What is a job?

J0b
• A job refers to a broader role or position within an
organization that encompasses a set of related tasks,
duties, responsibilities, and expectations.
• It represents a formal arrangement where an individual is
employed to perform specific functions or roles within the
organization.
• A job typically has a title or designation and may involve
multiple tasks or activities that contribute to achieving
organizational goals.
• Jobs are often defined by factors such as job title, job
description, reporting relationships, and performance
expectations.
• Examples of jobs include accountant, sales representative,
customer service manager, HR manager, HR director, PS,
HR Assistant, software engineer, and administrative
assistant.

Tasks
• Basic elements of jobs
• “what gets done”
The JOB ANALYSIS
• A job analysis is the process used to collect information
about the duties, responsibilities, necessary skills,
outcomes, and work environment of a particular job.
• According to Edwin B. Flippo, “Job Analysis is the
process of studying and collecting information relating
to the operation and responsibilities of a specific job.”
• Is the process for studying & collecting information
pertaining to operations & responsibilities of a particular
job.
• Dale Yoder (1983) defines job analysis as “a process in
which jobs are studied to determine what tasks and
responsibilities they include, their relationships to other
jobs, the conditions under which work is performed,
and the personnel capabilities required for satisfactory
performance.”
The JOB ANALYSIS
• Dessier (2005) defines job analysis as the procedure
through which a job analyst determines the duties of
different positions of an organization and the
characteristics of the people to hire them.
• Is the process of obtaining information about the jobs by
determining what the duties, tasks, or activities of jobs
are.

Decision is made to check that:

1. Whether already existing post is valuable or not.
2. To create a Post.
The JOB ANALYSIS
FEATURES OF JOB ANALYSIS
• From the definitions in the preceding section, we can
list the features of job analysis as follows:
1. Job analysis is gathering relevant information about
various aspects of a job and identifying tasks required
to be performed as part of it.
2. It systematically defines the role, context, conditions,
human behavior, performance standards, and
responsibilities of a job.
3. It helps establish the job’s worth to an organization.
In other words, it measures a job’s value and
contribution to the organization’s growth.
4. It establishes job-relatedness, which is crucial for HR
decisions involving recruitment, selection,
compensation, training, health, and safety.
PURPOSE OF JOB ANALYSIS
1. Overall purpose – why the role exists and, in essence,
what the role holder is expected to contribute.
2. Organization – to whom the role holder reports and
who reports to the role holder.
3. Key result areas or accountabilities – what the role
holder is required to achieve in each of the main
elements of the role.
4. Competency requirements – the specific technical
competencies attached to the role; what the role
holder is expected to know and to be able to do.
Job analysis may be carried out by HR or other trained
people acting as role analysts. But line managers can also
carry out role analysis in conjunction with individual
members of their teams as an important part of their
performance management responsibilities
METHODS of JOB ANALYSIS

•Direct observation
•Interview of existing post holder
•Interview of immediate supervisor
•Questionnaires
•Previous studies
•Work dairies
Methods of Job Analysis: Observation
• Information Source: The observation method is when an
analyst observes an employee and the tasks they perform.
• They'll often shadow the employee for several days as they
perform their duties, attend meetings and evaluate their
workload to understand the role's essential functions.
• While observing, the analyst takes detailed notes about the
role, including what tools they use, how long they spend on
tasks and who they interact with to complete their jobs.
• Observing and noting the physical activities of employees as
they go about their jobs
Methods of Job Analysis: Observation
 Advantages
• Provides first-hand information
• Reduces distortion of information, verifies data from other sources
• Simple to use
• This method allows for a deep understanding of job duties.
• It is appropriate for manual, short period job activities.
 Disadvantage
• it is seldom used because of the time it takes and is costly
• Small sample size
• Observers presence may change the behavior of the employees
• May bias worker performance
• Less accurate than other methods
• Requires a skilled observer
• Validity and reliability may be problematic
• On the negative side, the methods fail to take note of the mental aspects
of jobs.
Methods of Job Analysis: Critical incidents:
• The critical incident technique (CIT) is a qualitative approach to job
analysis used to obtain specific, behaviourally focused descriptions of
work or other activities. Here the job holders are asked to describe several
incidents based on their past experience.
• The incidents so collected are analysed and classified according to the job
areas they describe. The job requirements will become clear once the
analyst draws the line between effective and ineffective behaviours of
workers oh the job.
• For example, if a shoe salesman comments on the size of a customer's
feet and the customer leaves the store in a huff, the behaviour of the
salesman may be judged as ineffective in terms of the result it produced.
The critical incidents are recorded after the events have already taken
place - both routine and non-routine.
• The process of collecting a fairly good number of incidents is a lengthy
one. Since, incidents of behaviour can be quite dissimilar, the process of
classifying data into usable job descriptions can be difficult. The analysts
overseeing the work must have analytical skills and ability to translate the
content of descriptions into meaningful statements.
Methods of Job Analysis: Critical incidents:
• Advantages:
• Analysis is based on concrete behavior.

