Written assignment 2: Work life balance practices_case study

Chapter4_WorkforceJobsandJobAnalysis2.pptx

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Workforce, Jobs, and Job Analysis

Learning Outcomes

Explain how the workforce is changing in unpredictable ways.

Define job design and identify common approaches to job design

Discuss how flexible work arrangements help employees achieve work–life integration

Describe job analysis and the steps in the process

List the components of job descriptions.

Job

Job: A job is a grouping of tasks, duties, and responsibilities that constitutes the total work assignment for an employee.

Job is the tasks that one will perform within an authorized designation/post /roll of a company/organization.

Position is a form of power being held by some one in a particular area or department of a company or a government.

Job Description is the details of tasks designated by a company authority that should be performed under specific position or department in which also lay emphasize on the knowledge, skills, and experience which are required according to the accomplishment of the specified job

Task: Distinct, identifiable work activity comprised of motions that employees perform

Duty: Work segment comprised of several tasks that are performed by individuals

Responsibilities: Obligations to perform certain tasks and duties within a job

Important Elements of the Workforce Profile

The workforce is getting older, more educated, and more diverse.

Advances in technology are creating significant changes to workplaces and jobs.

Skill gaps are making it difficult for companies to find enough qualified workers.

Types of Employees

For example, Virgin Airlines uses contractors for baggage delivery, heavy maintenance, reservations, and many other noncustomer-facing jobs. These individuals are not considered employees because they generally work at will or on limited contracts, and they may even be working for other employers as well.

Full-Time Employees

Part-Time Employees

Independent Contractors

Temporary Workers

Contingent worker: temporary or freelance worker for a specific period of time and type of work

Potential Costs and Benefits of Using Contingent Workers

	To the Organization	To the Worker
Potential Benefits	Lowers wage bill and costs Increases flexibility	Enables work-life fit
Potential Costs	Increases requirement for onboarding Signals lack of commitment	Decreases opportunities for identification with the organization

To the Organization

Potential benefits

 Lowers wage bill and costs associated with providing work facilities

 Increases flexibility in deployment of workers

 With technology, enables new ways of working across distances and time

Potential costs

 Increases requirement for onboarding employees as temporary workers move in and out of work

 Increases coordination and integration costs

 Signals lack of commitment to the workforce

To the Worker

Potential benefits

 Provides choice on how, where and when to work

 Minimizes involvement in organizational politics

 Enables work-life fit

Potential costs

 Puts onus for skill development and career management solely on the individual

 Eliminates opportunities for the development of social and political capital within the organization

 Decreases opportunities for identification with the organization

Job Design

Focuses on restructuring jobs to

Capture talents of employees

Improve their work satisfaction

Enhance an organization’s performance

Job design refers to organizing tasks, duties, responsibilities, and other elements into a productive unit of work.

Job design can

Influence performance

Affect employees’ overall job satisfaction

Impact both physical and mental health

Some Characteristics of Jobs and People

Person–Job Fit

Different people will find that they fit different kinds of work in unique ways

Person–job fit: Matching the characteristics of people with the characteristics of jobs

Based on the match between individual characteristics and the unchangeable components of a job, people will differ on what they consider a good or bad job

Job Design – Job Simplification

Job simplification involves breaking a more complex job into relatively small subparts.

It may be appropriate for entry-level jobs.

Job Design – Job Enlargement

Factory work

Job Enlargement

Broadening the scope of a job by expanding the number of different tasks that are performed

Job Design – Job Enrichment

Job Enrichment

Increasing the depth of a job by adding responsibility for planning, organizing, controlling, and/or evaluating the job

Some examples of job enrichment are as follows:

Giving employees an entire job to complete rather than just a discrete part of the work to be performed

Giving employees more flexibility to perform jobs as needed

Increasing employees’ accountability for their work by reducing external control and overly close supervision

Expanding assignments for employees so that they can perform new tasks and develop special areas of expertise

Submitting feedback reports to employees rather than only to management so that individuals have more ownership over their development

