3 - 4 - Job Design To Post-4

Job Analysis &
Design
Class Agenda
Job Analysis
An overview of job analysis (KSAOs)
How do we get this information (analysis tools)?
How do we use this information?
The changing nature of jobs
Job Design
An overview of job design
Approaches to job design
Maximizing enjoyment
Maximizing efficiency and safety
Job Analysis
Textbook definition:
The process of systematically identifying the

tasks, duties, and responsibilities expected to
be performed in a single job, as well as the
competenciesknowledge, skills, and abilities
(KSAs)employees must possess to be
successful in the job.
The process of getting detailed information about

jobs in organizations
Before you can know what kinds of people to

recruit and select, what to train them on, and
on what basis to evaluate and compensate
them, you must understand the job they will
Job Analysis
Many specific tools exist. Most of them utilize the

same basic steps:
Job Description
List every dimension of the job
List every task within each dimension
Rate all of those tasks according to importance
Job Specification
Come up with the KSAOs needed to perform the

most important tasks (job specification)
So, what are KSAOs?
Job Analysis
Job Analysis
K
K nowledge
K now W hat
Skills
K now How
A
O
Job Analysis
K
K nowledge
K now W hat
Skills
K now How
Abilities
Can Do
Job Analysis
K
K nowledge
K now W hat
Skills
K now How
Abilities
Can Do
Other Factors
Personality, experience, etc...
Job Analysis
K
K nowledge
K now W hat
Skills
K now How
Abilities
Can Do
Other Factors
These are
trainable;
People are not
born with these
Job Analysis
K
K nowledge
K now W hat
Skills
K now How
Abilities
Can Do
Other Factors
}
}
These are
trainable;
People are not
born with these
These are less
trainable;
People are born
with them to
some extent
and changes
occur slowly
Job Analysis Example
Which player would you offer a scholarship and

why?
I mportant
Selection C riteria
Recr uit A
Recr uit B
K icking form
Perfect
Awful
Leg strength
Lower than Average
Perfect
Football knowledge
Perfect
Awful
Personality/Experience
Poor
Very Good
Job Analysis
Sometimes the distinctions among the KSAO

categories are fuzzy
I can know what is wrong with my computer but not

have the skills to fix it
K vs. S
I can be taught to read a map but still not have a

good sense of direction
S vs. A
How Do We Get This

Info?
Job Analysis Tools
There are many specific tools that can be used to

do a job analysis
Job Element Inventory
Position Analysis Questionnaire
Fleishman System
Occupational Information Network (O*NET) and

Dictionary of Occupational Titles (DOT)
Video: Scrubs
As you are watching the

video, jot down the
following:
Tasks that the medical

interns perform
Qualities that make

someone good doctor (or
medical intern)
In-class Exercise: Scrubs
Step 1: What are the job dimensions of a

medical intern?
Step 2: What are some tasks within those

dimensions?
The JEI provides a list of 150 specific tasks and

uses a novel and unique approach to rating task
importance
It uses 3 questions to rate the importance of

specific tasks (on a scale of 1 = very unlikely to 5 =
very likely):
1. How likely is it that a barely acceptable worker could
perform this task well?
2. How likely is it that a superior worker could perform
this task well?
3. How likely is it that trouble will result from poor
performance?
Task: Collect basic patient information
Rank
Barely Acceptable Worker Can Do I t

Superior Worker Can Do I t
How Likely is Trouble
Do we want to use this in hiring?
Task: Diagnose patient problems
Rank
Barely Acceptable Worker Can Do I t

Superior Worker Can Do I t
How Likely is Trouble
Do we want to use this in hiring?
Step 3:
Rate two tasks using the Barely AcceptableSuperior-Trouble Likely scales. Which of these
two is more important? How did you come to
this decision?
The JEI does not include any special tools for

identifying KSAOs
Step 4:
For the more important task, create a list

of 1 K, 1 S, 1 A, and 1 O that is needed
to perform it well.
Position Analysis
Questionnaire
The PAQ provides a list of 194 tasks that fall under
these overall dimensions

