The Job Analysis Process - Assignment Example

1.0 Job Analysis process Job analysis can be defined as the process of collecting information about the responsibilities, duties, outcomes, skills as well as the work environment relating to a particular job position (Maren, 2005). There are several activities associated with job analysis including conducting a review of the responsibilities of the employees who are currently holding those jobs, conducting internet research as well as reviewing sample job description either online or offline of similar jobs, highlighting the expected outcomes as well as the contributions required from people holding those positions and researching and sharing with other companies which have similar jobs. Job analysis aims at placing employees where their skills can be best utilized as well as determining the needs of the new employees (Maren, 2005). The job analysis process is as follows: Source: Maren (2005) 1.1.1 Identification of the job purpose- for any process to be successful, its purpose must be identified and defined. The purpose of this step is to determine the job’s needs and desired output. Spending energy, human effort, and money is useless until the human resource manager why data is being collected and what is to be done with it 1.1.2 Who will conduct the job analysis: this step involves on deciding who will conduct the job analysis. Some organizations may hire job analysis consultants while other prefers it done by their HR department. Job consultants are very useful in conducting job analysis as they offer unbiased advice, guideline and methods, they don’t have personal like or dislike when it comes to analyzing a job 1.1.3 How to conduct the process: this involves deciding in which job analysis process needs to be conducted, a planned approach about how to carry the whole process is required in order to investigate a specific job 1.1.4 Strategic Decision Making: this is all about deciding the extend of employee involved in the process, the level details to be collected and recorded, source from where data is to collected, data collection methods, the processing of information and segregating of collected data 1.1.5 Training of job analyst: this step involves training the job analyst on how conduct the process as well as use the selected methods for collection and recording of job data 1.1.6 Preparation of job Analysis Process: in this step, the HR manager is required to communicate the entire process of job analysis to the employees so that they can offer their full support to the job analyst. This step involves preparing of document such as questionnaires, interviews as well as the feedback forms 1.1.7 Data collection: this step involves collecting job related data such as education qualification of the employees, ability and skill needed to perform the job, reporting hierarchy, job activities, duties and responsibilities involved, required human traits and employee behavior 1.1.8 Documentation, verification and Review: This step involves documentation the data collected, verifying its authenticity and then reviewing it, this is the final information that is used to describe a specific job 1.1.9 Developing job description and job specification: now we will put the collected data into useful information to develop a job description and job specification. job description describes roles, duties and responsibilities, activity, of the job Moreover, we will this data to outline a job while job specification is a statement of education qualification, experience, personal traits and skills required to perform the job. Therefore, the process of job analysis assist in identifying the worth of a specific job, eliminating unneeded jobs and setting realistic performance measurement standards as well as utilizing the human talent in the best possible manner. 1.2 Why is job analysis important? It is important to know that the results of the job analysis process give rise to a job description as well as a job specification. As described earlier, a job description is a statement that contains the responsibilities and the duties of a specified job while a job specification can be defined as a statement which translates a job description into employee qualifications so as to make it possible for the job to be carried out in a better manner (Heathfield, 2011). The other purposes of a job analysis to an organization include: 1.2.1 Recruitment and Selection: A job analysis process is very important to an organization as helps in determining the type of person who is best suit for a specific job in terms of technical experience, educational and professional qualifications, personal, emotional and physical skills which are required to suit a particular job. The objective of a job analysis is to ensure that the tight job is assigned to the right person. Some of job analysis contents that are important in recruitment and selection are: Minimum requirements for screening candidates Selection instruments and test such as job simulations, oral and written tests Interview questions The duties of the job which are included in the newspaper The minimum remuneration for that position And orientation materials to be used by the hired applicants (Prien, Goodstein & Goodstein,2009) 1.2.2 Job evaluation Job analysis is also important in job evaluation where job evaluation is comparing different jobs to give a basis for pay structure and job grading. It aims at evaluating the job to derive an objective and a means of assessing the demands of the jobs. Therefore, using the results of a job analysis, organizations are in a position to make a judgment of the relative worth of a particular job position to that organization and set a fair compensation rate for each job (Prien, Goodstein & Goodstein,2009). 1.2.3 Job design Job design is deciding on what a job will entail. It is deciding on the duties and responsibilities of a specified job position and the techniques required to carry out a particular job as well as the relationships between the holder of the job and his subordinates as well as his superiors. A job analysis is very important in the process of job design as it helps in reducing human resources costs and streamlining the work processes. It also helps to increase the productivity of the workers and in empowering workers. It helps in increasing job satisfaction and determining what should be performed (job), how it is performed, who will perform that job and where it will be performed (Akrani, 2011). 