Job Design – Job Rotation

Job Rotation

Process of shifting a person from job to job

Benefits

Job Characteristics Model

Psychological states of a jobholder

Experience meaningfulness of the work performed

Experience responsibility for work outcomes

Has knowledge of the results of the work performed

These psychological states of a jobholder improve work performance, internal motivation, and lower absenteeism and turnover

Five core job dimensions produce the three psychological states

Skill variety

Task significance

Task identity

Autonomy

Feedback

Characteristics of Jobs to Consider in Design

Skill Variety:

higher skill variety exists when a production line worker performs many different tasks when assembling products such as adding components, inspecting item quality, and packaging.

Task Identity:

when a customer calls with a problem, a customer specialist can handle the stages from maintenance to repair in order to resolve the problem.

Task significance:

A job is more meaningful if it is important to other individuals and the company.

Skill Variety

Work requires several activities for successful completion

Task Identity

Job includes a whole identifiable unit of work that is carried out from start to finish

Task Significance

Impact the job has on other people

Characteristics of Jobs to Consider in Design (Cont.)

Autonomy:

For example, college professors are given a significant amount of autonomy to develop and teach courses and to pursue their research interests, which can make the work more satisfying.

Feedback:

When an organization uses multiple raters and forms to determine employee performance (e.g., customer ratings, peer evaluations, self-appraisals, manager evaluations), the level of feedback increases because information is being provided by many individuals.

Autonomy

Individual freedom and discretion in the work and its scheduling

Feedback

Amount of information employees receive about how well or how poorly they have performed

Job Design – Job Crafting

Discussion questions:

Why the two groups of cleaner being interviewed responded differently to their job?

What are the three forms of job crafting?

Job Crafting: Employees mold their tasks to fit their individual strengths, passions, and motives better

Watch: Job Crafting - Amy Wrzesniewski on creating meaning in your own work

Designing Flexible Jobs

Flexible work arrangements allow employees to perform their jobs independent of time and location.

Place Flexibility

Time Flexibility

Place Flexibility: Telework and Coworking Space

Ask students to identify jobs that can be done at home.

Telework: Employees complete work through electronic interactions, telecommunications, and Internet technology

Coworking space: Communal space shared by freelancers and remote workers

Advantages and Disadvantages of Telework

Advantage

Saves commuting time

Increased productivity due to higher morale and decreased stress

Higher employee satisfaction and commitment

Disadvantage

Possibility of working more hours

Social isolation

Role conflict between work and family

Teams may allow poor performance

Time Flexibility: Work Scheduling

Forms

Shift Work

Part-Time Schedules

Compressed Workweek: Full week’s work is accomplished in fewer than five days of eight working hours each

Flextime: Employees work a set number of hours a day but vary starting and ending times

Job Sharing: Two employees perform the work of one full-time job

Most employers provide some form of additional pay, called a shift differential, for working the evening or night shifts.

Managing Telework and Flexible Work

Establishes clear work expectations

Define boundaries between work and home

Maintain employee motivation

Increase ongoing communication

Using Teams in Job Design

Special-purpose team: Formed to address specific problems, improve work processes, and enhance the overall quality of products and services

Self-directed team: Composed of individuals who are assigned a cluster of tasks, duties, and responsibilities to be accomplished

Virtual team: Includes individuals who are separated geographically but linked by communications technology

Trust, conflict, commitment, accountability, and results can influence team performance.

Special Types of Teams

Special-purpose team

Self-directed team

Virtual team: Includes individuals who are separated geographically but linked by communications technology

Job Analysis

Job analysis: a systematic way of gathering and analyzing information about the content, context, and human requirements of jobs.

