particular place is able to deliver what is expected of him.
• Reshuffling the Job-related Tasks and Duties: Next is to reallocation of new or altered tasks and functions to employees. It may be done by rotating, enriching, enlarging and engineering the job. The idea is to motivate the performers while increasing their satisfaction level.

Advantages of Job Redesigning

• Enhances the Quality of Work-Life: Job redesigning motivates the employees and enhances the quality of their work life. It increases their on-the-job productivity and encourages them to perform better.
• Increases Organization’s and Employees’ Productivity: Altering their job functions and duties makes employees much comfortable and adds to their satisfaction level. The unambiguous job responsibilities and tasks motivate them to work harder and give their best output. Not only this, it also results in increased productivity of an organization.
• Brings the Sense of Belongingness in Employees: Redesigning job and allowing employees to do what they are good at creates a sense of belongingness in them towards the organization. It is an effective strategy to retain the talent in the organization and encouraging them to carry out their responsibilities in a better fashion.
• Creates a Right Person-Job Fit: Job Redesigning plays an important role in creating a right person-job fit while harnessing the full potential of employees. It helps organization as well as employees in achieving their targets or goals.

Therefore, the purpose of job redesigning is to identify the task significance and skill variety available in the organization and reallocating the job-related tasks and responsibilities according to the specific skills possessed by an employee.

Principles of Job Evaluation

Job evaluation as evident from the word itself aims at evaluating the job and not the person. It is a process of evaluating and determining the value of the job for an organization. The evaluation is always in relative and not absolute terms. The idea is evaluate a certain job against other jobs in the organization so that a fair compensation system against various bands or levels can be established. Organizations use various ways to evaluate jobs for arriving upon a compensation scheme. They vary with the size of the organization and the kind of industry they operate in. Job ranking, pair comparison and benchmarking are the various ways of evaluation. The simpler or the easiest to perform is the job ranking method. In this method the jobs are taken as a whole and ranked against each other. The jobs are ordered according to perceived seniority. Such method is easier to apply in a small organization but gets complicated once used for large corporations.

The other method is the pair comparison method where jobs are compared in pairs. It is more structured approach to comparing jobs. Yet another method is benchmarking where certain jobs are slotted and then examined in detail. These are then used as benchmarks in evaluating various jobs.

In addition Point Factor Analysis is also used to evaluate various jobs. The method is an old and tested one. In this method jobs are broken down into various factors such as skills required, experience, education required. A set of questions is framed against each factor and the response determines the score. Each factor is allotted a certain weight.

Principles of Job Evaluation

• Definition: Jobs must be clearly defined such that they are identifiable and easily distinguishable. These jobs must then be part of the job description.
• Evaluation: A job evaluation scheme must be arrived upon and used as a standard and all jobs in the organization must be evaluated as per that scheme only.
• Job Understanding: Job evaluators need to have deep insights into the job design process. They must have a methodical understanding of various tasks involved.
• Concern: Job evaluation must be concerned with the job and not with the person. i.e. it is the job that has to be evaluated and not the person
• Assessment: The assessment has to be carried out in an acceptable manner and by competent people. Further, it is based on judgments and is not scientific but can however be used to make objective judgments if used correctly.

With organizations changing continuously in every sphere of operations, be it the way they conduct their business, they way they hire and manage people, there is a huge change in the processes that drive this change. Job evaluation and its technique are not immune to it. The techniques are changing very fast. There are organizations still that stick to existing schemes of job evaluation. Evaluations based upon old existent standards are time consuming in many cases. Organizations do not want to spend time on writing new jobs and making evaluations afresh. Those that do this may need to rethink!