Decision/communication/general responsibilities
Clerical/related activities
Technical/related activities
Service/related activities
Regular day schedule versus other work schedules
Routine/repetitive work activities
Environmental awareness
General physical activities
Supervising/coordinating other personnel
Public/customer/related contact activities
Unpleasant/hazardous/demanding environment
Nontypical work schedules
Position Analysis
Questionnaire
The PAQ rates the importance of tasks using 6

scales:
Extent of use
Amount of time
Importance to the job
Possibility of occurrence
Applicability to job
Position Analysis
Questionnaire
P R OS
The dimensions are linked to a
general aptitude test
The dimensions are broad (it
covers input, output, processes,

and work context)
CON S
Requires a reading level of
college graduate to complete

the test
Standard format leads to an

abstract characterization of
jobs
Fleishman System
Fleishman deals
only with abilities
Provides
a list of
52 abilities
(rated
with a 7 point
scale that includes
behavioral benchmark
examples)
Fleishman System
Fleishman deals
only with abilities
Provides
a list of
52 abilities
(rated
with a 7 point
scale that includes
behavioral benchmark
examples)
Fleishman System
Example: Ability to understand written sentences and

paragraphs
How would you rate your job as a student on this
ability?
Fleishman System
P R OS
Measures abilities directly
(unlike PAQ which measured

items that were then translated
to tasks)
Helpful in making the
sometimes fuzzy distinction

between As and Ss
CON S
Leaves out K s, Ss, and Os
O*NET and DOT
The Occupational Information Network (O*NET) is

an online resource that describes the tasks
involved in many jobs, along with their KSAOs (
http://online.onetcenter.org/)
It replaces an earlier resource called the

Dictionary of Occupational Titles (DOT)
O*NET and DOT
O*NET and DOT
O*NET and DOT
How Do We Use This

Info?
Recruitment
The important tasks

get grouped into a Job
Description that
defines the job.
The accompanying
KSAOs are included
in the job posting.
Selection
Legal I ssues in Selection
Training
Performance Management
Compensation
How Do We Use This

Info?
Recruitment
Selection
Training
Compensation
The KSAOs become

the things we look for
in resumes,
references,
interviews, ability
tests, personality test,
etc...
How Do We Use This

Info?
Recruitment
Selection
Training
Compensation
Important tasks
become essential job
functions under the
Americans with
Disabilities Act.
Companies can refuse
to hire disabled
applications if they
cannot perform these
functions (vs. marginal
job functions), with
some exceptions.
How Do We Use This

Info?
Recruitment
Selection
Training
Compensation
We design training to
improve the Ks and Ss
inherent in important
tasks. They also form
the basis for our
evaluation of training
success.
How Do We Use This

Info?
Recruitment
Selection
Training
Compensation
Performance of the
important tasks (&
KSAOs) is what gets
measured with our
evaluation instruments.
How Do We Use This

Info?
Recruitment
The KSAOs become

compensable factors
used in Job Evaluation
to assign a base salary
to a given job. The rarer
the KSAO, the more
money the organization
must pay for it.
Fulfillment of important
tasks becomes a key
input into merit-based
pay plans.
Selection
Training
Compensation
The Changing Nature of

Jobs
What happens if jobs change?
Many factors can change that may significantly

affect jobs and hence job analysis
Changes in structuring of work
Computerization
Automation
Mergers or acquisitions
Downsizing

Jobs
Green Jobs

Jobs

Jobs
In todays organizations, job analysis contains a

critical additional step
Anticipating the changes that will occur
How will those impact tasks?
How will those impact KSAOs?
Do they change tasks and KSAOs or merely alter

importance?
Job Design
Job Analysis focuses on jobs that already exist
Job Design (and job redesign) focuses on jobs that

are either being created or changed in some
manner
Textbook definition: Determining the tasks and

responsibilities that employees in a particular
job are expected to perform as well as how they
need to interact with their coworkers to realize
those contributions
The process of defining the way work will be

performed and the tasks that will be required in a
given job
Job Design
There are several common approaches to job

design
Approaches
Motivational
Mechanistic
Biological
Perceptual-Motor
Goal: maximize
intrinsic
enjoyment
Goal: maximize
efficiency &
safety
Motivational Approach
Key arguments:
Human resources are easier to manage if jobs are

designed to be intrinsically enjoyable
This places less pressure on many specific areas of

HRM, including:
Compensation
Retention
But, if intrinsic enjoyment is lacking, then other areas

of HRM must supply more of the extrinsic satisfaction
needed to motivate and retain employees.
Job Characteristics Model
Jobs are more intrinsically enjoyable when work

tasks are challenging and fulfilling
Five core job characteristics combine to make

some jobs more rewarding than others.
MotivationalJobApproach
Characteristics
Model
Variety
Identity
Meaningfulness
of Work
Significance
I ntrinsic
Enjoyment
of Job
Autonomy
Responsibility
for Work
Feedback
K nowledge of
Results
Core Job Characteristics
Variety
Job has different activities

and uses different skills
Identity
Job results in a whole,

identifiable piece of work
Significance
Job affects the lives of other

people
Autonomy
Job holder has freedom and

discretion
Feedback
The job itself provides

feedback on performance
Motivational
Approach
Critical Psychological
States
The five core characteristics create
three critical psychological states:
Belief that the job has a
meaningful outcome
Belief that worker

