Applicability of Job Analysis and Design in Modern Organizations - Literature review Example

Job Analysis Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx Name Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx Course Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx Lecture Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx 9th April, 2013. Applicability of job analysis and design in modern organizations There have been various varied arguments in relation to the application of job analysis in the modern organization. Authors such as Sanchez 1994 and Brannick and Levine 2002 have discussed in details the various setbacks in relation to job analysis for example been too inconsistent and rigid with the current nature of modern organizations. Through job analysis organizations have been able to identify the various characteristics that are needed to make the best staff function in the modern organization. For instance, Milan and Tucker 1992, have used an example of the British petroleum, in which various teams of the staff members who were from different locations and divisions worked collaborative and they eventually developed a skills matrix and it also included descriptors of the various family skills and their immediate level of performance. The matrix guided the employees in having a clear understanding of their roles in the company as well as the essential level of performance, and they were eventually enabled to take charge of their individual development. In his book, Laabs 1993 also used Gillete Co as an example, the company was bale to benefit a lot on identifying various broad characteristics of the staff for example aggressiveness, adaptability and enthusiasm and through them the organization was able attracting new graduates that were able to meet their global and competitive needs. Thus given that the job analysis of an organization is up-to-date, it can act as the road map for various companies, and they can use them when selecting the adequate staff members. Another applicable of job analysis that was successful is in Dixie Group Inc., this company is a major carpet industry that is based in the United States. The company was able to apply job analysis and they used it as a basis of staff development and training; this enabled them to be at par with the technology and deliver better results irrespective of the increasingly changing technology. Measurement methods and suggestion of the most appropriate method of measurement and its relative success if applicable to the context and the type/kind of organization chosen in your study There exist various measurement methods that are used by the human resource managers when it comes to getting the task lists of what will be performed by a certain employee. They include but are not limited to observation, questionnaires and surveys, critical incidents, interviews and position analysis questionnaires. The most applicable measurement method for Dixie Group Inc. is the JASR (job analysis at the speed of reality). This seems to be the most appropriate one based on the fact that seems to be more reliable as compared out the other methods (Lawler & Finegold 2000). The result can also be used for various other processes and it is seen as being the basis for a number of the potential training opportunities that are available. Another relative success of the methods is that it uses the quickest and best possible technology so as to be able to complete the job analysis task. The method also allows the analysts in completing the job analysis task in a typical job scenario with a team of subject matter specialists as well as with the mangers within a period of about two to three hours and then afterwards deliver a confirmed task list. Positive and negative aspects of job analysis Irrespective of the fact that job analysis tends to play a vital and leading role in almost all the human activities, every practice that incorporates humans also have some negative aspects. Job analysis also has some constraints that are closely linked to it. One of the positive aspects of job analysis is that it offers first hand information in relation to the job. The process of job analysis offers valuable information that assists the managers and the job analysts in knowing the responsibilities and the duties of a certain job, the hazards and risks that may be involved and the abilities and skills that will be required so as to be able to perform the job. Another positive aspect is that assists a lot when it comes to the creation right employee for a certain post in the organization. This seems to be the most crucial aspect of in management activities. The filling of the right people in the right vacancy is seen as a test of the skills, competencies as well as the understanding of human resource managers. Through, job analysis they are able to understand the type of employee that will be suitable for a particular job (Mondy, Noe & Premeaux 2002). Irrespective of the positive aspects, job analysis also has a number of negative aspects. The major negative aspect is that it involves a lot of human effort. Based on the fact that each job categories have different information and there seem to be no set pattern, there is a need for customized information for each and every job (Meyer & Lynn 2001). The other aspect is that the job analysts may not possess the required skills. In instances when the job analysts are unaware of the core objectives of the position, it seems to be wastage of the firm’s resources. They need to be trained so