• Disadvantages:
• The process of collecting a fairly good number of incidents is a lengthy
one.
• Since, incidents of behaviour can be quite dissimilar, the process of
classifying data into usable job descriptions can be difficult.
• The analysts overseeing the work must have analytical skills and ability to
translate the content of descriptions into meaningful statements.
• Scales require some expertise to develop.
Methods: Interview of existing post holder
• Information Source: The interview method is when the
analyst questions an employee about their role. Job holders
may be asked to describe their main tasks and responsibilities.
• To obtain the full flavour of a role, it is best to interview role
holders and check the findings with their managers or team
leaders. The aim of the interview is to obtain all the relevant
facts about the role to provide the information required for a
role profile.
• They hope to learn the same aspects of the job they might see
in the observation method, like what systems they use, what
processes they follow and how they apply their skills to
achieve results.
• With this method, the interviewee can formulate their own
working styles to perform a particular role.
• Analysts may interview several people in the same role to get
a more holistic view of the responsibilities.
Methods: Interview of existing post holder
 The interview method consists of asking questions to both
incumbents and supervisors in either an individual or a group
setting. The reason behind the use of this method is that
jobholders are most familiar with the job and can supplement
the information obtained through observation. Workers know
the specific duties of the job and supervisors are aware of the
job's relationship to the rest of the organisation.
1. What is the title of your role? 2. To whom are you
responsible? 3. Who is responsible to you? (An organization
chart is helpful.). 4. What is the main purpose of your role, i.e.
in overall terms, what are you expected to do? 5. What are
the key activities you have to carry out in your role? Try to
group them under no more than 10 headings. 6. What are the
results you are expected to achieve in each of those key
activities? 7. What are you expected to know to be able to
carry out your role? 8. What skills should you have to carry
out your role?
Guidelines for Conducting Job Analysis Interviews
 Put the worker at ease; establish rapport.
 Make the purpose of the interview clear, Encourage the
worker to talk through empathy.
 Help the worker to think and talk according to the logical
sequence of the duties performed. .
 Ask the worker only one question at a time. Phrase questions
carefully so that the answers will be more than just "yes" or"
no".
 Avoid asking leading questions. Secure specified and
complete information pertaining to the work performed and
the worker's traits. Conduct the interview in plain, easy
language. Consider the relationship of the present job to
other jobs in the department. Control the time and subject
matter of the interview. Be patient and considerate to the
worker. Summarise the information obtained before closing
the interview. Close the interview promptly.
Methods: Interview of existing post holder
• Advantages:
1. The interviewing method is flexible, can provide in-depth
information and is easy to organize and prepare.
2. Can yield data about cognitive and psychomotor process
difficult to observe
3. Quantitative data can be examined
4. Incumbent describes work.
Methods: Interview of existing post holder
Disadvantages
1. Its main limitation is that workers may be suspicious of
interviewers and their motives.;
2. Interviewers may ask ambiguous questions. Thus, the
distortion of information is a real possibility.
3. But interviewing can be time-consuming, and Requires an
experienced interviewer and well designed questions
4. Difficult to combine data from disparate interviews.
5. Expensive and time consuming;
6. impractical for jobs with a large number of incumbents and
may not be appropriate for large role analysis exercises
7. Workers may be prone to distorting the information they
provide about their jobs;
Questionnaires

