Job Analysis as the Backbone of an Organizations Efforts to Meet Its Objectives - Research Paper Example

?Running head: JOB ANALYSIS Job Analysis Job Analysis Analysis of a job position is the mainstay of the human resource department in any organization as it covers all aspects; from the job description which is important in recruiting the best possible employee to filling a position; evaluation of employee performance; salaries to be paid according to employment position; and finally the employee training and development plan. Kleiman (2000) reckons that job analysis is a key component of human resource management arguing that although it seems like a consuming activity the ultimate results are facilitation of the manager’s job, protection of the organization and even gaining competitive advantage over rivals. Quirin (1991) defines job analysis as a systematic approach for the collection of information regarding a job including roles, responsibilities and the skills required to perform those tasks. It is an important part of planning in human resource enabling the manager to determine job necessities, needed tools and skills, supervision of the employees and their interaction with the management. This paper focuses on all the elements of job analysis, based on the statement that job analysis is the backbone of an organization’s efforts to meet its vision, mission and objectives. Based on the contingency theory of organizational behavior, a job analysis of my immediate former position will be made in a bid to ensure that it is filled and operated satisfactorily. Organizational Behavior Theory Guiding this Job Analysis: Contingency Theory This is a radical shift from both the classical and neoclassical theories of organizational behavior in terms of its view on conflict at the workplace. While the two are focused on avoiding conflict since it interferes with equilibrium in the organization, contingency theory recognizes the fact that conflict is virtually inescapable, but manageable at the same time. Thus, organizations naturally evolve and adapt to meet their strategic needs through actions that are rational and sequential. Effectiveness is a key component in dealing with changes in the environment (Walonick, 1993; Chandler, 1962; Lawrence & Lorsch, 1969). This is the most applicable theory in job analysis since it provides for adaptability and variation in all aspects of a job, especially considering the fact that a job description should be able to accommodate uniqueness. Creating a job description that meets the specific objectives of the organization is preferable than copying what is already being used in other firms. Aspects to be analyzed for the Job Job analysis is aimed at collection of information about the job. To begin with information will be gathered concerning the specific duties and tasks required by the job. A review of any possible physical requirements according to the environment of the job will then be done since the working conditions may not be accommodative to all people. The tools and equipment used will then be explored in detail, followed by establishing the inter-relationships of the position with superior, equal and junior staff. Finally, the requirements of the job from a prospective recruit will then be analyzed in terms of knowledge, skills and abilities (Branick and Edward, 2002). Job Description Several methods can be used to collect information for a job description including interviewing the incumbents and supervisors, observation, structured or open questionnaires and exploration of work logs among others (McNamara, 2010). A lot of these methods will not be applicable in this case since I am the incumbent. I will utilize the knowledge I have from my previous position to create a job description. Importantly, I will utilize Gibb’s Reflective Cycle that will enable me to reflect on my entire service for that position, coming up with an evaluation of the things I did well, where I went wrong and finally the best course of action I would undertake if I was to find myself in similar position (Jasper, 2003). The other method is to interview my former supervisor and then use a questionnaire to gather information on what fellow staff and clients would expect from the position. The job description will include information on the knowledge, skills and abilities (KSAs) required for the job, the essential roles/responsibilities and the extra activities the job holder will undertake, any necessary special skills required for the position, the level of experience required for the position, the personal characteristics of the prospective employee for the job, the credentials that this particular job requires in a candidate, the supervisor or whom the position in question reports to and the junior staff the position will be required to handle if necessary, and finally whether the position is full or part time. These job descriptions will be tailor-made for the position from the information collected in the job analysis done earlier. Recruitment After developing the job description, it will be used to develop a recruitment plan and selection of the best possible candidate to fill the position. The first plan of the recruitment plan is to decide on how to fill the position-that is whether internally or externally (Kleiman, 2000). I will make the decision on this after first considering the qualifications of the candidates available internally, and their potential to meet the needs as specified by the job description. Some of the considerations in this area include the potential internal candidates’ performance profiles, the level of training and development they have undergone, leadership skills and teamwork skills. In the absence of a qualified internal candidate the position will be advertised externally. The next step in the recruitment plan is the selection strategy to settle on the target population; whether to narrow down on a certain category or all of the qualified population based on the job description (Collins & Han, 2004). I will prefer narrowing down the search for the potential candidates to the required category instead of the entire rigorous process of multiple-level interviews and eliminations, as this will be the main purpose for developing a specific job description. To circle down on the desired portion of the qualified candidates, certain aspects of the job description will be used for example the experience and special skills and trainings undertaken. Notification of the target population will then be done. If an internal recruitment is to be done, internal memos will be used to notify the potential candidates. A detailed job advertisement based on the job description will be used to notify external target groups in the population. This will be through print media, radio and television while keeping in mind the costs, nature of target population and the laws regarding such an activity. Notification will be followed by evaluation of the most qualified candidates who would have applied for the position. The methods of selection of the employees that will be used include invitation to an interview, aptitude tests and personality tests. Reference for background checking will also be utilized. All of these will serve to determine the extent to which the candidates who will have presented themselves possess the KSAs, and whether they have any limiting traits towards the job. All the necessary information about the company will be communicated at all times to the candidates so as to ensure they understand everything about the company. The validity of the selection