1.2.4 Compensation and Benefits Job analysis plays a very important role in determination of the compensation packages, fringe benefits, extra perks, fixed as well as variable employee incentives. The job analysis is important indetermination of compensation because pay is related to particular job positions, job titles, job responsibilities all of which are created by the job analysis process. In summary, job analysis is used in identification of The job responsibilities and duties The work environment The required level of education The required skills (Maren,2005) 1.2.5 Performance Appraisal: Job analysis is conducted to check whether the objectives and objectives of a particular job have been accomplished or not. It helps in coming up with performance standards or benchmarks and an evaluation criteria on each employees output. It is on the basis of a job analysis that the performance of the employees is measured and their performance is appraised accordingly (Prien, Goodstein & Goodstein, 2009). 1.2.6 Training and development: Job analysis can be used to assess the training and development needs of the Human Resource and with the difference between the actual and expected output giving an indication of the level of training that is needed. It also helps in determining the training tools, equipments and contents which should be used in the training and development (Maren, 2005). 2.0 Job analysis Methods In order to collect information about a particular job an organization can use any of the following methods. In this case, we will take a practical example of a Human Resource manager. 2.1.1 Direct observation methods This is a an analysis method where an analysis of the job is made based on making observations and recording of the duties, activities, events and behaviours when they happen. In our case, you could record all the activities that the HR manager is doing including recruiting the new employees, training, staffing and even remuneration (Brannick, Levine & Morgeson, 2007). 2.1.2 Interview method This is a technique that is considered to be very important in job analysis. Here, the questions are given to both the holders of the posts and to their supervisors as well either individually or as a group. The results of these interviews are then analyzed to give a job analysis. In our case, interviews could be conducted on both the current HR manager and the general managers who are their supervisors (Brannick, Levine & Morgeson, 2007). 2.1.3 Questionnaire method Under this method a list of questions is given to the respondents with the aim of collecting data. The questionnaires can take the form of: Position Analysis Questionnaires which aims at measuring the characteristics of a particular job and associate those characteristics with human. Functional Job analysis which analyzes jobs on a 7-scale measurement Work profiling system is a technique used to analyze jobs while making use of a computer administered system which was invented by Saville & Holdsworth, Ltd (Brannick, Levine & Morgeson, 2007). 2.1.4 Task Inventory method This method lists all makes a discrete list of all the activities that create a particular job. In our case, you could make a list of all activities that a H.R manager is expected to conduct including recruitment, staffing, training and development and compensation of employees. 3.0 Problems with Job Analysis No process is a 100 percent accurate or fully serves the purpose; job analysis is no exception to this. The process entails a variety of tools, methods, plans as well as a lot of human effort and where there people involved, nothing can be 100 percent accurate (Maren, 2005). Since the entire processes of job analysis involves, tools and methods are developed and designed by humans only, they tend to have practical issues associated with them as human brain suffer from limitations and everything created, designed or developed by human too have some constraints. Therefore, the process of job analysis has a lot of problems. Even though the process can be appropriate, effective, efficient, practical and focused but it can also be time consuming, costly and disruptive for the employees at the same time. Let’s discuss them and understand how the process of job analysis can be made more effective by treating them carefully 3.1 Lack of management support: This problem arises when the management does not offer proper support to the job analyst. The top management is required to communicate it to the middle level manager as well as the subordinates so as to ensure process is productive (Maren, 2005). Improper of communication may result to employees taking the wrong sense and start looking out for other options, they may have a notion that his is being undertaken to take any action against them or fire them. In order to avoid this problem, the top management should establish effective communication channels that will ensure that the employees get the right message (Brannick et al, 2007) 3.2 Lack of Co-operation from Employees: In the process of job analysis, we should collect accurate and authentic job data but it’s impossible to get genuine and real data without the full support of the subordinates. If employees are not will to co-operate, it is sheer wastage of money, human effort and time to undertake a job analysis process (Brannick et al, 2007). The need is to take the workers in confidence and communicating that it is being done to solve their problems only 3.3 Inability to identify the need of job analysis: The whole exercise of carrying out research and investigating is futile if the objective and the needs of job analysis process are not properly identified. To solve this problem, the top management should decide in advance the reason why the process is being undertaking, what its objective area as well as what is to be done with the collected and recorded data 3.4 Biasness of job analyst: Unbiased and balance is required while undertaking the process of job analysis. Job analyst must be impartial in his/her approach for him to get real and genuine data. If this cannot be avoided, the organization should hire a professional job analyst or outsource the process 3.5 Using single data source: In order to collect true information, a job analyst should consider more than one source (Brannick et al, 2007). Data collected from one source may be inaccurate which defeats the entire purpose of conducting the job analysis process In addition, there are other problems involve in job analysis process such as improper questionnaires and other forms, distortion from incumbent, insufficient time and resources, lack of reward or recognition for providing genuine and quality information, as well as absence of verification and review of job analysis process (Maren, 2005) References Maren F(2005) Guide to Job Analysis. 1st edition. ASTD: USA Prien E.R, Goodstein L.D & Goodstein J (2009) A Practical Guide to Job Analysis Akrani G (2011) What is Job Design? Meaning, Importance, Factors Affecting. Retrieved on 1ST April 2013 from http://kalyan-city.blogspot.com/2011/09/what-is-job-design-meaning-importance.html Heathfield S.M (2011), Job Description. Retrieved on 1ST April 2013 from http://humanresources.about.com/od/jobdescriptions/g/job_description.htm Brannick M.T, Levine E.L & Morgeson F.P( 2007) Job and Work Analysis:Methods, Research, and Applications for Human Resource Management. SAGE: USA Read More