The Job Characteristics Model of Hackman and Oldham - Assignment Example

As a Manager, before I can increase the motivating potential of a job, I must first be able to evaluate the job on hand.  I must first find out what areas in the current work assignments of the employees do not satisfy them.  I can achieve this by conducting a survey or interviewing the employees concerned.  After finding out the areas which need improvement, I can then plan the job enrichment process in consultation with the employees themselves.

            Using the Hackman and Oldham model, I will focus on the five core job characteristics.  First is the variety of skills.  I will try to introduce a variety of skills and talents needed to accomplish a job.  A caveat though is not to make it too many as to overwhelm the employee and not to make it too few that it might bore him.  For example, if an employee works in an assembly line, I can implement job rotations in the assembly line to allow the employee to complete several different tasks on a scheduled work day.  I will also consult with my employees to ask their suggestions on how they can accomplish their jobs using different skills.  Another option I can do is to organize seminars or short courses which will improve further their skills and talents. 

            The next core job characteristic is task identity which is “the extent to which a job has an identified outcome, reflecting satisfaction with a sense of completeness or contribution to a task” (The Smart Work Company, n.d.).  To improve this job characteristic, I will combine work activities to provide a more complex and challenging work assignment.  The employees will then view the job from start to finish.  Expanding their roles in an entire process will make them more responsible.  I may also increase task identity by requesting the supervisors to delegate more authority and responsibility which will eventually increase a team’s autonomy and accountability.

            Task significance is another job characteristic that must be enhanced.  This deals with the degree to which a job impacts the organization.  The first step to improving task significance is by explaining to the workers the relevance of their job to the organization, no matter how minute they think the task they are doing.  As an example, I will point out to a salesman that even if he just makes one sale for the day, that single sale will greatly contribute to the quota that his team must reach. 

            Autonomy is another important aspect of job design because of the freedom to choose how and when work is done.  To improve this factor of job design, I will assign a goal for a team and give the team members the freedom to determine their work assignments, schedules, rest breaks, and even evaluation parameters.  If the task on hand permits, I can even give them a free hand to choose their team members.  This method will also develop the leadership and management skills of the employees.

            Implementing participative management may also enrich the autonomy factor of a job.  I will encourage employees to voice out their opinion on matters which affect them.  Their decision-making skills will also be advanced through this option.  I will get the employees involved in the strategic planning of the company such that they will feel that their inputs are important to the organization.  The employees will be greatly motivated if they realize that what they think and say is valued by the company.

            Feedback is the fifth factor of job design.  This factor is concerned with increasing the amount of recognition for a job well done and being able to communicate the results of one’s job.  To enhance this factor, I will increase employee-directed feedback.  I will make sure that they know how well or how poorly they performed their jobs.  I can develop an appraisal system whereby the employees can evaluate and monitor their performance.  Maybe instead of having a quality control department, I can make each team responsible for their quality control.

            Managers must realize that job enrichment is basic if they want to attract, motivate and retain efficient and effective employees.  Job enrichment is of utmost importance especially when a job is repetitive and boring such as assembly line jobs.  Managers must understand that for employees to be productive they must be first and foremost motivated.  And to keep employees motivated, jobs must be designed and enriched to make an employee perform and produce in the way the organization wants them to.