The basis for all human resource practices

*Job Analysis in Perspective

Why Do We Need Job Analysis

Foundation of all HR practices

EEO laws requirement

Selection

Training

Performance appraisal

Job evaluation

Determine whether transfer is feasible or not

Provide realistic information about what jobs will be like for applicants

Provide information needed to develop training programs and performance appraisal systems

Can be used to determine the similarity of jobs

Provide information that is helpful for developing compensation

JOB ANALYSIS

HR Planning

Staffing

Training

Performance

Management

Safety

Health

Rewards

Employee

Relations

Legal

Compliance

Typical Division of H R Responsibilities: Job Analysis

HR Unit

Coordinates job analysis

Writes job descriptions and specifications for review by managers

Periodically reviews job descriptions and specifications

Reviews managerial input to ensure accuracy

Managers

Complete or help complete job analysis information

Review job descriptions and specifications and maintain their accuracy

Request new analyses as jobs change

Use job analysis information to identify performance standards

H R Unit

Coordinates job analysis

Writes job descriptions and specifications for review by managers

Periodically reviews job descriptions and specifications

Reviews managerial input to ensure accuracy

May seek assistance from outside experts for difficult or unusual analyses

Managers

Complete or help complete job analysis information

Review job descriptions and specifications and maintain their accuracy

Request new analyses as jobs change

Use job analysis information to identify performance standards

Provide information to outside experts

Task-Based VS Competency-Based Job Analysis

Task-Based Job Analysis

Most common type

Focuses on the components and characteristics of work embedded within a job

Identify all the tasks, duties, and responsibilities that are part of a job

Competency-Based Job Analysis

Competencies are individual capabilities that can be linked to enhanced performance by individuals or teams

Focuses on identifying the key individual characteristics that make employees successful on the job

A task is a distinct, identifiable work activity comprised of motions that employees perform, whereas a duty is a larger work segment comprised of several tasks that are performed by individuals.

Responsibilities are the obligations that individuals have to perform certain tasks and duties within a job.

The competency approach may be more broadly focused on behaviors, rather than just on tasks, duties, and responsibilities.

*Steps in the Job Analysis Process

Information Collected in a Job Analysis

Job Content

Tasks and duties

Responsibilities and accountabilities

Tools, equipment, software used

Decision-making

Supervision received/supervision provided to others

Job Context

Working hours/schedule

Work environment/hazards

Relationships (internal and external contacts)

Travel requirements

Physical, psychological, and emotional demands

Worker Characteristics

Education and experience

Knowledge, skills, and abilities

Certification/licensure

Job Analysis Methods

Observation

Work sampling Method

The process of taking samples of the work activities of individual

Useful for routine and repetitive jobs

Employee Diary/Log

Requires employees to “observe” their own performance by keeping a diary/log of their job duties

Advantages: relevant data, minimizes interruption of work

Disadvantages: requires skill in observation, employee behavior may be affected by being observed

Job Analysis Methods(Cont.)

Interview

Advantages: good at uncovering detail, can explore unexpected issues

Disadvantages: time consuming, socially desirable responses, difficult to analyze

Job Analysis Methods(Cont.)

Survey or Questionnaires

Advantages: inexpensive, can collect data from a large number of individuals, data easily summarized

Disadvantages: potentially low response rates, may lack detail

Existing Documentation(technical manuals, records)

Advantages: good source of information, objective

Disadvantages: may be difficult to understand, potentially obsolete

Job Analysis Methods(Cont.)

U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) resources helps employers with job analysis

O*Net (www.onetcenter.org) is an online database containing information on a wide range of jobs and occupational characteristics.

Provided by the federal government, the former Dictionary of Occupational Titles is now offered online as O*Net. This is an extensive, easily searchable federal government resource that is comprehensive and detailed. It is an excellent starting point when conducting a job analysis.

O*Net is the nation's primary source of occupational information. Central to the project is the O*Net database, containing information on hundreds of standardized and occupation-specific descriptors. The database is continually updated by surveying a broad range of workers from each occupation. Information from this free database forms the heart of O*Net Online, the interactive application to search occupations. The database also provides the basis for Career Exploration Tools, a set of valuable assessment instruments for workers and students looking to find or change careers (Source: O*net.Online).

