3 - Job Analysis: Critical First Step in Job-Based Pay Systems

Question 1

if pay is to be based on work performed, some way is needed to discover and describe the differences and similarities among jobs—observation alone is not enough. __________ is that necessary systematic method

Answer 1

Job analysis

Question 2

the process for constructing a work-related internal structure begins by looking at _________.

Job-based structures look at what people are doing and expected ______;

skill- and competency-based structures look at the ______.

Answer 2

people at work

outcomes

person

Question 3

_________ is the systematic process of collecting information that identifies similarities and differences in the work.

Answer 3

job analysis

Question 4

Five major issues in designing a job analysis are:

(1) Why are we ______ job analysis?
(2) What ______ do we need?
(3) How should we ______ it?
(4) Who should be _______?
(5) How useful are the _______?

Answer 4

1. performing
2. information
3. collect
4. involved
5. results

Question 5

Job analysis serves two critical functions in compensation. It establishes _____ and ______ in the content of the job, and it helps establish an internally fair and aligned _________. If jobs have equal content, then in all likelihood the pay established for them will be equal (unless they are in different geographies). If, on the other hand, the job content differs, then those differences along with the market rates paid by competitors, are parts of the rationale for paying jobs differently.

(Thus, job analysis provides managers a work-related ______ for pay differences. Employees who understand this rationale can better direct their behavior toward organization objectives. Job analysis data also helps managers defend their decisions when challenged. Job analysis can also be used to identify the skills and experience required to perform the work, which clarifies hiring, promotion and training standards. Performance evaluation criteria for employees in the jobs and jobs themselves may be redesigned based on these data.)

Answer 5

similarities and differences

job structure

rationale

Question 6

• (a) _________ is a grouping of related jobs with broadly similar content, e.g., marketing, engineering, of ce support, technical.
• (b) _______ is a group of tasks performed by one person that make up the total work assignment of that person, e.g., the position of customer support representative.
• (c) ______ is the smallest unit of analysis, a speci c statement of what a person does, e.g., answers the phone. Similar of these can be grouped into a ________. An example of would be the responsibility of ensuring that accurate information is provided to the customer.

Answer 6

• A job family
• A job
• A task
• task dimension

Question 7

The U.S. government, one of the largest users of job analysis data, has developed a step-by-step approach to conducting conventional job analysis:

(1) Step 1: Develop preliminary job _________.
Review existing documents in order to develop an initial overview of the job, its main mission, its major duties or functions and work ow patterns.

(2) Step 2: Conduct initial _______ of worksite.

(3) Step 3: Conduct ________.
should be conducted with the first-level supervisor who is considered to be in a better position than the jobholders to provide an overview of the job and how the major duties t together.

(4) Step 4: Conduct ______ of worksite.
designed to clarify, confirm and otherwise refine the information developed in the interviews.

(5) Step 5: ________ job information.
involves piecing together into one coherent and comprehensive job description the data obtained from several sources: supervisor, jobholders, on-site tours and written materials about the job.

(6) Step 6: ________ job information.
involves bringing all the interviewees together for the purpose of determining if the consolidated job description is accurate and complete. The veri cation process is conducted in a group setting

Answer 7

information

tour

interviews

second tour

Consolidate

Verify

Question 8

Job titles, departments, the number of people who hold the job, and whether it is exempt from the Fair Labor Standards Act are examples of information that _______

Answer 8

identifies a job.

Question 9

Job content data involve identifying each task that is performed with emphasis on the _________ of each task. For example, for an information technology (IT) position under the category of Perform Communication Activities, a job analysis questionnaire will collect data on whether the job requires the technician to read technical information to keep current on the industry or to attend meetings to review project status and how much time is spent on performing the specific task. Compiling data on each task reveals the actual work performed and its outcome. Other data gathered for job content purposes include information on constraints on actions, performance criteria, critical incidents, con icting demands, working conditions and roles (e.g., negotiator, monitor, leader).

Answer 9

objective

Question 10

The employee data are categorized as employee characteristics, ________ relationships and ________ relationships. Employee characteristics can be classified as professional/technical knowledge and manual, verbal, written, quantitative, mechanical, conceptual, managerial, leadership and interpersonal skills.

Answer 10

Internal

External

Question 11

The Americans with Disabilities Act requires that essential elements of a job, those that cannot be ________ to other workers, must be ________ for jobs. If a job applicant can perform these essential elements, it is assumed that the applicant can perform the job. After that, reasonable accommodations must be made to enable an otherwise-qualified handicapped person to perform those elements. The difficulty of specifying essential elements varies with the discretion in the job and with the stability of the job. Technology changes tend to make some tasks easier for all people, including those with disabilities, by reducing the physical strength or mobility required to do them.

Answer 11

reassigned

specified

Question 12

Broadly defined jobs can accommodate ________ employees to other tasks that fall within the same broad range without the need for job transfer requests and wage adjustments. However, combining jobs into a broad category has its disadvantages. reducing the number of job titles may reduce the opportunities for an organization to reinforce ______________.

Answer 12

switching

positive employee behavior

Question 13

The most common way to collect job information is to ask the people who are doing a job to complete a ________. Sometimes an analyst will interview the jobholders and their supervisors to be sure that they understand the questions and that the information is correct. Or the analyst may observe the person at work and take notes on what is being done. The advantage of this and interviews is that the involvement of employees increases their understanding of the process. However, the results are only as good as the people involved. If important aspects of a job are omitted, or if the jobholders themselves do not realize or are unable to express the importance of certain aspects to an organization, it will be difficult to expect a single analyst to understand all the different types of work and the importance of certain job aspects. Different people have different perceptions, which may result in differences in interpretations and emphasis. The whole process is open to bias and ______. As a result of this potential subjectivity, as well as the huge amount of time the process takes, conventional methods have given way to more ________ (and systematic) data collection.

