Concept of Job Design
Job Design is the process of organising the job and specifying the activities to be carried out by individual employees and groups of employees to fulfil their job to achieve the predetermined objectives of the organisation. Job analysis is the basis of job design. Job design creates a specialisation effect so that productivity and employee job satisfaction can be enhanced.
According to Decenzo and Robbins, "Job design is the way in which job tasks are organised into a unit of work."
Impact of Job Design
Job design is a pervasive and basic function of management that concerns the identification, organisation, and allocation of job responsibilities to increase the efficiency, effectiveness, and productivity of the organisation. It has a significant impact over employee's satisfaction, motivation, productivity, as well as the quality of work-life.
1. Employee Satisfaction
Job satisfaction is the extent to which employees like or dislike their job. By fulfilling the employee's expectations from job design, we can enhance their satisfaction level. To satisfy employees through job design, the most common approach is job rotation, which results in increased individual knowledge and experience and decreased burnout and exhaustion.
2. Employee motivation
Job design is considered as pshycological theory of motivation as it allocates tasks designed systematically and scientifically to individual employees and groups. Job design consists of five core characteristics as follows, which are the major sources of employee motivation. They are also core elements of the Job Characteristics Theory of Job Design:
- a.Skill variety
- b.Task identity
- c.Task significance
- d. Autonomy
- e.Job feedback
3. Productivity
Job design is the way to organise content, methods and relationships of jobs in order to achieve organisational goals and objectives as well as the satisfaction of job holders. Approaches of job design place different emphasis on performance and satisfaction as the desired outcome.
4. Quality of work life(QWL)
Quality of work life is the process of the work organisation that enables its members at all levels to participate actively in shaping thorganisation'ss' environment, methods and outcomes. It representsther quality of the relationship between employees and the total working environment at the job.QWL is related to the social-technical systems in job enrichment, which is associated with employees' participation and responsibilities intheirs own place. It ensures authority delegation to employees to strengthen the sense of responsibility and expertise to match workers with jobs.
Factors affecting job design
Since job design has a significant impact on employee satisfaction, employee motivation, productitcity and quality of work life, managers must consider various factors while designing the job. There can be various factors affecting job design,n which canbe categorisedd into three categories:
1. Organisational factors:
a. Characteristics of the task
The job design process consists of dividng complex job into tasks and collecting them into a package of similar tasks into a job. Some tasks can be accomplished independently,y while some other tasks need to be accomplished in coordination with other employees. This makes job design complex.
b. Work flow
The job consists of several acvities need to be accomplished in series. Though the flow of work depends upon the nature of goods or services, the flow of work affects the job.
c. Ergonomics
Ergonomuics concers with designing and arranging the workplaces, products and systems. It is the physical requirement of job design.
d. Work practices
Work practices are the predetermined ways or methods of performing the work. Job design needs to be flexible, but flexibility becomes impossible if the work practices are set under the pressurefrom the employee union.
2. Environmental factors:
a. Employee abilities and availability
If the employee's abilities are high and the organization get the employees as per the job description and job specialisation, the job can be made more challenging. If employees' abilities are comparatively weak, then jobs need to be formulated more scientifically and simply.
b. Social and cultural expectations
Employees ignore the jobs which donto fulfill their expectations. Hence, the job must be designed to meet the expectations of the employees.
3. Behavioural factors:
a.Feedback
Jobs need to be designed ideally, and the performance appraisal system,m as well as the feedback mechanism, should be scientific and systematic.
b. Autonomy
Autonomy is the extent of making job-related decisions independently. An appropriate level of job autonomy is to be ensured, while excess autonomy may cause abuse of authority.
c. Use of abilities
Each employee wishes to have a job which can be accomplished by using their abilities. On the other hand, employees wish to improve the abilites with accomplishing jobs. Thus, jobs must be designed for the persons according to their prespectives from the use of their abilities.
d. Variety
Jobs should ensure a variety of activities to make the job more interesting and motivating.
