4.8 Summary

Job analysis is a systematic process used by HR managers to understand the responsibilities and requirements of a particular job. It is used for HR planning, recruitment, selection, training and development, performance appraisals, compensation, and ensuring compliance with laws and legislation. The results of job analysis inform job design, work structure, process engineering, and department structure. HR managers use job analysis to produce accurate job postings, identify critical knowledge and skills, identify risks, design performance appraisal systems, and develop equitable compensation plans and training programs. As jobs evolve, HR managers need to capture the new elements of the job in a systematic manner. This is important for the organization’s HR processes to remain efficient. The evolution of jobs is accelerating, with trends like artificial intelligence (AI) beginning to impact the world of work.

The text covers three topics: discrimination, job description, and job design. Discrimination is discussed in relation to job analysis and the determination of essential and non-essential duties. The job description is explained as a document that includes job tasks, duties, and requirements such as education and experience. Job design is defined as the specification of contents, methods, and relationships of jobs. The job characteristics model is described as an attempt to design jobs with increased motivational properties, which includes skill variety, task identity, task significance, autonomy, and feedback. The importance of job analysis in job design is emphasized, and the process of job redesign is briefly explained.

The chapter discusses different approaches to job design. The industrial engineering approach focuses on maximizing efficiency by simplifying work methods and setting time standards. But this can create jobs that are too simple and repetitive. Job enlargement involves adding more tasks to a job at the same level in the organization, which can increase employee satisfaction and quality of service. Job enrichment makes work more interesting and challenging by giving employees more responsibility and opportunities for impact. It may not be suitable for everyone and can cause dissatisfaction if compensation expectations are not met. Ergonomics is focused on ensuring the job is safe, effective, and a good fit for the employee. Some issues in job design include: telecommuting, team-based work, flexible working hours, alternative work patterns and artificial intelligence.