Madda Walabu University

Department of Management
MBA Program

Course Name: Strategic Human Resource

Management

Credit hours: 3 and Course code: MBA 623

Course instructor: Moges A. (Ph.D)

3 March 2022
 Chapter 2
Job Analysis

2.1. Introduction and Definition of Job Analysis:

• Studying and understanding jobs through the process known
as job analysis is a vital part of any HRM program.
Job analysis provides answers to questions such as these:
 How much time is taken to complete important tasks?
 Which tasks are grouped together and considered a job?
 How can a job be designed or structured so that the
employee’s performance can be enhanced?
 What kinds of behaviors are needed to perform the job?
 What kind of person (in terms of traits and experience) is best
suited for the job?
 How can the information acquired by a job analysis be used in
the development of HRM programs?
 Definition of Job Analysis

• Job analysis: is a purposeful, systematic process for

collecting information on the important work-
related aspects of a job.
• Job analysis: is the systematic process of
determining the skills, duties, and knowledge
required for performing jobs in an organization
(Mondy & Noe, 1990).
• Job analysis produces information used for writing
job descriptions (list of what the job entails) and
Job specification (what kind of people to hire for
the job).
 Defn. of Job Analysis.....Cont’d

• Job Analysis is a systematic exploration of the

activities within a job.
• It defines and documents the duties,
responsibilities and accountabilities of a job and
the conditions under which a job is performed.
• It is a Systematic process of determining the skills,
duties, and knowledge required for performing jobs in
an organization.
• The procedure for determining the duties and skill
requirements of a job and the kind of person who
should be hired for it.
 Defn. of Job Analysis.....Cont’d
• It also involves accurately and precisely
identifying and describing:
The required tasks,
relationship of the job to technology and other
jobs,
the knowledge and skills necessary for
performing the job, and
the conditions under which they must be
performed now and in the future.
 Purpose of Job Analysis

• The major purpose of job analysis is to provide

answers to the following six important questions
(Mondy and Noe, 1990):
1. What physical and mental tasks does the worker
accomplish?
2. When is the job to be completed?
3. Where is the job to be accomplished?
4. How does the worker do the job?
5. Why is the job done
6. What qualifications are needed to perform the job?
 2.2. Components of job analysis:

 Job description
 Job specification
 Job performance standards
 Job evaluations
1. Job description - a written statement of what the
job holder does, how it is done, under what
condition it is done, and why it is done.
A job description is a written description of what
the job entails.
 Job description . . .
Common format for job description: The job
identification includes:
The job title, department, date of the job
description, job code or number
The duties to be performed
The distinguishing characteristics of the job
Environmental conditions, and authority and
responsibility of the job holder
 2. Job specification

• Job specification- a statement of the minimum

acceptable qualifications that a job incumbent must
possess to perform the job successfully.
It identifies: the knowledge, skills, education,
experience, certification, and other abilities needed to
perform the job effectively.
The job specification evolves from the job description.
It addresses the question “What personal traits and
experience are needed to perform the job
effectively?”
The job specification is especially useful in offering
guidance for recruitment and selection.
 3. Job performance standards

Job performance standards- the statement of

attainable as well as acceptable level of job
achievement. Indicate quality and quantity of job
performance.
4. Job evaluations- specifies the relative values of
each job in the organization.
• Ranks all jobs in a hierarchy;
• Rates the jobs, not employees;
• Job description, Job specification, Job
performance standards serve as inputs for job
evaluation.
 Job evaluation . . .

Uses of job evaluation:

It provides information for developing a
compensation package.
It serves as the basis for fixing a fair and equitable
salary and wage structure.
 Cont’d

• Job Analysis= Job Description+ Job Specification

Job description is the principal product of job
analysis. It represents a written summary of the
job as an identifiable organizational unit.
Job specification is a written explanation of the
knowledge, skills, abilities, traits, and other
characteristics (KSAOs) necessary for effective
performance on a given job.
 2.3. Sources of information for job analysis

• Employees, Supervisors, Independent expert-

persons specializing in job analysis are appointed
to watch the employees performing the job.
Methods of Data Collection for Job Analysis:

– Observation method – job analyst

watches employees directly or reviews film
of workers on the job.
– Individual interview method – a team of
job incumbents is selected and extensively
interviewed.
– Group interview method – a number of
job incumbents are interviewed
simultaneously.
 contd