Benefits of Job Design
- Facilitates organisational structure
- Selection of skilled employees
- Matching employee-job
- Maintain hig producticity
- Better labour relations
- Quality of work life
- Facilitates motivation
- Helps with change management
- Achievement of objectives
Methods of Job Design
1. Classical approach
- Scientific management approach
- Job rotation
- Job enlargement
2. Socio-technical approach
3. Behavioural approach
- Hertzberg's model(Job enrichment)
- Job characteristics
- Team work
- Modified work schedule
Concept of Job Analysis
Job Analysis is the process of collecting information about a job and the knowledge, skills and experience required to perform the job effectively. It is the process of analysing the framework,k i.e. anatomy of a job.
According to Decenzo and Robbins, Job analysis provides information about jobs currently being done and the knowledge, skills anabilitiesss that individuals need to perform the jobs adequately.
Job analysis is the basis of good industrial relations, a higher level of employee satisfaction and motivation.
Importance of job analysis
* Job description and specification
* Job evaluation
* Recruitment and selection.
* Performance review and control
* Training and development
* Compensation management
* Human Resource Information System.
Types of Job Analysis Information
- Work-related information: work processes, procedures, personal responsibilities of the employee, cooperation and coordination required, accountability, etc.
- Employee-related information: Physical strengths, skills, knowledge essential and communication skills required on the job, emotional stability, etc.
- Machinery-related information: Types of machines to be used, technical skills essential, ratio of technical and soft skills essential, etc.
- Work performance-related information: error analysis process, work standards, work measurement.
- Job context-related information: Financial and nonfinancial -incentives, work schedule, organisational and social context.
Sources of Job Analysis Information
- Human sources → Trained analysts, supervisors and group holders
- Non-human sources→ Existing job description and specifications, equipment maintenance records, equipment design blueprints, training manuals and materials, literature
Methods for collecting Job analysis information
1. Observation method
A job analyst observes the activities of employees at the job directly or indirectly, if there is a provision of CCTV. They record jobholders' activités, the procedure of doing work, and the time taken for the completion of a given task.
2. Individual Interview method
Researchers involve for taking direct interviews of jobholders to collect job-related information. They develop a structured interview questionnaire to be asked to the responderments ie. employees and information providers.
3. Group interview method
A group of employees is kept in the interview process. A structured questionnaire is asked of the participant. More confirmed information is possible inthe presence of other people.
4. Structured Questionnaire method
A set of questions is prepared to collect information from employees. That set of questions is distributed to each employee. They read, analyze and put their response on the question statement.
5. Technical Conference method
Supervisors, managers and if necessary, experts are consulted to provide job-related information. Actual employees working at the job are excluded from the Survey.
6. Diary method
Each employee is requested to keep a record of their daily job responsibilities. After some time, their records are collected andanalysed to determine what they have done during their period.
Job analysis techniques
A. Job-focused techniques
1. Functional job analysis:
It was developed by Sidney Fine and his colleagues. It helps in determining the complexity of duties and responsibilities involved in a specific job. The core emphasis of this method is a rating of each job in terms of what an incumbendid. does with respect to data, people and things. Functional job analysis has the following important fundamental assumptions:
i) Jobs are concerned with data, people and things
ii) All jobs require relating the data, people and things with the worker to some degree.
iii) The functions are appropriate to deal with data, people,e or things in hierarchical and ordinal, proceeding from complex to the simple.
2. Management Position Description Questionnaire method:
It was prepared by Walter W w. Tornow and Patrick R. Pinto in 1976. A highly structured questionnaire containing 208 items under 13 different sections is prepared to collect information regarding managerial responsibilities, restrictions, demand and other miscellaneous position characteristics. This technique does not suggest whether a job specification is necessary for any given position.
3. The Hay Plan
It is the method of job analysis which collects information regarding the nature and scope of the position. It provides a basis for job comparison within and outside the organisation. This method covers the following five important aspects:
i) How does the posthon fit into the organisation? What is supporting the general composition of staff in the organisation?.
iii) What can be the general nature of the technical, managerial and human relationship technique required?
iv) What is the nature of problem-solving knowledge required for the job position?
v) What is the nature of control and supervisory requirements in a specific managerial job?