as to be able to gather authentic data. Strategic importance of job analysis in context of internal and external factors of an organization Job analysis is seen as being a major strategic tool for organizations and it can be used so as to do away with the confusion and at times to clarify any delusions that employees of an organization can have in relation to their jobs that they are expected to perform in the organization. The employers need to ensure that when they are performing the job analysis they are able to stipulate clearly every aspect of the job and at the same time become the major foundations of the job (Morgeson & Humphrey 2006). They are also expected to have a good and operational plan in place when it comes to mentoring. As new staff members are incorporated in the organization, a mentorship program needs to be an essential aspect of the company’s job design this will ensure that there is better continuity, development and orientation as the employee becomes familiar with what is expected of them in relation to their jobs (Marchington & Wilkinson 2005). Thus it seems clear that an organization need to develop a concise and clear job analysis that depicts clearly the necessary requirements for a certain job. Thus job analysis ought to be seen as a strategic tool that will ensure that an organization have balanced work life environment for the benefit of the organization and it will also be more productive. Impact of job analysis on organizational performance and productivity Job analysis assists organizations in outlining the various positions that are vacant, this gives them the insight in determining the types of tasks that the employee will be expected to perform and also it helps them a lot when it comes to deciding the type of employee who might perform the task given at their best. When the employee is employed, the employers can be able to communicate to them what they require them to do. This mainly leads to less confusion for the employees and they are also positioned so as to be able to perform best in their roles (Lee 2000). A thorough job analysis can affect the performance as well as the productivity of an organization. Other than just understand the expectations and goals of a certain position, employees need to better understand the parts of their jobs which are most vital for the success of the company. Through this they will be able to prioritize their tasks so that they perform the crucial ones first. Job analysis plays an important role in that it assist a lot in prioritizing these tasks, and this ultimately increases the productivity as well as the performance of the employees. In addition employee also needs to be trained and they should also be supplied with the adequate resources so as to be able to thrive in their respective positions. Through the application of job analysis, employers will be able to identify and predict the type of training as well as supplies that the new employee will need (Lazarova 2006). Through this one will not have to wait until the employee is on the job for one to notice what the new employee needs. Thus through thus the company will achieve both productive and there will be improved performance. Conclusion From the above discussion it is evident that job analysis is a phenomenon that is greatly applied even in the modern organization. Companies such as Dixie Group Inc., Gillette Co and British petroleum have adequately applied job analysis and they have been able to raise their performance as well as productivity. JASR seems to be the most appropriate method of measurement that can be applied and this is mainly based on its attributed benefits. Job analysis seems to have both negative mad positive aspects but the positive aspects do outweigh the negative ones. Job analysis also tends to play a strategic role in an organization and eventually job analysis tends to improve the productivity as well as the performance of an organization. Thus it needs to be analyzed in a careful manner so as to depict the favorable results. References Branick, M & Levine, E 2002, Job analysis: Methods, research, and applications for human resources, Sage Publications, Thousand Oaks, CA. Laabs, J 1993, ‘Building a global management team’, Personal Journal, vol. 72, No. 8. Lawler, E & Finegold, D 2000, Individualizing the Organization: Past, Present, and Future. Organizational Dynamics, Vol, 29, pp. 1–15. Lazarova, M 2006, International Human Resource Management in Global Perspective, in M.J. Morley, N. Heraty and D.G. Collings (Ed.). Lee, S 2000, A Managerial Perspective of the Objectives of HRM Practices in Singapore: an exploratory study, Singapore Management Review, Vol. 22, No. 1, pp. 65 - 82. Marchington, M & Wilkinson, A 2005, Human Resource Management at Work: People Management and Development, 3 RD Ed., CIPD, London. Meyer, J & Lynn H 2001, Commitment in the Workplace: Toward a General Model, Human Resource Management Review, Vol. 11, No. 3, pp. 299-326. Milan, M & Tucker, R 1992, Job Descriptions for the 21st Century, Personal Journal, Vol. 71, No. 6. Mondy, R, Noe, R & Premeaux, S 2002, Human Resource Management, Prentice Hall, NJ. Morgeson, F & Humphrey, S 2006, The Work Design Questionnaire (WDQ): Developing and Validating a Comprehensive Measure for Assessing Job Design and the Nature of Work, Journal of Applied Psychology, Vol. 91, pp. 1321–1339. Sanchez, J 1994, From documentation to innovation: Reshaping job analysis to meet emerging business needs, Human Resource Management Review, Vol. 4, pp. 51-74. Read More