Answer 13

questionnaire

favoritism

quantitative

Question 14

increasingly, an analyst will direct jobholders to a website where they complete a questionnaire online. such an approach is characterized as __________, since the results can be analyzed statistically. it typically asks a jobholder to assess each item for whether or not that particular item is part of their job. if it is, they are asked to rate how important it is and the amount of time spent on it.

Answer 14

quantitative job analysis (QJA)

Question 15

The principal sources of information are the ________ and ________ since expertise about the work resides with them. For key managerial/professional jobs, supervisors “_____ levels above” have also been suggested as valuable sources since they may have a more strategic understanding of how jobs fit in the overall organization. Subordinates and employees in other jobs that interface with the job under study may also be involved.

Answer 15

jobholders

supervisors

two

Question 16

The summary of the job information gathered during a job analysis is the job description. The job description provides a _______ of the job. The job is identified by title and its relationships to other jobs. The relationships demonstrate where the job ts into the organization. It shows those who are supervised by the jobholder, who supervises the jobholder and the nature of any internal and external relationships.

A _________ consists of a short paragraph that provides an overview of the job. The section on essential responsibilities elaborates on the summary. It includes the tasks with related tasks grouped into job dimensions. The job description may also include very specific standards for judging whether an essential responsibility has been met.

A final section might list the _______ necessary to be hired for the job. These are job specifications that can be used as a basis for hiring—the knowledge, skills and abilities required to adequately perform the job.

Answer 16

word picture

job summary

qualifications

Question 17

Besides defining and describing jobs, descriptions of managerial/professional jobs often include more detailed information on the nature of the job, its scope and accountability. One challenge is that an individual manager will influence the job _______.

Professional/managerial job descriptions must capture the relationship between the job, the person performing it, and the organization’s ________. Rather than emphasizing the tasks to be done, the description of a managerial/professional position should focus on the job’s _________.

Answer 17

content

objectives

accountabilities

Question 18

Some managers feel that they have no basis for making defensible, work-related decisions without utilizing job analysis. Others call the process a bureaucratic boondoggle. A large part of the disagreement centers on the issue of _______. Many organizations today are trying to become more competitive by reducing their costs. Using fewer employees to do a wider variety of tasks and jobs is part of the cost-reduction strategy. Streamlining job analysis and reducing the number of different jobs can reduce costs by making work assignments more fluid. Generic job descriptions that cover a large variety of related tasks can provide solve this, moving people among tasks without adjusting pay. Employees may be more easily matched to changes in the work flow. The importance of this in behavior is made clear to employees.

Traditional job analysis that makes fine distinctions among levels of jobs has been accused of reinforcing rigidity in the organization. Employees may refuse to do certain tasks that are not specifically spelled out in their job descriptions. On the other hand, the hierarchy and distinctions among jobs also may represent clearer paths and opportunities

Answer 18

flexibility

Question 19

_________ examines how an organization does its work: activities pursued to accomplish specific objectives for specific customers. Note that a “________” can be internal or external to the organization.

Answer 19

Supply chain analysis

customer

Question 20

_________ refers to the movement of jobs to locations beyond a country’s borders. Because of the substantial differences in hourly compensation costs across countries for manufacturing workers, historically, manual, low-skill jobs were particularly susceptible to this. However, labor costs are only part of the story. There are differences in worker productivity across various countries. In some cases, lower labor costs may be offset by productivity differences. Availability of workers with needed education and skills is another potential constraint. _______ to customers is yet another issue. Susceptibility is not limited to low-skill jobs. ________ jobs are also increasingly at risk. In general, jobs are most susceptible when inputs and outputs can easily be transmitted electronically, little interaction with others is required, little local knowledge is required and the work can be routinized.

Answer 20

Offshoring

Proximity

White-collar

Question 21

Five ways to judge job analysis are:

(1) __________—is a measure of the consistency of results among various analysts, various methods, various sources of data, or over time. Research on employee and supervisor agreement on the reliability of job analysis information is _____. For instance, time on the job may change employees’ perceptions about the job, since they may have found new ways to do it or added new tasks to the job. Quantitative job analysis helps reduce variance although in the process it may eliminate the richness or the nuances of a job.
(2) _________- examines convergence of results among sources of data and methods. If several job incumbents respond in similar ways to questionnaires, then it is considered more likely that the information they give is this.
(3) ___________— of the job analysis by employees and managers is essential. That is, buy-in is needed for the resulting job structure and pay rates. Information must be understood and perceived to accurately portray the job.
(4) _______— refers to the timeliness and the extent to which job information is up to date. Some jobs stay relatively stable over time, while others may change in important ways, even over short time periods.
(5) _______— refers to the practicality of the information collected. For pay purposes, job analysis provides the work-related information to help determine how much to pay for a job. It helps determine whether the job is similar or different from other jobs. If job analysis does this in a reliable, valid and acceptable way, then the technique is of practical use. The practical utility of all-encompassing quantitative job analysis plans is a relatively complex procedure, and analysis remains in doubt.

Answer 21

1. Reliability
   
   • mixed
2. Validity
3. Acceptability
4. Currency
5. Usefulness