4. Methods analysis
It concentrates on describing the job methods to be used while doing jobs effectively and efficiently. It is basically applied to non-managerial jobs.
B. Behaviour Focused Techniques
1. Position Analysts Questionnaire
It is a standardised set of questions prepared to collect the job-related information relevant to the job. It is prepared,d including 187 items in six categories as follows:
i) Information input
ii) Mental processes
iii) Work output
iv) Relationships with other people
v) Job context
vi) Other job characteristics.
2. Physical Ability Analysis
It concentrates on the physical strengths and abilities of the jobholders to accomplish the assigned job. It considers nine physical abilities of employees to be employed while analysing the job as follows:
i) Dynamic strength
ii) Trunk strength
iii) Static strength
iv) Explosive strength
v) Extent of strength
vi) Dynamic flexibility
vii) Gross body coordination
viii) Gross body equilibrium
ix) Stamina
3. The Critical Incident Technique (CTT)
Jobs are evaluated andanalysedd based on some critical activity information regarding the job. It is a qualitative approach for obtaining specific, behaviorally focused descriptions of work and other activities.
4. Guidelines-oriented Job Analysts (GOJA)
It determines the job elements which can be performed with the same guidelines or instructions. The objective of GOJA is to provide uniform guidelinesfor analysinge the job. Job holders are involved in the job analysis process. Thus, employee understanding and validity towards job analysis can be enhanced.
Job Description
A job description is a written record of the duties, responsibilities and necessities of a particular Job. It is a statement descritoing job which involves job title, location, duties, working conditions, and hazards in the course of doing the job.
The following are the major components/ Contents of the job description:
* Job identification
* Job summary
* Job duties and responsibilities
* Relation with other jobs
* Machines, tools and materials
* Supervision process
* Working conditions
* Occurrence of hazards.
Job specification
Job specification is a written statement ofskill requirementst to accomplish aparticularlor job. It involves information about the capabilities of Jobholders to accompush assigned job effectively. It basically tries to find out the answers to what human traits and experiences are required to do this job effectively. The following are the major components of a job specification:
* Physical characteristics
* Psychological characteristics
* Personal traits
* Ability to take responsibilities
* Other demographic features.
Job Evaluation
Job evaluation is a systematic process of determining the value or worth of each job in relation to other jobs. It is prepared after a systematic analysis of the job. It is a process of determining the relative worth of the various jobs within the organisation.
Methods of job evaluation
Based on consideration of the job as a whole vs consideration of different components of a job, and judging and comparing jobs with each other vs assigning numerical scores on a rating scale, job evaluation methods can be broadly classified into two categories: quantitative and qualitative methods.
A. Qualitative methods:
1. Ranking or comparison method.
All the jobs are compared to each other and ranked in order of their importance, from simplest to hardest, or from highest to lowest. The jobs are ranked according to the whole job rather than several compensating factors.
2. Grading or classification method
Organisations form an authorised body or committee to evaluate the job. Such an authorised committee forms grades or classes. A job grade is defined as a group of different jobs of similar difficulty or requiring similar skills to perform them. Job grades are determined on the basis of information derived from job analysis.
B. Quantitative methods:
Jobs are rated in terms of numbers, i.e., quantitative values, in the quantitative method.
1. Points rating method
Jobs are broken down based on various identifiable factors such as skills, effort, training, knowledge, and hand hazards. responsibility etc. Points are allocated to each of these factors.
2. Factor comparison method.
It is a combination of both ranking and point methods: This method rates jobs by comparing them and makes an analysis by breaking jobs into compensable factors.
The Job Characteristics Theory of Job Design
According to this theory developed by Hackman and Oldman, five core job dimensions make a job more meaningful.
- Skill variety
- Task identity
- Task significance
- Autonomy
- Feedback
These five dimensions lead to three Critical Psychological states
- Experienced meaningfulness
- Experienced responsibilities
- Knowledge of Results