The questionnaire is a widely used method of analysing jobs and work. Here
the jobholders are given a properly designed questionnaire aimed at eliciting
relevant job-related information. After completion, the questionnaires are
handed over to supervisors.
The supervisors can seek further clarifications on various items by talking to
the jobholders directly. After everything is finalised, the data is given to the
job analyst.
The success of the method depends on various factors. The structured
questionnaire must cover all job related tasks and behaviours. Each task or
behaviour should be described in terms of features such as importance,
difficulty, frequency, and relationship to overall performance.
The jobholders should be asked to properly rate the various job factors and
communicate the same on paper. The ratings thus collected are then put to
close examination with a view to find out the actual job requirements
Questionnaires

The Position Analysis Questionnaire (PAQ)

The PAQ is a standardised questionnaire (developed at Purdue University)
developed to quantitatively sample work-oriented job elements. It contains
194 items divided into six major divisions. The PAQ permits management to
scientifically and quantitatively group interrelated job elements into job
dimensions.
Management Position Description Questionnaire (MPDQ)
MPQD is a standardised instrument designed specifically for use in
analyzing managerial jobs. The 274-item questionnaire contains 15 sections.
It would take 21\2hrs to complete the questionnaire. In most cases the
respondents are asked to state how important each item is to the position.
Questionnaires
• Advantages
• Quick way to gather information from large numbers of
employees; Economical to use: Questionnaire method is highly
economical as it covers a large number of job holder" at a time.
• The collected data can be quantified and processed through a
computer.
• The participants can complete the items leisurely.
• Limit the influence of the interviewer or observer.
• Disadvantages
• Expense and time consumed in preparing and testing the
questionnaire.
• Becomes less useful where the employees lack verbal skills.
• Designing questionnaires however is not an easy task.
• Proper care must be taken to see that the respondents do not
misinterpret the questions.
• Further, it is difficult to motivate the participants to complete
the questionnaires truthfully and to return them.
Methods of Job Analysis: Work Diaries
• Information Source
• Workers keep a chronological diary/ log of what they do
and the time spent on each activity.
• A diary method is a qualitative technique that involves
asking the current employees who perform the job to keep a
log of their work activities, challenges, interactions, and
feedback for a certain period of time, usually a week or a
month. The diary can be written, audio, or video,
depending on the preference and convenience of the
employees. The diary entries should be detailed, specific,
and descriptive, and include information such as the time,
duration, frequency, importance, and difficulty of each task,
the skills and knowledge required, the outcomes and goals
achieved, and the problems and solutions encountered
Work Diaries
• Advantages
Employee participation
Maintained on daily basis and Collects data as events
happen.
It offers rich and detailed insights into the actual work
experiences and perspectives of employees, rather than
relying on external observations or assumptions
This method also captures the dynamic and complex nature
of the job, as well as any changes or challenges that may
occur over time
Additionally, it enables employees to express their opinions
and feelings about their work, which can help to boost their
motivation and engagement.
Moreover, it can reduce the potential bias and distortion
that may arise from memory, social desirability, or
interviewer effects.
Work Diaries
• Disadvantages
requiring a high level of commitment and participation
from the employees, which may be difficult to achieve.
It can also be time-consuming and burdensome for the
employees, as they have to record their activities and
experiences in addition to their normal duties. Depends
upon employees to accurately recall their activities
Additionally, it may generate too much or too little data,
which can affect the validity and reliability of the results.
Distortion of information
Furthermore, analyzing and interpreting the data can be
challenging, as it may be subjective, inconsistent, or
ambiguous, and require advanced qualitative skills and
tools.
Methods of Job Analysis: Manager trying the job
• In this method the job analyst actually performs the job
in question.
• The analyst, thus, receives first hand experience of
contextual factors on the job including physical
hazards, social demands, emotional pressures and
mental requirements.
• In this method the manager start a new job to check
that whether this job is beneficial or not.
• This method is used to check the new post.
Methods of Job Analysis: Manager trying the job
• Advantages
• This method is useful for jobs that can be easily learned.
• Very fruitful if the manager is an experienced analyst
and strategic risk taker.

