Week 2: Job Analysis

Question 1

Defining a job

Answer 1

a collection or aggregation of tasks, duties and responsibilities which as a whole, is regarded as a regular assignment to individual employees and which is different from other assignments

Question 2

A job analysis is:

Answer 2

The process of gathering, analysing and structuring information about a job’s components, characteristics, and the human attributes necessary to perform them. A “scientific method used to actually define and describe a job.” – an objective evaluation of a job.

Question 3

Job analysis is the foundation for many HRM functions such as

Answer 3

Personnel selections, performance appraisals, work health and safety and teams.

Question 4

How job analysis assists personnel selection

Answer 4

Create a list of the core skills, education, and experience needed to get the job done.” Match candidate’s knowledge, skills, abilities and other characteristics (KSAO’s) to those needed to perform the job – being a good “job-fit”

Question 5

Primary functions of job analysis:

Answer 5

Classify jobs and workers

Generate job descriptions

Inform job evaluations (i.e. value of job)

Question 6

Job classification:

Answer 6

A system for objectively and accurately defining and evaluating the duties, responsibilities, tasks, and authority level of a job. Common in larger organisations, government, and educational settings. Easier for HR to administer on a job group (e.g. lecturers) comprised of workers with similar tasks rather than just one job, at a single time. E.g. attach salary levels to job groups, KSAO’s for a job group

Question 7

What is job classification used by governments for

Answer 7

Workforce classifications (grouping jobs by their function). Informs policy through better understanding of job sectors in terms of labour supply, union representation and legislation requirements. Easier identification of the KSAOs required to successfully perform specific jobs

Question 8

DOT Classifications systems

Answer 8

Originally used for listing characteristics and requirements of jobs 
in the US; defines over 13,000 different types of work. Created by observation of workers across US. 9 broad occupations classified with sub-dimensions

Question 9

DOT is used for

Answer 9

matching skills and abilities of unemployed to jobs; identify and train inexperienced workers, assisting disabled workers, and designing new jobs

Question 10

Classification systems – O*NET

Answer 10

Replaced DOT and incorporates job and worker attributes. Example uses include identifying jobs based upon specific worker abilities or those which have a “Bright outlook”

Question 11

ANZSCO classification levels

Answer 11

Australian and New Zealand Standard Classification of Occupations
(ANZSCO). Australian and New Zealand classification model for storing, organising and reporting occupation related information

Levels of classification:
Major groups 
Sub-Major groups 
Minor Groups 
Unit Groups 
Occupations

Question 12

Job Descriptions

Answer 12

Job analysis informs job descriptions which are a concise summary of a job that includes job title, core job tasks, working conditions and conditions of employment.

Question 13

Job descriptions are used by

Answer 13

Job applicants to frame their application

Selection and interview panels to identify selection criteria

HR department to ensure fairness and selection of best person

Question 14

Job specifications

Answer 14

The human attributes required by the job or theminimal acceptable skills and characteristics required by a job incumbent in order to perform the job effectively. E.g. Excellent listening skills, work effectively in a team, positive attitude, registered with AHPRA

Question 15

Job evaluation:

Answer 15

Systematic method to assess the values or worth of a job within an organisation. Job analysis informs job evaluation

Question 16

(Very, Very) Basic Steps for a Job Analysis

Answer 16

1. Identify tasks performed
2. Write task statements.
3. Identify essential knowledge, skills, abilities and other characteristics to undertake tasks.

Question 17

Knowledge

Answer 17

Body of information required to undertake a particular task.

Question 18

Skills

Answer 18

The proficiencies needed to perform each task.

Question 19

Abilities

Answer 19

The attributes that are relatively stable over time

Question 20

Other characteristics

Answer 20

All other attributes including personality factors and physical capacities.

Question 21

The two types of methods of job analysis

Answer 21

Qualitative methods and quantitative methods

Question 22

Qualitative methods of job analysis

Answer 22

Job observation and participation

Question 23

Quantitative methods of job analysis

Answer 23

Job oriented: Functional job analysis

Worker oriented: Critical incident technique and position analysis questionnaire

Question 24

Job observation

Answer 24

Observing incumbent for a period of time

Question 25

Job observation advantages

Answer 25

1. Effective way to analyse jobs that are new or difficult to quantify
2. Allows an understanding of the work environment

Question 26

Job observation limitations

Answer 26

1. Hawthorne effect
2. Limited period of observation
3. Number of incumbents with unique tasks/requirements
4. Analyst bias

Question 27

Job participation

Answer 27

Analyst performs jobs attends training for job

Question 28

Advantages of job participation

Answer 28

1. Clarifies job requirements and task characteristics (e.g. difficulty)
2. Greater understanding of the job in context (e.g. team)

Question 29

Limitations of job participation

Answer 29

1. Time needed to undertake
2. Analyst may not have the KSAOs to perform tasks
3. Health and safety considerations

Question 30

Functional job analysis

Answer 30

Extension of DOT. Describes job tasks, incumbent KSAOs, and work organisation (e.g. use of technology, social setting)

Question 31

Critical incident technique

Answer 31

I’m not sure how much you need to know but there was a lot of information on this. Maybe have a look at the document so you can try and work out what you need to know

Question 32

Position analysis questionnaire

Answer 32

• Standardised self-report questionnaire consisting in its original incarnation of 195 items although now 300 items after revisions. Likert scale where Subject matter experts answer on a 5-point scale (0 = Does not apply; 5 = Very substantial). Job activities structured around six work behaviour categories or elements

I’m not sure if you need to know any of this but there is a lot more information on this on the document

Question 33

Reliability:

Answer 33

the degree to which measurement scores are free from random error

Question 34

4 aspects of reliability

Answer 34

Parallel forms

Test-re-test

Internal consistency

Inter-rater agreement

Question 35

Parallel forms

Answer 35

degree of association between different versions of a test

Question 36

Test-re-test

Answer 36

: degree of association on a test repeated over time (e.g. 1 day; 1 month)

Question 37

Internal consistency

Answer 37

consistency of items or subsets of items in a measure

Question 38

Inter-rater agreement

Answer 38

Level of agreement or association between raters

Question 39

Validity

Answer 39

how well a test measures what it is purported to measure.

