on job analysis outcomes. So long as EEO laws remain on the books, job analysis is here to stay.
THE MAJOR USES AND IMPORTANCE OF JOB ANALYSIS
reasons to group jobs. One is simplicity. If HRM specialists (and managers) had to deal with each position individually, the sheer volume of paperwork would be overwhelming. Grouping positions into job classifications allows HRM specialists to deal with personnel functions at a more general level. One of the HRM functions that can be handled at this level is pay. Individuals employed in a particular job classification typically receive salaries within the pay range established for that classification.
Job Evaluation
HRM specialists often mention job classification and job evaluation in the same breath. The process of job evaluation involves assessing the relative dollar-value of each job to the organization to set up
internally equitable pay structures. If pay structures are not equitable, employees will be dissatisfied and quit, or they will not see the benefits of striving for promotions. To put dollar values on jobs, it is
necessary to get the information about different jobs to determine which jobs deserve higher pay than others. There are two basic approaches to job evaluation. One involves comparing the target
organization’s pay practices to those of other organizations. This approach is often referred to as the market pricing method. The second approach involves rating jobs on the basis of factors that indicate the relative worth of different jobs within the organization. This approach has been called the factor
comparison or point factor method. Both methods rely heavily on job analysis data.
Suppose that we want to apply the market pricing method. To compare our jobs to those in other organizations, we must be sure that our jobs are indeed analogous to the ones selected for comparison.
Job analysis information on both jobs assures us that they are comparable. Suppose that we want to use the factor comparison method. Assessing the relative worth of jobs means analyzing them on a common set of criteria such as know-how, problem solving, accountability, working conditions, or complexity (U.
S. Civil Service Commission, 1977). The factors selected for comparison may vary, but job analysis remains a foundation for job evaluation.
Job Design
Job design has as its primary thrust meshing the needs of the individuals performing various jobs with the productivity needs of the organization. In recent years, an important aim for job design has been to provide individuals meaningful work that fits effectively into the flow of the organization. The goal of job design is simplifying, enriching, enlarging, or otherwise changing jobs to make the efforts of each employee fit together better with jobs performed by other workers. Changing one job can make the overall system work more efficiently.
From the organization’s viewpoint, jobs, as performed, must lead to efficient operations, quality
products, and well-maintained equipment. From the workers’ viewpoint, jobs must be meaningful and challenging, provide feedback on performance, and call on their decision-making skills (Davis and Wacker, 1988). HRM specialists design jobs that attempt to meet the needs of both employers and employees. Efficient job design allows organizations to take full advantage of technological
breakthroughs without alienating the workers affected by change. Restructuring jobs allows companies to retain skilled workers, while enhancing output.
HRM Planning
In HRM planning, planners analyze an organization’s HRM needs in a dynamic environment and
develop activities that enable an organization to adapt to change. This planning process requires accurate information about the levels of skill required in various jobs to ensure that enough individuals are
available in the organization to meet the HRM needs of the strategic plan. In short, job analysis provides fundamental input to the HRM planning process by helping planners understand exactly what kinds of work must be performed. That is, job analysis helps define for managers the kinds of general work and specific jobs that the organization will be relying on in the future.
Recruitment
The job analysis specifies the staffing required to complete the job duties. Job analysis can help the HRM specialist generate a higher-quality pool of job applicants by making it easy to describe a job in classified ads in a way that more precisely targets qualified job applicants. Job analysis also helps recruiters screen job applicants because it tells them what tasks, duties, and responsibilities the job entails.
Selection
Human resources selection deals with identifying the most qualified applicants for employment. To identify which applicants are more qualified, it is first necessary to determine the tasks that will be performed by the individual hired and the knowledge, skills, and abilities the individual must have to perform the job effectively. This information is gained through job analysis (Gatewood and Feild, 2001).
An organization’s managers or HRM specialists also use the job analysis information to choose or develop the appropriate selection devices (e.g., interview questions, tests).
Performance Appraisal
Performance appraisal deals with getting information about how well each employee is performing his or her job in order to reward those who are effective, improve the performance of those who are
ineffective, or provide a written justification for why the poor performer should be disciplined. Through job analysis, the organization can identify the behaviors and results that distinguish effective
performance from ineffective performance (Murphy and Cleveland, 1991). Information obtained from a job analysis can also be used to develop performance appraisal forms, which list the job’s tasks or behaviors and specify the expected performance. The performance appraisal standards used to judge employee performance for purposes of promotion, rewards, discipline, or layoff should be job related.
Compensation
Job analysis is essential when determining compensation. As part of identifying appropriate
compensation, job analysis information is used to determine job content for internal comparisons of responsibilities and external comparisons with the compensation paid by competing employers.
Internally, job analysis information can be used to compare the relative worth of each job’s contributions to the company’s overall performance. The value of each job’s contribution is an important determinant of the job’s pay level. In a typical pay structure, jobs that require mastery of more complex skills or that have greater levels of responsibility pay more than jobs that require only basic skills or have low
amounts of responsibility.
Training and Development
By defining what activities comprise a job, a job analysis helps the supervisor explain that job to a new employee (Kennedy, 1997). Organizations use job analysis information to assess training needs and to develop and evaluate training programs. Almost every employee hired by an organization will require some training in the job. By comparing the KSAs that employees bring to the job with those that are identified by job analysis, managers can identify their employees’ skill gaps. Training programs can then be put in place to improve job performance. Some training programs may be more extensive than others, but all require the trainer to have identified the tasks performed in the job to ensure that the training will prepare individuals to perform the job effectively (Goldstein, 1993).
Career Planning
Career planning entails matching an individual’s skills and aspirations with opportunities that are or may
This matching process requires that those in charge of career planning know the skill requirements of the various jobs. This allows them to guide individuals into jobs in which they will succeed and be satisfied.
Work Redesign
Often an organization will seek to redesign work to make it more efficient or effective. To redesign work, detailed information about the existing job(s) must be available. In addition, redesigning a job will, in fact, be similar to analyzing a job that does not yet exist.
Job Analysis and Line Managers
Job analysis is clearly important to the HRM function’s various activities, but it is even more important to line (or operations) managers. There are many reasons. First, managers must have detailed
information about all the jobs in their work group to understand the workflow process—specifically, identifying the tasks performed and the knowledge, skills, and abilities required to perform them. In addition, an understanding of this workflow process is essential if a manager chooses to redesign certain aspects to increase efficiency or effectiveness.
Second, managers need to understand the job requirements to make intelligent hiring decisions. Very seldom do employees get hired by the HRM function without a manager’s input. Managers will often interview prospective applicants and recommend who should receive a job offer. However, if the manager does not have a clear understanding of what tasks are performed on the job and the skills necessary to perform them, then the hiring decision may result in employees whom the manager ‘‘likes” but who are not capable of performing the job successfully.
Third, a manager is responsible for ensuring that each individual is performing his job satisfactorily (or better). This requires the manager to evaluate how well each person is performing and to provide
feedback to those whose performance needs improvement. Again, this requires that the manager clearly understand the tasks required in every job.
The uses of job analysis are many and can contribute substantially to an organization’s overall success and competitiveness. As noted earlier, however, competition is not the only force acting to increase the importance of job analysis to business and industry.