Job Classification - Meaning, its Need and Importance

Job classification is a scheme of classifying a job according to the current responsibilities and duties associated with the job. It is different than job design in that the person assigned to the job is not taken into consideration. Jobs are classified with the purpose of studying jobs in a holistic perspective. Job classifications group’s jobs into various grades, each grade having a certain specific class description and many times a pay scale that is used for job comparisons. Often the title is also assigned on the basis of grade arrived at after the job classification. Need for Job Classification There are various methods available for classifying jobs and often these vary across organizations and the industries. The basic purposes of classifying jobs are: 1.      To help in recruitment and selection by defining significant qualification standards. 2.      To help in designing and developing standards for performance and appraisals.

3.      Allocating responsibilities aligned to the company mission and vision and those that help in the realization of organizations business plans and strategies.

4.      Identification of career and growth paths in organizations.

5.      Establish standards for compensation.

When and where is a Job Classification System Used

A job classification system cannot be used for positions which do not match in terms of their duties and responsibilities. Instead it is used to group positions that have similar duties and responsibilities, require same qualifications, experience and training interventions. As mentioned above it is beneficial in recruitment, selection and compensation in a standard way across the whole organization.

The most important aspect of job classification is that it is based upon the objective aspects of the job and does not take into consideration the person assigned, the skills and the performance levels for the job. Instead factors like scope and level of responsibilities and duties, decision making authority and its relationship to other jobs is taken into consideration.

Job classification as a system empowers the administration to handle a wide variety of job functions and rather than just one, at a single time. Different positions are named and assigned titles and grades, keeping the job characteristics into consideration.

Job classification is not a constant or one time process; it is an ever changing one. They change due to introduction of new policies and procedures, new management initiatives and in many cases due to introduction of new technologies. The flip side of this is that it may affect employee productivity or performance and their reporting relationships. People resources may be redeployed and employees may find it difficult to adjust with the new people environment, affecting the performance due to change in benchmark standards. Then again in certain cases the productivity may increase in case of certain employees and decline in case of others depending upon how these employees deal with the stressors.

Many organizations use the tools of job balance assessment and competency matrix assessment for dealing with the changes associated with job classification. These tools help in aligning the employees with changes in the external environment such that their productivity levels are enhanced and not otherwise.

Job Rotation - Meaning and its Objectives

Job Rotation is a management approach where employees are shifted between two or more assignments or jobs at regular intervals of time in order to expose them to all verticals of an organization. It is a pre-planned approach with an objective to test the employee skills and competencies in order to place him or her at the right place. In addition to it, it reduces the monotony of the job and gives them a wider experience and helps them gain more insights. Job rotation is a well-planned practice to reduce the boredom of doing same type of job everyday and explore the hidden potential of an employee. The process serves the purpose of both the management and the employees. It helps management in discovering the talent of employees and determining what he or she is best at. On the other hand, it gives an individual a chance to explore his or her own interests and gain experience in different fields or operations.

Job Rotation Objectives

• Reducing Monotony of the Job: The first and foremost objective of job rotation is to reduce the monotony and repetitiveness involved in a job. It allows employees to experience different type of jobs and motivates them to perform well at each stage of job replacement.
• Succession Planning: The concept of succession planning is ‘Who will replace whom’. Its main function of job rotation is to develop a pool of employees who can be placed at a senior level when someone gets retired or leaves the organization. The idea is to create an immediate replacement of a high-worth employee from within the organization.
• Creating Right-Employee Job Fit: The success of an organization depends on the on-job productivity of its employees. If they’re rightly placed, they will be able to give the maximum output. In case, they are not assigned the job that they are good at, it creates a real big problem for both employee as well as organization. Therefore, fitting a right person in right vacancy is one of the main objectives of job rotation.
• Exposing Workers to All Verticals of the Company: Another main function of job rotation process is to exposing workers to all verticals or operations of the organization in order to make them aware how company operates and how tasks are performed. It gives them a chance to understand the working of the organization and different issues that crop up while working.
• Testing Employee Skills and Competencies: Testing and analyzing employee skills and competencies and then assigning them the work that they excel at is one of the major functions of job rotation process. It is done by moving them to different jobs and assignments and determining their proficiency and aptitude. Placing them what they are best at increases their on-job productivity.
• Developing a Wider Range of Work Experience: Employees, usually don’t want to change their area of operations. Once they start performing a specific task, they don’t want to shift from their comfort zone. Through job rotation, managers prepare them in advance to have a wider range of work experience and develop different skills and competencies. It is necessary for an overall development of an individual. Along with this, they understand the problems of various departments and try to adjust or adapt accordingly.