Question 40

Two examples of validity

Answer 40

Construct validity

Content validity

Question 41

Construct validity

Answer 41

degree to which a measure assesses what is meant to measure

Question 42

Content validity

Answer 42

degree to which items accurately reflect the construct of interest

Question 43

Correlation coefficients (r):

Answer 43

A type of inferential statistic that describes the direction and strength of associations between an independent (IV) and dependent variable (DV). Important type of statistic in organisational behaviour. Can be used to assess reliability and validity

Question 44

Pearson product- movement correlation co-efficient

Answer 44

Ranges from -1.0 to +1.0 and has two components; size and direction.

Question 45

Direction

Answer 45

1. Negative sign indicates a negative relationship between IV and DV. E.g. Higher number of steps taken is associated with lower weight
2. Positive sign indicates a positive relationship between IV and DV. E.g. Increased temperature is associated with increased ice-cream purchases

Question 46

Size:

Answer 46

1. Numbers closer to -1.0 and +1.0 indicate stronger association between IV and DV
2. Numbers closer to 0 indicate weaker association between IV and DC

Question 47

Reliability and validity of JA methods

Answer 47

Job analysis should be reliable and valid. Job analysis should reliably measure what it says it should

Question 48

• Key types of reliability in job analysis

Answer 48

1. Inter-rater agreement

2. Test-re-test reliability

Question 49

Most reliable Job analysis methods

Answer 49

1. Job analysts tend to be more reliable than job incumbents
2. Test-retest lowest for the Position analysis questionnaire (PAQ) vs. other methods
3. Reliability mixed for Functional Job Analysis (FJA)

Question 50

Is the critical incident technique reliable and valid

Answer 50

Yes

Question 51

Job design

Answer 51

The way that tasks, roles and responsibilities are structured and organised within a job or work role. Assume pay as most important motivator but job design as the major influence.

Question 52

Job simplification or specialisation (scientific management)

Answer 52

Breaking down jobs into their simplest components and assigning them to employees so that each person would perform a select number of tasks in a repetitive manner. Workers react negatively and employee social motives are ignored.

Question 53

Sociotechnical systems (STS) approach to job design

Answer 53

Job design should consider both social and technical elements of work. Recognises the interactions between people and technology. Can involve autonomous work groups

Question 54

Autonomous work groups (AWGs)

Answer 54

groups of independent workers, who regulate much of their own task behaviour around relatively whole tasks. This kind of groups are also generally allowed to select and train new members, set their own work pace, supervise most of their own activities and often trade jobs among themselves. Results in positive outcomes for job satisfaction, commitment and motivation

Question 55

Job design approach

Two factor theory of motivation

Answer 55

Also, known as Motivation-Hygiene Theory. Hygiene factors when improved lead to less job dissatisfaction and motivator factors when improved lead to increased job satisfaction. Increases job enrichment

Question 56

Job enrichment

Answer 56

: entails greater responsibility and more autonomy

Question 57

Job design

Job Characteristics Model

(JCM)

Answer 57

There’s a diagram on the document. You’re amazing Sam :D

Question 58

Strong evidence for JCM

Answer 58

Positive associations between skill variety, task identify and task significance with experienced meaningfulness

Positive associations between critical psychological states of experienced meaningfulness and responsibility with job satisfaction

Question 59

Critiques of JCM

Answer 59

Subjective measurement of job characteristics

Narrow theoretical focus

Question 60

Job Design and Stress

Answer 60

Job design impacts stress and well-being in the workplace. You can have a look at the Job Demand-Control model on the document if you’d like.

Question 61

Relational Job Design

Answer 61

Designing or restructuring jobs that connect people in meaningful ways to those who benefit from the employee’s work.

Question 62

Job Design and Proactive Motivation

Answer 62

Job design can help increase employee proactive behaviour

Question 63

Proactivity

Answer 63

about making thing happen, anticipating an preventing problems, and seizing opportunities and it involves effort by the self to bring about changes on the workplace or oneself to achieve some outcome

Question 64

Proactive Motivational Model

Answer 64

On the document

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Question 65

Bottom-up proactive job design – Job Crafting

Answer 65

Job crafting refers to “the physical and cognitive changes individuals make in the task or relational boundaries of their work”. A proactive approach to job design that is bottom up.

Question 66

Job crafting model

3 types of crafting

Answer 66

1. Task: altering the type and or the number of job tasks
2. Relation: altering who the worker interacts with at work and the nature of those interactions
3. Cognitive: reframing of the work being undertaken

Through these different types of crafting, increased meaning to role is brought about that has been ‘crafted’ by the worker. Job Crafting is not always feasible; cannot apply in all roles.