Northern Arizona University
College of Business Administration

MGT 310--Human Resource Management

Ch 4: Job Analysis, Employee Involvement,
and Flexible Work Schedules

• Job requirements
  • Job--a group of related duties and responsibilities
  • Position--duties and responsibilities of one employee
  • Job family--a group of jobs with similar duties and responsibilities
  • Job specification--KSAs required (qualifications)
    • Must relate to the job
  • Job description--statement of the (tasks), duties and responsibilities of a job
    • Must relate to the job
    • Used for selection, training & development, performance appraisal, compensation management
• Job analysis--process of determining the KSAs
  • Essential job functions--job relatedness
    • ADA--"essential"
      • The reason the job exists is to perform that function
      • A limited number of employees may do the function
      • The function may be highly specialized, requiring unique expertise or abilities
  • Gathering job information--interviews, questionnaires, observation, diaries
    • Accuracy
      • Triangulation (multiple sources)
      • O*NET--US Dept of Labor (DOL) job description summaries--20,000 jobs
        • online.onetcenter.org
  • Approaches to job analysis
    • Functional job analysis--inventory of functions (data, people, things; difficulty; % each); see Fig 4.2, p 148
    • Position Analysis Questionnaire System--rate a standard list of tasks; see Fig 4.3, p 149
    • Critical Incident Method--critical job tasks for job success
      • Interviews (managers, employees), self-report
      • Task statements (5-10)
    • Task Inventory Analysis--tailor-made task descriptions for one organization
      • Tasks/descriptions for all jobs in the organization
      • Select those applicable to a particular job
      • Rate importance and frequency
    • HRIS--software that helps analyze jobs, write job descriptions and specifications (database)
  • Changing environment--future-oriented, competency-based approaches
    • Concern--EEOC guidelines
• Job descriptions
  • Job title--psychological importance; descriptive
  • Job identification--department, supervisor, date of description, wage category (exempt/non), classification
  • Job duties/functions--essential functions in order of importance (weight of % of time), tools/equipment
  • Job specifications/qualifications--KSAs required, work environment, hazards
  • Problems
    • Poorly written, vague
    • Not current
    • May violate law
    • Can limit scope of activities ("Not my job!" vs. "All duties as assigned")
    • VIDEO: Verizon (4.5 min)
  • Writing job descriptions
    • Be clear and specific--terse, direct, simple words
    • Begin with a verb
    • Indicate frequency or % ("occasionally," "regularly"...)
    • Validity--legal requirements, must be job-related
    • ACTIVITY: write your job description (4-5 key tasks/specifications, share)
• Job design--structuring jobs to improve efficiency, effectiveness & job satisfaction (see Fig 4.4, p 155)
  • Basic considerations
    • Organization objectives--tasks, duties
    • Industrial engineering--efficiency
    • Ergonomics--human interface (capabilities, limitations)
    • Behavioral concerns--job satisfaction
  • Job enrichment--adding more meaningful tasks/duties to make the job more rewarding or satisfying
    • Herzberg's Two-Factor Theory--satisfiers (vs. dissatisfiers)--intrinsic rewards
      • Achievement
      • Recognition
      • Growth
      • Responsibility
      • Meaning or contribution (whole job)
    • More planning, organizing, directing, controlling own work
      • Difficulty & responsibility
      • Authority & control
      • Job performance reports to employee
      • Tasks that require training and growth
      • Tasks that develop expertise
    • Teams
  • Job characteristics model--motivated, satisfied, productive employees experience meaningfulness, accept responsibility, and have knowledge of results
    • Skill variety--different activities
    • Task identity--completion of the whole
    • Task significance--substantial impact
    • Autonomy--independence
    • Feedback--outcomes
  • Empowerment--giving employees responsibility and authority; treat with dignity and respect (Theory Y)
    • Participation--control over work
    • Innovation--take reasonable risks
    • Access to information
    • Accountability--agreed-upon results
  • Ergonomic considerations--job/equipment/person interface
    • Equipment design
    • Injuries
      • Repetitive-motion injuries
      • See Fig 4.5, p 161
  • Teams--collaboration, synergy (sum of the parts is greater than the whole)
    • Employee involvement groups/ quality circles
    • Employee teams--work together toward a common purpose
      • Cross-functional teams
      • Project teams
      • Self-directed teams
      • Task forces
      • Process-improvement teams
      • Virtual teams
    • Successful teams
      • Shared goals
      • Motivated, energetic
      • Open, honest communication
      • Shared leadership
      • Clear role assignments
      • Collaborative climate, trust
      • Resolve conflict
• Flexible work schedules
  • Compressed workweek--fewer work days; some overtime law considerations
  • Flextime--core period (overlap); not suited to some jobs
  • Job sharing--two part-time employees; training and communication concerns
  • Telecommuting--work from home, coffee shop, traveling...; loss of interaction, performance/evaluation concerns, wage/hour concerns

• R.R. Donnelley (case--example)

Study guide for exam 1