Job rotation is a well planned management approach that is beneficial both for employees and management.

Benefits of Job Rotation

Job rotation is considered as an effective tool for successful implementation of HR strategy. It is about settling employees at the right place where they can deliver the maximum results. In today’s highly competitive world, this can be proved as the best strategy to find the immediate replacement of a high-worth employee from within the organization. Finding the most suitable people and shifting them to take on the responsibilities of a higher level is a tough task. Job rotation helps HR managers determine who can be replaced by whom and create a suitable and beneficial fit. A properly planned and carried job rotation process plays an essential role in strengthening the position of an organization and helps it deal with uncertain and tentative outer environment. Let’s discuss the benefits of job rotation process at length in order to realize its importance and the potential:

Benefits of Job Rotation

• Helps Managers Explore the Hidden Talent: Job Rotation is designed to expose employees to a wider range of operations in order to assist managers in exploring their hidden talent. In the process, they are moved through a variety of assignments so that they can gain awareness about the actual working style of the organization and understand the problems that crop up at every stage. Through this process, managers identify what a particular employee is good at and accordingly he or she is assigned a specific task.
• Helps Individuals Explore Their Interests: Sometimes, employees are not aware of what would like to do until they have their hands on some specific job. If their job is rotated or they are exposed to different operations, they can identify what they are good at and what they enjoy doing. They get a chance to explore their interests and hidden potential.
• Identifies Knowledge, Skills and Attitudes: Job Rotation helps managers as well as individuals identify their KSA (Knowledge, Skills and Attitudes). It can be used in determining who needs to improve or upgrade his or skills in order to perform better. This helps in analyzing training and development needs of employees so that they can produce more output.
• Motivates Employees to Deal with New Challenges: When employees are exposed to different jobs or assigned new tasks, they try to give their best while effectively dealing with the challenges coming their way. It encourages them to perform better at every stage and prove that they are no less than others. This gives rise to a healthy competition within the organization where everyone wants to perform better than others.
• Increases Satisfaction and Decreases Attrition Rate: Exposing employees to different tasks and functions increase their satisfaction level. Job variation reduces the boredom of doing same task every day. Moreover, it decreases attrition rate of the organization. Employees develop a sense of belongingness towards the organization and stick to it till long.
• Helps Align Competencies with Requirements: Alignment of competencies with requirements means directing the resources when and where they are required. It assesses the employees and places them at a place where their skills, competencies and caliber are used to the highest possible extent.

Job rotation is an alternative to reduce the boredom caused due to repetitiveness of tasks and revive their willingness to handle a job and challenges involved in it with same excitement and zeal.

Job Enrichment - Meaning and its Benefits

Organizations are increasingly facing the heat of attrition, which is not good to health of the same. Lots of time, money and resources are spent into training an individual for a particular job and when he / she leaves the return on that investment equals null. Often it is not for the money that people leave; that may be the reason with the frontline staff but as we move towards the upper levels of organizational hierarchy, other reasons gain prominence. Many of those who quit their jobs complain of their jobs as uninteresting! All this has compelled organizations to think of ways to make the job they offer interesting. Lots of efforts are made to keep monotony at bay; job enrichment is one of them. It is the process of making a job more interesting, challenging and satisfying for the employees. It can either be in the form of up gradation of responsibilities, increase in the range of influence and the challenges.