– Structured questionnaire method – workers

complete a specifically designed questionnaire.
– Technical conference method – uses supervisors
with an extensive knowledge of the job.
– Diary method – job incumbents record their daily
activities.
• The best results are usually achieved with some
combination of methods.
• Job Descriptions
– Written statement of what jobholder does, how it is done,
under what conditions and why.
– Common format: title; duties; distinguishing characteristics;
environmental conditions; authority and responsibilities.
– Used to describe the job to applicants, to guide new
employees, and to evaluate employees.
– Identification of essential job functions is needed to assure
compliance with Americans with Disabilities Act.
 contd
• Job Specifications
– States minimum acceptable qualifications.
– Used to select employees who have the essential
qualifications.
• Job Evaluations
– Specify relative value of each job in the organization.
– Used to design equitable compensation program.

• USE OF JOB ANALYSIS

 serves as a basis for orienting and training employees

regarding their specific duties
 It clarifies lines of responsibility and authority
 It provides a method of comparing rates of jobs ( wage
and salary survey
 2.4. The Uses of Job Analysis information
• A good job analysis must provide the following if it is to be viewed favorably:
1. It should yield a thorough, clear job description.
2. The frequency and importance of task behaviors should be
assessed.
3. It must allow for an accurate assessment of the knowledge, skills,
abilities, and other characteristics (KSAOs) required by the job.
4. It must yield information about the relationship between job
duties and these KSAOs.
• That is, it must clearly determine which KSAOs are important for
each job duty.
• In addition to helping organization satisfy their legal
requirements, job analysis is closely tied to HRM programs and
activities.
 Job Analysis is used extensively in each of the following areas:

• Recruitment and selection. Job analysis information helps recruiters seek and
find the right persons for the organization. And, to hire the right person, selection
testing must assess the most critical skills and abilities needed to perform a job.
• Training and career development. Knowing the skills necessary for jobs is
essential to building effective training programs. Moreover, helping people to move
efficiently from one career stage to another can only be accomplished with
information from job analysis.
• Compensation. Compensation is usually tied to the duties and responsibilities of
a job. Thus, proper compensation demands accurate assessments of what various
jobs entail.
• Strategic planning. Effective job analysis can help organizations to change,
eliminate, or otherwise restructure work and workflow processes to meet the
changing demands of uncertain environments.
• Performance appraisal-a performance appraisal compares each employee’s
actual performance with his/her performance standards
• Discovering unassigned duties- job analysis can also help reveal unassigned
duties.
• Equal employment opportunity (EEO) compliance - job analysis also plays a
big role in EEO compliance.
 2.5. Job Design
• Once a thorough job analysis has been conducted and
there are high-quality job descriptions and job
specifications available, an organization can use this
information for designing or redesigning jobs. This
information is very useful for structuring job elements,
duties, and tasks in a manner that will help to achieve
optimal performance and satisfaction.
• Jobs are foundations of organizational productivity and
employee satisfaction.
• How well jobs are designed will play an important role in
the realization of organizational objectives. Well designed
jobs, therefore, enable to attract and retain motivated
employees capable of discharging their work
responsibilities.
 Job Design . . .

• Job design is the process of determining the

specific tasks to be performed, the methods used
in performing these tasks and how the jobs relate
to other work in the organization. It specifies how
the job is to be done and how workers can be
satisfied doing the job
• Job design is the process of defining the way work
will be performed and the tasks that will be
required in a given job.
• Job redesign refers to changing the tasks or the
way work is performed in an existing job.
 Job Design Cont’d
• There are factors that play a vital role in
job design or redesign. These are:
 Technology- it has an impact on job design.
The type of machines, tools, equipments, and
other work aids as well as particular work
layout and methods used in producing goods
and services tend to act as constraints.
 Economic factors- if job redesign is believed
it improve output and workers level of
satisfaction, it must consider the adequacy of
the firm’s resources. Since job redesign is an
expensive undertaking, the management must
carefully balance the benefits of job design or
 Cont’d
 Union pressure- the philosophy, policy, and
strategy of the union can affect job design.
The contract between union and management
specifies and defines the type of jobs and the
duties responsibilities of employees.
 Employee’s potential- the abilities,
attitudes and motivation of the organizations’
employees must be considered when planning
to design or redesign a job.
 Management philosophy- the general
organizational policies and strategies can
determine the degree to which job redesign is
possible.
 Techniques of job redesign