controls the outcome
Worker is aware of the
job outcome
MotivationalJobApproach
Characteristics
Model
Variety
Identity
Meaningfulness
of Work
Significance
I ntrinsic
Enjoyment
of Job
Autonomy
Responsibility
for Work
Feedback
K nowledge of
Results
Video: Hot Topic
Do the employees at Hot Topic seem

intrinsically motivated?
In terms of the Job Characteristics Model, why or

why not?
The core job characteristics tend to be strongly

correlated with job satisfaction.
The characteristics even trump most other job

factors, including:
Pay
Promotion Opportunities
Coworkers
Supervision
The job characteristics can be used to compute a

satisfaction score for any job using the Job
Diagnostic Survey (JDS)
Article: A modern conundrum: When works

invisible, so are its satisfactions
What is invisible work?
What are the motivational implications of invisible

work? Why?
What are we most missing in terms of core job

characteristics?
What can we do about it?
How do these solutions make sense in terms of

JCM?
Pomodoro Technique
Other Approaches
The other 3 job design approaches focus on

maximizing efficiency and safety:
Mechanistic Approach
Biological Approach
Perceptual-Motor Approach
Micromotion Analysis
Record employees doing their job at slow speeds.

Analyze the tape to eliminate or combine steps
Memomotion Analysis
Record employees doing their job at fast speeds.

Analyze the tape to orient the placement of equipment
in the room.
Initial analysis
After redesign
Article: In New Office Designs, Room to Roam
Process Engineering
Identifies the sequence of steps needed to fulfill a job.

Seeks to discover which steps could be performed by
machines, or which steps could be eliminated or
combined to make work more efficient.
Biological Approach
Structure job tasks and the work environment to

reduce physical fatigue and health problems.
Herman Miller:
http://www.hermanmiller.com/Products/Aeron-Ch
airs
Perceptual-Motor
Approach
Similar to Biological Approach, but focuses on

mental capacities and limitations rather than
physical
Examples:
Decrease amount of information and memorization
Increase lighting and make visual displays clear
Provide easy to follow instructions
Trade-offs in Job Design
Key question:
Are some of the job design approaches at odds

with one another?
i.e. What are the trade-offs from one approach to

another?
Trade-offs in Job Design
Next Time
Planning and Recruitment
Now that we know what the job is, how do we

find people to hire?
Who is a riskier hire: Percy Harvin (wide

receiver) or Chas Henry (punter)?
Reading:
Outsourcing at crux of Boeing strike
How to minimize the risks of hiring outside

stars
Recruiter target practice
Phillips & Gully, Chpts 4 (pp. 99-114) and 5

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Job Analysis &

An overview of job analysis (KSAOs)

How do we get this information (analysis tools)?

How do we use this information?

The changing nature of jobs

An overview of job design

Approaches to job design

Maximizing efficiency and safety

The process of systematically identifying the

The process of getting detailed information about

Before you can know what kinds of people to

Many specific tools exist. Most of them utilize the

List every dimension of the job

List every task within each dimension

Rate all of those tasks according to importance

Come up with the KSAOs needed to perform the

So, what are KSAOs?

Job Analysis Example

Which player would you offer a scholarship and

Lower than Average

Sometimes the distinctions among the KSAO

I can know what is wrong with my computer but not

I can be taught to read a map but still not have a

How Do We Get This

Job Analysis Tools

There are many specific tools that can be used to

Job Element Inventory

Position Analysis Questionnaire

Occupational Information Network (O*NET) and

Job Element Inventory

As you are watching the

Tasks that the medical

Qualities that make

Job Element Inventory

In-class Exercise: Scrubs

Step 1: What are the job dimensions of a

Step 2: What are some tasks within those

Job Element Inventory

The JEI provides a list of 150 specific tasks and

It uses 3 questions to rate the importance of

Job Element Inventory

Task: Collect basic patient information

Barely Acceptable Worker Can Do I t

Do we want to use this in hiring?

Job Element Inventory

Task: Diagnose patient problems

Barely Acceptable Worker Can Do I t

Do we want to use this in hiring?

Job Element Inventory

In-class Exercise: Scrubs

Job Element Inventory

The JEI does not include any special tools for

In-class Exercise: Scrubs

For the more important task, create a list

these overall dimensions

The PAQ rates the importance of tasks using 6

Importance to the job

The dimensions are broad (it

covers input, output, processes,

college graduate to complete

Standard format leads to an

Example: Ability to understand written sentences and

(unlike PAQ which measured