• Disadvantages
• It is not suitable for jobs that are hazardous (e.g., fire
fighters) or for jobs that require extensive training (e.g.,
doctors, pharmacists).
• It’s a risky step to take because it may cause many
fundamental problems.
• Time consuming
What Aspects of a Job Are Analyzed?
Job Analysis should collect information on the following areas:

 Duties and Tasks: The basic unit of a job is the performance of specific
tasks and duties. Information to be collected about these items may
include: frequency, duration, effort, skill, complexity, equipment, standards,
etc.
 Environment: This may have a significant impact on the physical
requirements to be able to perform a job. The work environment may
include unpleasant conditions such as offensive odors and temperature
extremes. There may also be definite risks to the incumbent such as
noxious fumes, radioactive substances, hostile and aggressive people, and
dangerous explosives.
 Tools and Equipment: Some duties and tasks are performed using specific
equipment and tools. Equipment may include protective clothing. These
items need to be specified in a Job Analysis.
 Relationships: Supervision given and received. Relationships with internal
or external people.
 Requirements: The knowledge, skills, and abilities (KSA's) required to
perform the job. While an incumbent may have higher KSA's than those
required for the job, a Job Analysis typically only states the minimum
requirements to perform the job.
 The Job; not the person: An important concept of Job Analysis is that the
analysis is conducted of the Job, not the person. While Job Analysis data
may be collected from incumbents through interviews or questionnaires,
the product of the analysis is a description or specifications of the job, not a
description of the person.

 Essential criteria would be crucial to the position and only applicants that
meet all of the essential criteria should be offered an interview.

 Desirable criteria would not be crucial to the job but would help someone
perform the role and therefore be an advantage if the applicant had them.
This can assist when choosing between applicants that meet all the
essential criteria.
Outputs of Job Analysis
1. Job descriptions: A job description is a written statement of all the
important elements of a job. It is an outcome of the job analysis process. A
job description usually includes the following:
 the position or job title
 the specific tasks to be performed
 the relationship between the job in question and other jobs in the enterprise
 responsibilities of the job
 working conditions, including wages and hours of work
 performance standards required in the job.
Outputs of Job Analysis
1. Job Specification: A job specification is a written statement of the
qualifications and abilities required to enable the job to be
performed satisfactorily. It is sometimes referred to as a job
profile, personnel specification or qualifications requirement.
Sometimes the job specification is included as part of the job
description. In other cases it is a separate document. The main
content of a job specification includes requirements concerning:
 Education level: Educational qualifications for that title
 Experience
 Maturity and dependability
 Specific competencies
 Personal characteristics.
 Physical and other related attributes: Physique and mental health
 Special attributes and abilities
 Relationship of that job with other jobs in a concern.
Outputs of Job Analysis

Basis Job Description Job Specification

A job specification is an official document

A job description is a formal document
that outlines the skills, traits, experience,
Meaning that explains the tasks, duties, and
and education required to perform the
responsibilities of a particular job.
tasks listed in a job description.
Job descriptions typically include duties, Job specifications contain skills, qualities,
responsibilities, tasks, objectives, goals, traits, qualifications, education,
Contents
scope of the work, working conditions, experience, certifications, training,
and other responsibilities. credentials, and other requirements.

A job description is prepared after This document is prepared after

Origin
conducting a job analysis for a job/role. preparing the job description.