 Job rotation- this technique refers to the movement of

employees from one job to another. Jobs are not
changed only employees are rotated.
 Job enlargement is a technique used to expand the
number of related tasks in a job. It increases job scope.
 Job enrichment is a technique in which employees are
given autonomy to set their own pace, design their own
work methods, etc.
• According to Herzberg (1979), job enrichment efforts
should be based on the following principles:
 Increases job demands
 Increase workers accountability
 Providing work scheduling freedom
 Providing feedback
 Providing new learning experience
 contd

Job enlargement and rotation are horizontal

expansion while job enrichment is a vertical
expansion.
Job enlargement and rotation increase job scope
while job enrichment increases job depth.
Job enlargement attempts to increase satisfaction by
giving employees a greater variety of things to do.
 The expansion of the work is, however, considered
horizontal, since the employees are not given more
responsibility or authority in decision making.
 Rather, they are merely allowed to do a greater
number of tasks.
 Cont’d

 Job Enrichment: A Motivational Approach

• Rather than simply increasing the variety of tasks
performed by an employee, job enrichment tries
to design jobs in ways that help incumbents
satisfy their needs for growth, recognition, and
responsibility.
• Thus, enrichment differs from enlargement
because the job is expanded vertically;
• employees are given responsibility that might
have previously been part of a supervisor’s job.
 2.6. Potential Problems with Job Analysis
• No process can be entirely accurate and fully
serves the purpose. Job analysis is no exception to
it. Nothing can be 100 percent accurate. Human
brain suffers with some limitations, therefore,
everything created, designed or developed by
humans too have some or other constraints.
• Coming back to the subject, even the process of
job analysis have lot of practical problems
associated with it.
 Problems with Job Analysis
 Lack of Management Support: The biggest problem
arises when a job analyst does not get proper support
from the management. The top management needs
to communicate it to the middle level managers and
employees to enhance the output or productivity of
the process. In case of improper communication,
employees may take it in a wrong sense and start
looking out for other available options. They may have
a notion that this is being carried out to fire them or
take any action against them. In order to avoid such
circumstances, top management must effectively
communicate the right message to their incumbents.
 Problems with Job Analysis . . .

 Lack of Co-operation from Employees: If we talk

about collecting authentic and accurate job-data,
it is almost impossible to get real and genuine
data without the support of employees. If they
are not ready to co-operate, it is a sheer wastage
of time, money and human effort to conduct job
analysis process.
• The need is to take the workers in confidence and
communicating that it is being done to solve their
problems only.
 Problems with Job Analysis . . .

 Inability to Identify the Need of Job Analysis:

 If the objectives and needs of job analysis process
are not properly identified, the whole exercise of
investigation and carrying out research is futile.
 Managers must decide in advance why this
process is being carried out, what its objectives
are and what is to be done with the collected and
recorded data.
 Problems with Job Analysis . . .

 Biasness of Job Analyst:

A balanced and unbiased approach is a necessity
while carrying out the process of job analysis.
To get real and genuine data, a job analyst must
be impartial in his or her approach.
If it can’t be avoided, it is better to outsource the
process or hire a professional job analyst.
 Problems with Job Analysis . . .

 Using Single Data Source:

 A job analyst needs to consider more than one
sources of data in order to collect true
information.
 Collecting data from a single source may result in
inaccuracy and it therefore, defeats the whole
purpose of conducting the job analysis process.
 Problems with Job Analysis . . .

 Lack of training of the analyst and incumbent:

• incumbent should be trained about job analysis

as purpose of job analysis, if not, incumbents
distort data of job analysis because employee
think that process seen as a threat to employee
 Other problems are:
• However, this is not the end. There may be many other
problems involved in a job analysis process such as:
 absence of verification and review of job analysis
process;
 Lack of participation of all stakeholders;
 lack of reward or recognition for providing genuine
and quality information;
 insufficient time and resources allowed for the
process;
 Time spent of job analysis too lengthy;
 lack of proper communication, improper
questionnaires and other forms.
Questions & Suggestions?