Human Resource Management – Part 3

Job Analysis

It is the process to hire a person and determine the duties and skill requirements for a particular job position.

Job Description

It is one product of job analysis, a list of a job’s duties, responsibilities, reporting relationships, working conditions, and supervisory responsibilities.

Job Specifications

It is another product of job analysis, a list of a job’s “human requirements,” that is, the requisite education, skills, personality, and so on.

Some types of information need to collect to conduct a job analysis, these include:

• Work activities (e.g. cleaning etc.)
• Human behaviors (e.g. deciding, writing, etc.)
• Machines, tools, equipment, and work aids
• Performance standards (To evaluate later)
• Job context (physical conditions, schedules)
• Human requirements

Usage of Job Analysis Information

The information collected during job analysis can be used for multiple purposes such as:

• Recruitment and Selection
• Compensation
• Performance Appraisal
• Training
• Discovering Unassigned Duties

The information can be used in below-mentioned steps:

1. Decide how you’ll use the information.
2. Review relevant background information.
3. Select representative positions.
4. Actually analyze the job.
5. Verify the job analysis information.
6. Develop a job description and job

Organization chart

Organization Chart is a flowchart that displays the organization-wide distribution of work, with titles of each position and interconnecting lines that show reporting and communication framework.

Process chart

Process Chart is a work flow chart that shows the flow of inputs to and outputs from a particular job.

Methods of Collecting Job Analysis Information:

1. Interview

• Information sources
  • Individual employees
  • Groups of employees
  • Supervisors with knowledge of the job
• Advantages
  • The quick, direct way to find overlooked information.
• Disadvantages
  • Distorted information
• Interview formats
  • Structured (Checklist)
  • Unstructured
• Guidelines for Interview
  • Supervisor and the job analyst should work together to recognize the workers who know the job best.
  • Establish a quick connection with the interviewee.
  • Follow a structured guide or checklist, one that lists open-ended questions and provides space for answers.
  • Ask the worker to list his or her duties in order of importance and frequency of occurrence.
  • Review and verify the data after completing the interview.

2. Questionnaires

• Information source
  • Questionnaires shall be filled out by employees to describe their job-related duties and responsibilities.
• Questionnaire formats
  • Structured checklists
  • Opened-ended questions
• Advantages
  • Fast and proficient way to gather information from large numbers of employees
• Disadvantages
  • Expense and time used up in preparing and testing the questionnaire

3. Observation

• Information source
  • Observing and noting the physical activities of employees during them go about their jobs.
• Advantages
  • Provides first-hand information
  • Reduces distortion of information
• Disadvantages
  • Time-consuming
  • Difficulty in capturing the entire job cycle
  • Of little use, if a job involves a high level of mental activity

4. Participant Diary/Logs

• Information source
  • Workers keep a sequential diary/ log of what they do and the time spent in each activity.
• Advantages
  • Generates a more comprehensive picture of the job
  • Employee involvement
• Disadvantages
  • Misrepresentation of information
  • Depends upon employees to perfectly recall their activities

Job Analysis Quantitative Techniques

• Position Analysis Questionnaire (PAQ)
  • A questionnaire used to collect quantifiable data concerning the duties and responsibilities of various jobs.
  • The PAQ comprises six divisions, with each division containing numerous job elements. The divisions include:
    Information input – Where and how does the worker get information to do the job?

Mental process – What levels of reasoning are necessary for the job?

Work output – What physical activities are performed?

Relationships with others – What kind of relationships are required to perform the job?

Job context – What working conditions and social contexts are involved?

Other – What else is relevant to the job?

• Department Of Labor (DOL)
  • A standardized procedure by which different jobs can be quantitatively rated, classified, and compared.
• Functional job analysis
  • FJA takes into account the magnitude to which instructions, reasoning, judgment, mathematical and verbal ability are compulsory for performing job tasks.

Also, visit Human Resource Management – Part 1

Also, visit Human Resource Management – Part 2