Return on Investment

Running head: BNSF TASK ANALYSIS 1

BNSF TASK ANALYSIS 1

Task Analysis

Stephanie A. Gillmer

Purdue Global University

HR 410-01 Employee Training and Development

Professor Lisa Hone

August 18, 2020

Name of Organization

BNSF Railway

Summarize Business Strategy

BNSFs business strategy is to be efficient and continue growth in transportation for rail customers.

Step 1. Job: What

The job used for the task analysis will be in an Intermodal Equipment Operator. This job has three levels of proficiency in handling different equipment. All employees in the craft must be able to perform all areas as needed. The heavy equipment involves cranes, side-loaders, forklifts, and hostler trucks (Intermodal Equipment Operator, n.d.). All employees with BNSF must comply with federal and company safety rules, respond to and act on safety concerns, and policies and procedures (this includes: wearing required safety equipment).

Step 1. Job: Why

This job was selected for the task analysis because it is familiar. It is essential to know what is involved in the task analysis for this position. The job analysis will determine what activities, responsibilities, skills, outcomes, and what the work environment requires; all of these are necessary to get as much data as possible together when writing a job description. The information has frequent output results of this job analysis (Heathfield).

Step 2. Task

To identify a preliminary list of performed tasks in this job, it involves relating to the job target. A list is made by individual brainstorming, focus group discussion, as well as questionnaires and interviews (SCHLEBUSCH, 2019). A team can observe incumbents that require certain aspects of the job. The job analysis list should have an outcome of making employee and recruiting and hiring plans, posting and advertising position, and conducting performance development plans with the performance management system (Heathfield).

Step 3. Validation

It is crucial to validate evidence to support the use of credentialing exams that come from performing a job analysis in the profession (Wyse, 2019). A standard method is the task inventory method. People in the field get surveyed using a rating scale about the task necessary to complete the job safely and competently. Many jobs, including working on the railroad, require passing an exam to work in the workplace providing a link between what the people know must know and how to do it safely and competently (Wyse, 2019).

Step 4. KSAOs

To determine required competencies (KSAOs) first involves breaking down the job into tasks. Next, through a survey, generally, incumbents, a subset of tasks, are identified based on occurrence frequency, importance, significance, and other similar criteria (Goffin & Woycheshin, 2006). The final stage is judging the mental process. A group of experts (SMEs) would attempt to infer the KSAOs that are required to meet the demands of the employees from the tasks identified. KSAOs that are important in the position of intermodal equipment operators include active listening, critical thinking, reading comprehension, complex problem solving, and monitoring.

Step 5. How Trainable Are the KSAOs?

Typically, a job that is a fixed entity is considered to be where people fit precisely. When hiring for a position, people get selected by being a good match of the requirements asked of the job. Although, in training, people can develop into fitting the job. Employees need to posses the requirements of the job, skills, and knowledge. Surveys can ask employees if the KSAO is trainable. For example, how important is it that equipment operators possess this KSAO? Can the KSAO be taught in classroom training, simulation training, or field training? If SMEs report that the KSAO is trainable, then the KSAO is considered for candidate training (Rail Industry Job Analysis, n.d.). The KSAOs are trainable in the intermodal craft; there is training, and experience from senior workers who can advise new employees.

In the intermodal equipment operator job, there are more manageable tasks than others. Grounding is a simple starting position in the craft. Grounding requires employees to climb up and down railcars, either putting in locking devices when loading units for outbound or taking them out for inbound containers. The job requires to know safety rules, working with heavy machinery is very dangerous, and people can be hurt extremely bad. The hostler is driving a truck, hostlers get containers from parking stalls and bring them to the side loaders (trackside) to be loaded. Hostlers also take units from the track that were unloaded from the train and park them in parking spots for customers to pick up. Hostlers can be a safety concern if someone picks up a load that leans, it could cause a truck to turn over severely hurting the worker. Operators have to have plenty of training and awareness. There are risks of hurting groundman and hostler drivers if not doing the job accurately and safely.

The KSAOs would have an advantage if the employee had prior knowledge, although the employer still needs to train after hiring. For example, I had prior knowledge and experience of driving big trucks and backing up containers. I still needed the training to meet the requirements of this job. I learned quickly and got it faster than other employees that did not have the experience, but I did not know anything about operating side loaders. The safety aspect is also much different than any other job I have worked before. A lot more awareness is needed; the senses can not be dull while working when employees are on the ground next to the heavy equipment.

References:

F. (n.d.). Rail Industry Job Analysis. Retrieved August 17, 2020, from https://railroads.dot.gov/sites/fra.dot.gov/files/fra_net/2930/TR_Rail_Industry_Job_Analysis_Passenger_Conductor_20130221_FINAL.pdf

Goffin, R. D., & Woycheshin, D. E. (2006). An Empirical Method of Determining Employee Competencies/KSAOs From Task-Based Job Analysis. Military Psychology, 18(2), 121-130. http://dx.doi.org.libauth.purdueglobal.edu/10.1207/s15327876mp1802_2

Heathfield, S. (n.d.). How to Do a Job Analysis. Retrieved August 17, 2020, from https://www.thebalancecareers.com/job-analysis-1918555

Intermodal Equipment Operator job in Memphis at BNSF Railway. (n.d.). Retrieved August 17, 2020, from https://lensa.com/intermodal-equipment-operator-jobs/memphis/jd/faed1ddd164d972b423a1ac2d1dcbe21

SCHLEBUSCH, S. R. (2019). ASSESSMENT CENTRES: Unlocking people potential for growth - 2nd edition. Place of publication not identified: KR Publishing. doi: purdueglobal.edu

Wyse, A. E. (2019). Analyzing Job Analysis Data Using Mixture Rasch Models. Retrieved August 17, 2020, from https://eds-b-ebscohost-com.libauth.purdueglobal.edu/eds/detail/detail?vid=15