Chapter 4: Job analysis and work design Flashcards
Critical incident method
Important job tasks are identified for job success (usually from a specific scenario) & vice versa.
Employee empowerment
Involving employees in their work through the process of inclusion. Gives them more control and autonomous decision-making capabilities.
Employee involvement groups
Groups of employees who frequently meet to resolve problems or offer suggestions for organizational improvement.
Employee teams
An Employee contributions technique whereby work functions are structured for groups rather than for individuals. Team members are given discretion in matters traditionally considered management prerogatives, such as process improvements, product or service development, and individual work assignments.
Ergonomics
An interdisciplinary approach to designing
equipment and systems that can be easily
and efficiently used by human beings
Flextime
Flexible working hours that permit employees the option of choosing daily starting and quitting times provided that they work a set number of hours per day or week. Provided that they work a certain number of hours or days per week.
Functional Job Analysis
Functional Job Analysis (FJA) is a systematic approach to job analysis that seeks to describe jobs in terms of the interaction between the worker and the tasks involved.
Industrial engineering
ways to make jobs technologically efficient
Job
A group of related activities and duties
Job analysis
The process of obtaining information about jobs by determining the duties, tasks, or activities of jobs through a verifiable and objective way.
Job characteristics model
A job design theory that states that three psychological states which are:
1. Experiencing meaningfulness of the work performed
2. Responsibility for work outcomes
3. Knowledge of the results of the work performed
Job crafting
Employees modify their tasks to better fit their individual strengths, passions, and motives. Examples are:
1. Hotel housekeeper who gives a personal touch to their cleaned space
2. Medical professionals discussing healthy lifestyles with patients rather than just treating them
Job description
Statements of the tasks, duties, and responsibilities of the job.
1. Must be reviewed annually to make sure they are congruent with org objectives.
2. Job specification can discriminate against applicants if it bores non-job-related specifications.
Job design
outgrowth of job analysis that improves jobs through technological and human considerations to enhance organization efficiency and employee job satisfaction.
It is based on 4 basic considerations which are:
1. Organizational objectives the job was created to fulfill
2. Behavioral concerns that influence an employee’s job satisfaction
3. Industrial engineering considerations (ways to make jobs technologically efficient.
4. Ergonomic concerns (worker’s physical & mental capabilities)
Job enrichment
Enhancing a job by adding more meaningful tasks and duties to make the work more rewarding or satisfying. There are 5 factors, which is:
1. Achievement
2. Recognition
3. Growth
4. Responsibility
5. Performance
It allows employees to:
- assume a greater role in the decision-making process
- become more involved in controlling their own work.
Job family
A group of individual jobs with similar characteristics.
Job sharing
Where 2 part-time employees perform a job that would have been done by one full-time employee (sharing a piece of pie that should’ve been made for a single person)
1. Strategy to retain 2 good employees when there is not enough finance.
2. Suitable for people with families & older workers.
Downside:
1. Need to have good communication between the 2 people.
Job specification
Statement of needed knowledge, skills, and abilities of the person who is about to perform the job. → Qualifications
Position
The different duties and responsibilities performed by only one employee
Position analysis questionnaire
The Position Analysis Questionnaire System (PAQ)
A questionnaire covering 194 different tasks that, by means of a five-point scale, seeks to determine the degree to which different tasks are involved in performing a particular job.
Task inventory analysis
Task inventory questionnaires can be tailor-made to a specific organization, unlike PAQ.
Identifying a list of tasks and their descriptions that are components of different jobs. How?:
1. Task identification
2. Task description
3. Task inventory survey form
4. Analysis
Telecommuting
Use of personal computers, networks, and other communications technology to do work in the home that is traditionally done in the workplace. Virtual office. Keys for successful telecommuting include:
- Identify jobs best suited for telecommuting
- Select responsible employees
- Establish formalized telecommuting procedures
- Begin a formal training program
- Keep telecommuters informed
- Recognize & evaluate when it is not working
Virtual teams.
Use advanced computer and telecommunications technology to link team members who are geographically dispersed.
Critical Incident Method
Important job tasks are identified for job success (usually from a specific scenario) & vice versa. It can be obtained through:
Interviews with employees or managers
Self-report statement written by employees
Functional Job Analysis
Uses an inventory of various types of work activities that can constitute any job. It is done through several steps:
1. Data Collection
2. Rating the functions
3. Description Creation
For example:
1. Identifying worker functions
2. Identifying the tools & equipment used
3. Identifying materials, products, subjects matter & services
4. Worker traits
5. Interaction with others
Competency-Based Analysis
Identify “key” competencies between the jobs activities and the worker competencies necessary to accomplish them. It can be identified through:
- Focus groups
- Surveys
- Interviews
HRIS and Job Analysis
Software programs designed specifically to analyze jobs and to write job descriptions and job specifications based on those analyses.
Common problems with Job Descriptions?
- Poorly written.