process will thus have been achieved. The selection of the candidate will be based on not only demonstration of possession of the KSAs but also their work habits, presence or absence of dysfunctional behavior, and finally the synchrony between the candidate’s objectives and profile with those of the organization. All the applicants will finally have a rating which will determine the best suited for the position. A probationary period of six months will be set upon the selected candidate to guarantee against the validity of the recruitment process. The process will conform to legal requirements and best practices in the industry especially in demonstration that the organization is an equal opportunity employer. I expect that after this process, the most qualified candidate will have been selected for the job. Remuneration The salary package that will be given to the successful employee will be influenced by a number of reasons. To begin with, the basis of determination will be on what the previous job holder had been earning in order to come up with a figure to work around (my previous salary). One of the factors that will determine the alterations made to the given figure is the level of KSAs possessed by the employee, the experience demonstrated and the performance that can be achieved by the employee. The selection process I will use will recruit the best there is in the market, and a deserved salary package will be one of the ways to retain the employee in the institution since he or she will be deemed an asset to us. Other factors that will determine the final figure granted to the selected employee are the legal and union considerations. It is the will of the organization to respect the laws of the state in terms of employee remuneration, alongside considering the demands of labor unions if any. This will be balanced out by the organizational budget for the position and the cost effectiveness and sustainability of the pay package. The package granted to the successful employee should be one that the organization can manage, alongside weighting against the role served by the position in the overall picture of the organization. The pay given to the employee will also take into consideration the prevailing inflationary dynamics. This means that it will be raised to guard against the effects of inflation on the purchasing power of the employee. Other determinants of the final figure include the most recent salary surveys and rival remuneration packages as can be obtained through the media. Overall, the figure I will present will be based on my previous salary and subject to the organization’s policy with regards to salary reviews. Training and Development The importance of employee development cannot be overstated with regard to what it brings to the organization. It keeps the employee up-to-date with the most recent ideas, technologies and skills, which serve to improve their productivity thus ultimately benefiting the organization. It is also a special tool for use by the human resource department in terms of employee motivation and job satisfaction which lead to employee retention and increased productivity as earlier stated. The ideal and most effective format of training that an organization can adopt is curriculum-based, where a long term and integrated approach is used to train the employee on several related and relevant courses over a given period of time. This is preferable in comparison to a one-off event that seeks to address a specific need (Philips, 2010). The training and development that the selected employee will undergo will be in two forms. To begin with, the probationary period will serve as a period of training and acquainting with the organization’s ideals and the responsibilities set upon him or her. Under my supervision, the employee will be trained on all the requisite skills for the position depending on what they already know and what needs to be added to their expertise in order to meet the job requirements optimally. This will involve attending general organizational training sessions meant for all employees and departmental sessions targeted at specific categories of the organization. The second aspect is where I will adopt the integrated approach to train the employee gradually. I will develop a timeline for undertaking several courses that will be value adding to the employee in a planned manner. I will be needed to explore all the necessary training the employee will need to undertake, and then integrate them into a logical plan at the end of which the employee will have gained all the needed development to maximize their potential and performance for the organization. This will involve funding and releasing the job holder to attend specific external training sessions not being offered by the organization, while at the same time fitting them into the institutional training system that is synchronous with the developed curriculum. Conclusion The concept behind this job analysis is formidable and expedient for the successful recruitment and development of the most qualified candidate to fill my former position. Rather than rely on template analyses, the contingency theory adopted allows every aspect of this job analysis to be custom-tailored to suit the position in question since adaptability is the key feature in this theory. As a result, the job description is specific to the position to be filled, the recruitment and selection criteria are valid for the position, the remuneration package is also tailored and finally the employee development plan that is suggested adopts a radical departure from the knee-jerk traditional trainings utilized by most organizations. This work is a clear demonstration that a job analysis is the backbone of an organization’s efforts to meet its vision and objectives since the most suitable and qualified employees are sourced, developed and retained enabling the organization to operate as desired. This job analysis will not only be important in filling the given position but can also be adapted and varied as necessary for other positions within the organization and this will serve an important purpose in the human resource department. References Barber, A. E. (1998). Recruiting employees: Individual and organizational perspectives. Thousand Oaks: Sage Publications. Brannick, M. T. & Edward, L. L. (2002). Job Analysis: Methods, research, and applications for human resource management in the new millennium. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications. Chandler, A. D. (1962). Strategy and structure. Cambridge, MA: M.I.T. Press. Collins, C. J. & Han, J. (2004). Exploring applicant pool quantity and quality: The effects of early recruitment practice strategies, corporate advertising, and firm reputation. Personnel Psychology. 57. Jasper, M. (2003). Beginning reflective practice – Foundations in nursing and health care. Nelson Thornes. Cheltenham. Retrieved September 6, 2011 from http://hud.ac.uk/hhs/staffsupport/lqsu_files/Gibbs_Reflective_Cycle.pdf Kleiman, L. S. (2000). Human resource management: A tool for competitive advantage. Cincinnati: South-Western College Publishing. Lawrence, P. R. & Lorsch, J. W. (1969). Organization and environment. Homewood, IL: Richard D. Irwin, Inc. McNamar, C. (2010). How to design a new job- a new position or role (job descriptions). Retrieved September 6, 2011 from http://managementhelp.org/staffing/job-descriptions.htm Phillips, J. (2010). Seven issues to consider when designing training curricula. Performance Improvement, 9-13. Quirin, K. (2001). Job analysis. Penn State University. Read More