Every occupation requires a different mix of knowledge, skills and abilities, and is performed using a variety of activities and tasks. These distinguishing occupational characteristics are described by the O*Net Content Model, which encapsulates the key features of an occupation into a standardized, measurable set of variables called descriptors. The hierarchical model starts with six domains, describing the day-to-day aspects of the job and the qualifications and interests of the typical worker. The model expands to 277 descriptors collected by the O*Net program, with more collected by other federal agencies such as the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

O*Net database contains data on 800+ occupations, classified by industry, and includes:

Task statements of importance, relevance, and frequency

Abilities, training, work experiences, and education

Interests, work values, work styles, and job zones

Multiple Methods

For best results, combine several data collection methods to balance the strengths and weaknesses of each method. Rarely is a single method adequate to capture all of the relevant data. The best combination provides both quantitative and qualitative data to explain in detail all of the elements involved in the job and the qualifications needed to perform the duties.

No magic formula to determine how many methods are ideal or which methods to combine for a given job.

For best result, use multiple methods.

Balance time and cost constraints.

Balance the strengths and weaknesses of each method.

Ideally, obtain both quantitative and qualitative data.

Sources of Information for Job Analysis

There are many sources to tap when conducting a job analysis. Remember that it is not necessary to have a job incumbent to conduct a job analysis. The choice of sources to use depends on a number of factors:

1. How many job incumbents there are.

2. The purpose for the job analysis.

3. The cost and time constraints for the process.

Job incumbents are typically relied on because of their familiarity with the job tasks. However, they should not be taken at their word without verification. Incumbents may not be objective, and they may have a bias toward their own particular credentials and background.

Supervisors or managers are an excellent data source. They supervise job incumbents and likely had a key role in defining the job to begin with. Their buy-in is important to determine reasonable standards of performance and job descriptions.

Former jobholders can be informative as well because they have performed the job tasks. They are less likely to bias the information in their own favor. However, if they performed the job some time ago or before methods/tools changed, the accuracy of their information must be verified.

The job analyst is an outside expert more skilled at assessing jobs than in the specific job being analyzed. However, the job analyst is likely to be more objective than anyone closely tied to the job.

Subject matter experts can be used for complex jobs, especially if the jobs are not currently performed in the organization. Individuals that perform the job duties at another organization, department or work site can be helpful in explaining how the work gets done.

Industry resources such as associations (American Welding Society, National Automobile Dealers Association) often have job descriptions available to their members.

Professional associations like SHRM, the state bar association and Municipal Firefighters Association can provide generic, benchmark job descriptions for jobs within the occupational family.

Job incumbent

Immediate supervisor

Subject matter experts (SMEs)

Clients or customers

Job analyst

Professional organizations like SHRM

Legal Aspects of Job Analysis

Job Analysis and the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)

Employers must identify essential job functions, not marginal functions

Job Analysis and Wage/Hour Regulations

Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) and most state wage/hour laws

Americans with Disabilities Act (1990)

Percentage of time spent on task:

Significant percentage of time. Often 20 percent or more.

Frequency of task:

Task performed regularly?

Daily, weekly, monthly.

Importance of task:

Does the task affect other parts of the job?

Does the task affect other jobs?

Job analysis should also identify the physical demands of jobs.

Job Descriptions and Job Specifications

The end products of a job analysis are job descriptions, job specifications, and performance standards.

Job description:

Systematic, detailed summary of job tasks, duties and responsibilities.

Job specification:

Knowledge, skills, and abilities (KSAs) an individual needs to perform a job satisfactorily

Job Descriptions and Job Specifications (Cont.)

Performance standards:

Indicators of what the job accomplishes and how performance is measured in key areas of the job description

Job Description Components

Identification

Job title and department

Reporting relationships

Location and date of analysis

General Summary

General responsibilities and components of a job

Acts as a complete overview

Essential Job Functions and Duties

Functions and duties listed in order of importance

Lists tasks, duties, and responsibilities

Job Description Components (Cont.)

Job Specifications

Knowledge, skills, and abilities

Education and experience

Physical requirement and/or working conditions

Disclaimers and Approvals

Many job descriptions include approval signatures and legal disclaimers

Allows employers to change job duties