Ch. 3 - JOB Analysis Methods PDF

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CHAPTER 3 - JOB ANALYSIS METHODS What is Job Analysis? The process of defining a job in terms of its component tasks or duties and the knowledge or skills required to perform them. The foundation of much of industrial psychology. The basis for the solution to any human resource problem. [The long-term goal is to use job analysis information for selection, placement, performance appraisal, and other HR functions]. Job Analysis yields three major outcomes: 1. Job Description – a written statement of WHAT jobholders actually do, HOW they do it, and WHY they do it. Presents the task requirements of the job. From the job description comes: a. Criterion development b. Performance Appraisal c. Job design/redesign d. Training e. Other HR functions 2. Job Specifications (job specs) – a description of the people requirements (or KSAOs) needed to perform the job. From job specs comes: a. Selection b. Placement 3. Job Evaluation – a technique that attempts to determine the value or worth of particular jobs to organizations so that salaries can be set accordingly. Job evaluation is about trying to quantify differences in importance of jobs so that salaries can be set in a fair manner based on the value or contribution to the organization. Terms with specific meanings: A. Element – in job analysis, an element is the smallest unit of work activity, like pressing a button to start a machine. B. Task – a work activity that is performed to achieve a specific objective, like operating a vehicle (a collection of elements) C. Position – an individual’s place in the organization defined by the tasks performed D. Job – a collection of positions similar enough to one another to share a common job title E. KSAOs – the knowledge, skills, abilities and other characteristics that are required for successful job performance

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A.

Job-Oriented Techniques – tend to focus on tasks 1. Task Inventory Approach – task statements are generated by SMEs – used with extremely specific tasks 2. Functional Job Analysis (FJA) – highly structured standardized approach in which data are obtained about what tasks a worker does and how they are performed From Fine’s (1930) description of data, people and things, U.S. Department of Labor developed the Dictionary of Occupational Titles (DOT), consisting of narrative descriptions of tasks, duties, and working conditions of about 12,000 jobs.

B.

Worker-Oriented Techniques – focuses less on specific tasks done on the job and more on the human characteristics that contribute to successful job performance – more effective than task-focused methods if the analyst is interested in comparing across jobs, because jobs can then be compared with respect to their reliance on the various talents and abilities of the incumbents. 1. Job Element Method (JEM) (Primoff & Eyde, 1988) – designed to identify the characteristics of superior workers in a particular job. Job elements in the JEM refer to the KSAOs that are required for successful job performance. “ELEMENT” HERE REFERS TO GENERAL WORK BEHAVIORS, NOT TO THE SMALLEST UNIT OF WORK DEFINED EARLIER 2. Position Analysis Questionnaire – (PAQ) (McCormick, et al, 1972) – the bestknown job analysis method; a standardized instrument that focuses on general work behaviors. Tends to be very complex in terms of reading level, and too abstract for many workers. Also, does not seem well suited for managerial jobs. 3. Common-Metric Questionnaire (CMQ) (Harvey, 1993) – computer-based, CMQ attempts to improve the generalizability of worker-oriented approaches through the use of items focused on slightly less general work behaviors. Items are more behaviorally specific than those in the PAQ, its reading level is much lower, and it is relevant for both managerial and non-managerial jobs.

C.

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Hybrid approach – focuses simultaneously on the work AND the worker Occupational Information Network (O*NET, 2009) – aspires to identify and describe the key components of modern occupations. Not based on the FJA.

D. Strategic job analysis – an approach to job analysis that considers the status of jobs as they currently exist, but also factors in how jobs are likely to change in the future as a result of anticipated organizational or industry changes.

THE MANY PURPOSES OF JOB ANALYSIS 1. without a job analysis many HR functions would be carried out ineffectively 2. an increased emphasis on laws associated with the workplace has made it more desirable for companies to use job analysis as their first line of defense when accused of an unfair practice A Job classification – into job families Ex. Computer Support staff [a job family]: may include 1. Word Processing Specialist I 2. Word Processing Specialist II 3. Data Tech I *The more that jobs can be grouped into job families, personnel practices would be simplified B. Criterion Development and Performance Appraisal -Performance appraisal is one of the most frequent uses of job analysis data. -Criteria for the appraisal should come directly from the job analysis C. Selection and placement [There is no area of industrial psychology for which job analysis is more important than selection and placement] -A major purpose of job analysis is to help industrial psychologists identify the KSAOs (competencies) that are necessary for successful performance on the job Competency modeling is parallel to job analysis in that both involve describing jobs in a careful and methodical way so that HR practices can be based on this information. Competency modeling is more worker-oriented and job analysis more joboriented. Competency modeling may be somewhat broader in focus because it tries to build a full framework for HR functioning by defining the responsibilities, skills, knowledge, abilities, personal attributes and business challenges that are relevant for a particular organization. * Job analysis tends to be a bit more methodologically rigorous and competency modeling tends to consider organizational strategy a bit more -4-

D. Job Design and Redesign – 1. Job analysis sometimes uncovers problems with a particular job that the organizations should address. 2. Work Design Questionnaire (WDQ) is a comprehensive measure of job design to replace the incomplete and narrow existing measures that relates appropriately to various elements of the O*NET database. 3. The company can purchase newer equipment or redesign the job so that the current equipment will work more efficiently E.Training Job analysis can be used to identify areas in which training programs need to be developed JOB EVALUATION – an outcome of job analysis Point System – the most common approach to job evaluation, involves estimating the value of jobs based on points assigned to various predetermined dimensions (like compensable factors) – used to rate jobs, indicating that employees are compensated based on these factors. Examples include effort, skill, responsibility and working conditions. The more of each required, the higher the pay should be

SMEs use a job analysis to identify compensable factors Each job is assigned points by a compensation committee Points are then summed across the factors to get a total score Points are then used to assign wages, with the goal being to maintain equity so that jobs of greater value are better compensated than those of lesser value 5. the scores can be plotted against the current wage of existing jobs, providing a clear picture of whether a job is currently undercompensated, overcompensated, or adequately compensated 1. 2. 3. 4.

Doctrine of Comparable Worth – maintains that jobs of equal (or comparable) worth to the organization should be compensated equally. Equal pay Act (1963) – stipulates that men and women who do work that is equal must be compensated similarly; but there are troubles with the word equal. O*Net www.onetonline.org...