The main purpose of a job description is A job specification’s main purpose is to

Purpose to set clear, defined expectations for an help employees analyze if they are
employee to perform their role. qualified for a role in an organization.
A job specification helps evaluate the
A job description allows organizations to
performance of candidates during the
Application identify any gaps in skill sets and
recruitment and selection process based
overlapping duties.
on the benchmarks set.
Important Applications of Job Analysis
• Job Classification:
• Job Evaluation: Job evaluation is a process to assess the relative worth of jobs, usually for
the purpose of determining pay levels. It is a process of ranking jobs in order of importance
and worth, without regard to the personalities performing the work. Job analysis is one of
the tools used in job evaluation. Job analysis is done first and can then be used to assist in
the ranking of jobs and assessing their relative worth.
• Job analysis provides the necessary information to classify jobs into appropriate categories
or levels based on factors such as duties, responsibilities, complexity, and required
qualifications.
• It helps in creating job classification systems, such as job families, grades, or pay bands,
which facilitate organizational structure, career progression, and compensation
management.
• Job classification ensures internal equity by grouping similar jobs together and establishing
consistent standards for job evaluation and compensation across the organization.
• Job analysis serves as the foundation for job evaluation, which involves systematically
assessing the relative worth or value of different jobs within an organization.
• It identifies the factors and criteria used to determine the relative importance or
contribution of each job to the organization's objectives, such as skills, responsibilities, and
job complexity.
• Job evaluation methods, such as point-factor analysis or market pricing, rely on job
analysis data to assign appropriate pay grades or salary levels to different jobs based on
their assessed value.
Important Applications of Job Analysis
• Job Design and Redesign:
• Job analysis helps in understanding the content, context, and
requirements of a job, which informs job design decisions aimed
at improving efficiency, productivity, and employee satisfaction.

• It identifies opportunities for job enrichment, job enlargement,

job rotation, or job simplification to enhance the quality of work
and employee engagement.

• Job redesign initiatives are based on a thorough analysis of

existing job roles, tasks, and processes, ensuring that changes are
aligned with organizational goals and employee capabilities.
Important Applications of Job Analysis
• Job Enrichment: Job enrichment involves redesigning a job to incorporate higher-level
responsibilities, increased autonomy, and opportunities for personal growth and
development.
• It aims to enhance employee satisfaction, motivation, and engagement by providing
greater depth, challenge, and meaning in their work.
• Job enrichment typically involves giving employees more control over their tasks,
allowing them to make decisions, solve problems, and take ownership of their work.
• Common techniques used in job enrichment include task variety, task significance,
autonomy, feedback, and opportunities for skill development and advancement.
• Examples of job enrichment initiatives include allowing employees to participate in
decision-making processes, providing opportunities for job rotation or cross-training, and
assigning complex or meaningful tasks that align with employees' interests and strengths.
• Job Enlargement: Job enlargement, also known as horizontal job loading, involves
expanding a job to include a wider variety of tasks or responsibilities at the same skill
level.
• It aims to reduce monotony and boredom by providing employees with a greater diversity
of activities within their existing role.
• Job enlargement increases the scope of work without necessarily increasing the
complexity or challenge of individual tasks.
• This approach can enhance employee engagement and job satisfaction by offering
opportunities for skill development, learning, and task variety.
• Examples of job enlargement initiatives include combining several related tasks into a
single job role, rotating employees through different tasks within a team or department,
and cross-training employees to perform multiple job functions.
Important Applications of Job Analysis
• Job rotation involves systematically moving employees through different job roles or
assignments within the organization.
• It aims to broaden employees' skills, knowledge, and experiences by exposing them to
various functions, departments, or work environments.
• Job rotation can help prevent boredom, burnout, and skill stagnation by providing
employees with new challenges and learning opportunities.
• This approach facilitates cross-functional collaboration, teamwork, and a better
understanding of the organization as a whole.
• Examples: cross-training employees to perform multiple roles within their department,
rotating employees through different departments or projects, and implementing formal job
rotation programs to allow employees to experience various aspects of the job over time.
• Job Simplification: Job simplification involves streamlining or reducing the complexity of a
job by eliminating unnecessary tasks, simplifying processes, or standardizing work
procedures.
• It aims to improve efficiency, productivity, and employee performance by making jobs
more manageable and less mentally or physically demanding.
• Job simplification often involves breaking down complex tasks into smaller, more
straightforward components and removing redundant or non-value-added activities.
• This approach can help reduce errors, delays, and inefficiencies by focusing on essential job
requirements and eliminating unnecessary complexities.
• Examples of job simplification initiatives include redesigning work processes to eliminate
unnecessary paperwork or bureaucratic procedures, standardizing operating procedures to
reduce variation and increase consistency, and using technology to automate repetitive
tasks and streamline workflow.
Other uses of Job Analysis information
1. Job Description Development: Job analysis helps in creating detailed and
accurate job descriptions that outline the tasks, responsibilities,
qualifications, and requirements for a specific job role. This is essential
for recruitment, performance evaluation, and employee orientation.
2. Recruitment and Selection: By analyzing the requirements and
responsibilities of a job, organizations can effectively identify the skills,
knowledge, and abilities needed for successful job performance. This
information is crucial for selecting and hiring the right candidates who
match the job requirements.
3. Performance Evaluation and Appraisal: Job analysis provides a basis for
evaluating employee performance by establishing clear performance
standards and expectations for each job role. It helps in assessing
employees' effectiveness in performing job tasks and meeting job
requirements.
4. Training and Development: Understanding the tasks, skills, and
knowledge required for a job allows organizations to develop targeted
training programs to enhance employees' capabilities and performance.
Job analysis helps in identifying training needs and designing relevant
training content.
Uses of Job Analysis information
5. Compensation and Benefits: Job analysis provides data on the complexity,
responsibilities, and required skills of different job roles within the
organization. This information is used to establish equitable and
competitive compensation and benefits structures based on the relative
worth of each job.
6. Workforce Planning and Succession Planning: By analyzing current job
roles and their requirements, organizations can anticipate future workforce
needs and develop succession plans to ensure a smooth transition of talent
within the organization. Job analysis helps in identifying critical roles and
developing strategies for talent development and retention.
7. Workplace Safety and Health: Job analysis includes identifying potential
workplace hazards and risks associated with specific job roles. This
information is essential for developing safety protocols, training programs,
and ergonomic interventions to ensure a safe and healthy work
environment.
8. Legal Compliance: Job analysis helps organizations ensure compliance with
labor laws, regulations, and industry standards by accurately documenting
job requirements, performance expectations, and evaluation criteria. It
provides a foundation for addressing issues related to fair employment
practices, job discrimination, and accommodation of employees with
disabilities.
Impact of Behavioural Factors on Job Analysis
a. Employee fears: Most employee's fear that job analysis efforts may put them
in a 'Straight Jacket', limiting their initiative and inability. Another reason
for the negative attitude is the feeling that" as long as someone does not
know precisely what I am supposed to be doing, then I am safe". A
searching examination of jobs may uncover employee faults, which might
have escaped the employer's attention so far.