How does an Organization Enrich a Job

Typically job enrichment involves combining various existing and new tasks into one large module of work. The work is then handed over to an employee, which means there is an increase in responsibilities and scope. This increase in responsibility is often vertical. The idea is to group various tasks together such that natural work units are created.

In addition expanding jobs vertically also gives employee direct control over works units and employees that were formerly under the jurisdiction of top management only. While on one hand this increases the ownership of the employees in their work, it also relieves the unnecessary burden from the top management.

Job enrichment also opens up a feedback channel for the employees. Employees are frequently apprised of their performance. This keeps them on track and helps them know their weak and strong points. Performance standards are set for the employees themselves and future performances are matched against the benchmarks. All this without any serious intervention or involvement of the top management!

In a certain bank that dealt with commercial credit letters for import and export trade, the employees processed the documents in a sequence with each employee being specialized for certain aspect of verification. Often it so happened that a mistake at preceding level lead to a series of mistakes at succeeding level. Errors accumulated at each level and this result in huge loss of productivity.

The organization decided to go for job enrichment where each employee or clerk was specialized in all aspects of processing. Each employee was now able to handle a client on his own. After some time it was found out that the transaction volume increased by 100 percent!

Benefits of Job Enrichment

Research studies on job enrichment found out decreased levels of absenteeism among the employees, reduced employee turnover and a manifold increase in job satisfaction. There are certain cases however where job enrichment can lead to a decrease in productivity, especially when the employees have not been trained properly. Even after the training the process may not show results immediately, it takes time to reflect in the profit line.

Job Enlargement - Meaning and its Benefits to the Organization

Job enlargement is a job design technique wherein there is an increase in the number of tasks associated with a certain job. In other words, it means increasing the scope of one’s duties and responsibilities. The increase in scope is quantitative in nature and not qualitative and at the same level. Job enlargement is a horizontal restructuring method that aims at increase in the workforce flexibility and at the same time reducing monotony that may creep up over a period of time. It is also known as horizontal loading in that the responsibilities increase at the same level and not vertically. Many believe that since the enlargement is horizontal in nature there is not a great need for training! Contrary to this, job enlargement requires appropriate training especially on time and people management. Task related training is not required much since the person is already aware of the same or doing it for some time.

Benefits of Job Enlargement

The following are the major benefits of Job enlargement

1.      Reduced Monotony: Howsoever interesting the job may appear in the beginning, sooner or later people complain of boredom and monotony. Job enlargement if planned carefully can help reduce boredom and make it more satisfying and fulfilling for the employees.

2.      Increased Work Flexibility: There is an addition to the number of tasks an individual performs. There is thus an increased scope of carrying out tasks that are versatile and yet very similar in certain aspects.

3.      No Skills Training Required: Since the individual has already been performing the task in the past, there is no great requirement for imparting of new skills. However people and time management interventions may be required. The job thus gets more motivational for the one performing it.

Job Enrichment and Job Enlargement

1.      The difference between job enrichment and job enlargement is essentially of quantity and quality. Whereas job enlargement means increasing the scope of job quantitatively by adding up more tasks, job enrichment means improvement in the quality of job such that employees are more satisfied and fulfilled.

2.      Through job enrichment an employee finds satisfaction and contentment in his job and through job enlargement employee feels more responsible and worthwhile in the organization.

3.      Job enrichment entails the functions of planning and organizing and enlargement involves execution of the same. Both complement each other, in that job enrichment empowers and enlargement executes.

4.      Job enrichment depends upon job enlargement for success and the reverse in not true.

5.      Job enrichment means a vertical expansion in duties and responsibilities and span of control whereas in job enlargement the expansion is horizontal in nature.

Job enrichment has been found to have greater impact in terms of motivation when compared to job enlargement. Since enrichment gives employee greater insights in managerial functioning and a better work profile, it is looked upon as an indicator of growth and development. The same is not true in case of job enlargement which is seen as an employer tactic to increase the workload.