Chapter 2 - Job Analysis Flashcards
How is job analysis used for all HR functions?
- wage setting
- recruitment
- training
- performance management
- job redesign
Define job analysis
Systematic study of a job to discover its specifications and skill requirements
Define job (in the context of the course).
GROUP of related ACTIVITIES and DUTIES may be held by one or several employees
Define position (in the context of the course).
collection of TASKS and RESPONSIBILITIES performed by an individual
What are the 10 HRM activities that rely on job analysis?
- careful study of jobs to improve employee productivity levels
- elimination of unnecessary job requirements that can cause discrimination in employment
- creation of job ads to generate a pool of qualified applicants
- matching job applicants to job requirements
- planning of future HR requirements
- determination of employee onboarding and training needs
- fair and equitable compensation of employees
- identification of realistic and challenging performance standards
- redesign of jobs to improve performance, morale, and quality of work life
- fair and accurate appraisal of employee performance
What are the 3 phases of job analysis?
- PREPARATION for job analysis
- COLLECTION of job analysis info
- USE of job analysis info
How many steps are in phase 1 of job analysis?
3 steps
what are the steps in phase 1 of job analysis?
Step 1: become familiar with the organization and its jobs
Step 2: determine uses of job analysis info
Step 3: identify jobs to be analyzed
What are the steps in phase 2 of job analysis?
Step 4: determine sources of job data
Step 5: identify data required
Step 6: choose method of data collection
What are the 2 types of sources for job data?
Human and nonhuman
What are examples of human sources?
- job incumbents
- supervisors
- job experts
- work colleagues
- subordinates
- customers
What are examples of nonhuman sources?
- existing job descriptions and specifications
- equipment design blueprints
- equipment maintenance manuals and records
- training and safety manuals
- organization charts and other company records
- national occupational classification (NOC)
- videos supplied by appliance/machine manufacturers
- professional journals/publications
- internet sources
What are the 6 kinds of data may be identified in step 5 (phase 2)?
- job identification
- duties
- responsibilities
- human characteristics
- working conditions
- performance standards
What data falls under job identification?
- job analysis date
- job title
- department
- reports to
- NOC code
- job analysis process
- verification signature
What data falls under duties?
- job summary
- list of duties and the proportion of time each involves
- what constitutes a successful performance of each one of these duties
What data falls under responsibilities?
- decision-making authority
- supervisory responsibility
- equipment operation
- safety
- travel
What data falls under human characteristics?
- physical attributes or skills necessary to perform the job and how important they are (talking, walking, lifting, reading, writing, money skill, height, arithmetic, etc)
- education or training requirements
- outline the experience required for the job
- describe equipment used
What data falls under working conditions?
- environmental conditions and physical surroundings (weather, extreme hot or cold, wet/humid, noise, vibration, atmosphere, confined work environment)
- describe safety and health features (hazard exposure, safety training and equipment requirements)
What data falls under performance standards?
- describe how performance in the job is measured
- describe identifiable factors that contribute to successful performance on the job
What are the main methods of data collection?
- interviews
- focus groups
- questionnaires
- employee logs
- observation
- combinations
What are the 4 standardized questionnaires in the text?
- occupational info network (O*NET)
- position analysis questionnaire (PAQ)
- functional job analysis questionnaire (FJA)
- critical incident method (CIM)
Explain O*NET.
generic questionnaires for specific domains
Explain PAQ.
designed to apply to all types of jobs, but shown to be more useful for lower level jobs
Explain FJA.
aimed to classify jobs based on types and amount of responsibility for people, data, and things.
identifies performance standards and training requirements
Explain CIM.
behaviourally focused description of work and related performance standards (differentiate between excellent and poor performance)
According to the textbook diagram, rank data collection methods from most frequent to least frequent.
most: questionnaires
2nd most: interviews
3rd most: observation
4th most: focus groups
5th most: employee logs
note combination is not included for obvious reasons
What is a job description?
written statement that explains the duties, working conditions, and other aspects of a specified job
What are the main ideas in phase 3?
- job descriptions
- job specifications
- job performance standards
- competency models
What falls under job description?
- job identity
- job summary
- duties and responsibilities
- working conditions
- approvals
Define job identity.
includes a job title, job location, job code and grade, whether or not there is overtime exemptions
what is job code?
uses numbers, letters, or both to provide a quick summary of the job
What is a job specification?
includes human knowledge, skills, abilities, etc (KSAOs) neccessary to the job
What else falls under job specifications?
also includes experience, specific tools, actions, education and training required, mental and physical demands on job holders
Plus what is included in the definition of job specification
What are the 2 functions of job performance standards?
- performance level expected form an employee
- standards are criteria against which job success is measured
What are the sources of standards?
- job analysis info
- alternative sources
When is job analysis info sufficient for job performance standards?
- performance is quantified
- performance is easily measurable
- performance standards are understood by workers and supervisors
- performance requires little interpretation
What is a competency model (framework)?
a group of competencies required in a particular job (usually 10-15 competencies is normal)
Who can competency models be designed for?
- individuals
- specific jobs
- team
- work units
- entire organization
What is a competency?
knowledge, skills, ability, or behaviour associated with success on the job
Beyond the scope of KSAOs (ex: communication)
What is a competency matrix?
list of the level of each competency required for several jobs at an organization
What are the 3 major differences between competency-based job analysis and other forms of job analysis?
- competencies might be job spanning (contribute to success on multiple jobs) within the organization
- job-spanning competencies vary in importance across job roles
- competencies contribute to job performance AND success of the organization
What are the 5 key considerations for effective job design?
- organizational considerations
- ergonomic considerations
- employee considerations
- job specialization considerations
- environmental considerations
What are the main ideas in organizational considerations?
- efficiency
- work flow
Explain high task efficiency.
achieving maximum output with minimal input
What strategy is suggested to improve efficiency?
task specialization
Explain the work flow in organizational considerations.
sequence of and balance between jobs in an organization needed to produce the firms goods and services
How is work flow influenced?
by the nature of the good or service
Explain ergonomics
considers the physical relationship between the worker and the work
Ergonomics can lead to which significant improvements?
- efficiency and productivity
- workplace safety
Connect employees and tasks through ergonomics.
ergonomic considerations fits the task to the worker rather than forcing employees to adapt to the task
What are the 5 characteristics that fall under employee considerations?
- autonomy
- variety
- task identity
- feedback
- task significance
DIAGRAM OF JOB CHARACTERISTIC MODEL
Define autonomy in relation to this course. (employee considerations)
Having control over one’s work and response to work environment
Define variety in relation to this course. (employee considerations)
opportunity to use different skills or perform different activities
Define task identity in relation to this course. (employee considerations)
feeling of responsibility or pride from doing an entire piece of work
Define feedback in relation to this course. (employee considerations)
info that helps evaluate success or failure
Define task significance in relation to this course. (employee considerations)
knowing that one’s work is important
What is a potential consequence of minimal or no variety?
boredom
What are the main ideas in job specialization considerations?
- job rotation (move from job to job)
- job enlargement (expands number of related tasks in a job)
- job enrichment (adds new sources of needs satisfaction to jobs - increases responsibility, autonomy, and control)
- employee involvement and work teams
What is the difference between vertical loading and horizontal loading?
vertical: increasing responsibility, autonomy, and control (aka job enrichment)
horizontal: adds more related tasks (aka job enlargement)
What are the main ideas in environmental considerations?
- workplace availability
- social expectations
- work practices
What is workforce availability?
abilities and availability of the people who will do the work
What are social expectations?
expectations of larger society and workers
What are work practices?
set ways of performing work