- Sometimes not updated as job duties or specifications change.
- They may violate law by containing specifications not related to job success (discriminatory).
- Limit scope of activities of the jobholder, reducing organizational flexibility.
Job Design
outgrowth of job analysis that improves jobs through technological and human considerations to enhance organization efficiency and employee job satisfaction. It is based on 4 basic considerations which are:
- Organizational objectives the job was created to fulfill
- Behavioral concerns that influence an employee’s job satisfaction
- Industrial engineering considerations (ways to make jobs technologically efficient)
- Ergonomic concerns (worker’s physical & mental capabilities)
Job Enrichment
Job Enrichment
Enhancing a job by adding more meaningful tasks and duties to make the work more rewarding or satisfying. There are 5 factors, which is:
1. Achievement
2. Recognition
3. Growth
4. Responsibility
5. Performance
It allows employees to:
assume a greater role in the decision-making process
become more involved in controlling their own work.
Job Characteristics, what are the 5 methods or factors that can help an employee achieve the desired psychological state?
- Skill variety: The job entails various different activities. Demand the use of different skills and talents by the jobholder.
- Task identity: the job requires completion and produces an identifiable piece of work.
- Task significance: the job has a substantial impact on the lives or work of other people. Internal or external
- Autonomy: The job provides independence for the individual in scheduling the work and determining the procedures to do that work
- Feedback: Individual given direct and clear information about their performances for improvement purposes
Employee Empowerment
Involving employees in their work through the process of inclusion. Gives them more control and autonomous decision-making capabilities. Examples are:
- Toyota pulled the “andon cord”.
- Zappos no script customer representative.
Job Crafting
Employees modify their tasks to better fit their individual strengths, passions, and motives. Examples are:
- Hotel housekeeper who gives personal touch to their cleaned space
- Medical professional discussing healthy lifestyle with patients other than just treating them
What is Industrial Engineering Considerations?
A field of study concerned with analyzing work methods and establishing time standards. Studies work cycles to determine which elements can be modified to reduce the time needed to complete the work cycle. (efficient)
Examples are Hockey Hub vaccine clinic being the most efficient out of all methods
IE focuses on optimizing efficiency by reducing the time needed to perform a job, which can backfire by decreasing job satisfaction for employees, which may actually reduce productivity. It is important to strike a balance between the 2 and be mindful.
Ergonomic Considerations
An interdisciplinary approach to designing equipment and systems that can be easily and efficiently used by human beings.
How can job crafting be done?
- Add tasks that is meaningful to them
- Reframe relationship with colleagues or customers
- Change cognition in how they perceive their job.
Job carving
Jobs are adjusted and tailored by employers to accommodate individuals with disability.
What is the point of group synergy?
Collaboration between 2 or more employees produces greater result compared to the sum of those employees working individually
What is employee involvement groups?
Employee Involvement Groups
Groups of employees frequently meet to resolve problems or offer suggestions for organizational improvement. The process is:
1. Brainstorm job-related problems
2. Gather data and generate solutions
3. Communicate solutions to management
If successful, they are credited for the solution.
To make an EIG successful, they must receive
Comprehensive training in:
- Problem identification
- Problem analysis
- Statistical analysis
What is the most important in improving employee’s team effectiveness?
Psychological Safety: members of the team felt safe, they would voice their opinions and ask judge-free questions. A “safe zone” where every voice can be heard.
Job characteristics: 3 psychological states
- Meaningfulness of the work performed
- Responsibility for work outcomes
- Knowledge of the results of the work performed
Job characteristics: job outcomes
- Improved work performance
- Increased internal motivation
- Lower absenteeism and turnover
Types of flexible work schedules
- Compressed workweek
- Flextime
What is flextime?
Flexible working hours that permit employees the option of choosing daily starting and quitting times provided that they work a set number of hours per day or week. Provided that they work a certain number of hours or days per week.
Job sharing
Where 2 part-time employees perform a job that would have been done by one full-time employee (sharing a piece of pie that should’ve been made for a single person)
- Strategy to retain 2 good employees when there is not enough finance.
- Suitable for people with families & older workers.
- Need to have good communication between the 2 people.
Telecommuting
Use of personal computers, networks, and other communications technology to do work in the home that is traditionally done in the workplace. Virtual office. Keys for successful telecommuting include:
- Identify jobs best suited for telecommuting
- Select responsible employees
- Establish formalized telecommuting procedures
- Begin a formal training program
- Keep telecommuters informed
- Recognize & evaluate when it is not working
Forms of employee teams
- Cross-functional team
A group staffed with a mix of specialists. - Project team
A group formed specifically to design a new product or service - Self-directed team
A group of highly trained individuals performing sets of interdependent job tasks.
They have autonomous and consensus decision making to solve problems and/or do their job. - Task force team
A task force formed by management to immediately resolve a major problem - Process improvement team
Made up of experienced people to enhance productivity in processes that affect all departments involved. → Appointed by management.