b. Resistance to change: When jobs change in tune with changes in technology,

there is an urgent need to revise job descriptions and job specifications -to
make them more meaningful. This would have a significant impact on the safe
and secure job worlds, employees used to live comfortably. Employees resist
such changes because when jobs are redefined, they may have to handle
difficult tasks and shoulder painful responsibilities. To ward off such threats,
managers must involve employees in the revision process, stating the reasons
for incorporating latest changes clearly.
Impact of Behavioural Factors on Job Analysis
c. Overemphasis on current employees: Job analysis efforts should not place
heavy emphasis on what the employees are currently doing. Some employees
may be gifted with unique capabilities and given a chance they may expand the
scope of the job and assume more responsibilities. The company may have
difficulty in finding someone like that person if he or she were to leave the
company. job description and job specifications should not describe just what
the person currently doing the job does and what his or her qualifications are.
The person may have unique capabilities and the ability to expand the scope of
the job to assume more responsibilities.
d. Management' Straight Jacket: Job analysis efforts may put managers in a '
straight jacket', limiting their freedom to adapt to changing needs from time to
time. The resulting attitude, “It’s not in my job description,” puts a straitjacket
on a manager. In some organizations with unionized workforces, very
restrictive job descriptions exist. Because of such difficulties, the final
statement in many job descriptions is a miscellaneous clause, which consists of
a phrase similar to “Performs other duties as needed upon request by
immediate supervisor
e. Job “Inflation”: Employees and managers also have some tendency to inflate
the importance and significance of their jobs. Because job analysis information
is used for compensation purposes, both managers and employees hope that
“puffing up” their jobs will result in higher pay levels.