Part 2.

3: JOB DESIGN
1. Introduction

Job design follows job analysis i.e. it is the next step after job analysis. Job design means
to decide the contents of a job. It fixes the duties and responsibilities, organize tasks for a
job, it also outlines the methods and relationships between the job holder (manager) and
his superiors, subordinates and colleagues that are essential for the success of a certain
job.
Job design essentially involves integrating job responsibilities or content and certain
qualifications that are required to perform the job and the reward (financial and non-
financial benefits) for doing the job.. It outlines the job responsibilities very clearly and also
helps in attracting the right candidates to the right job. Further it also makes the job look
interesting and specialised.
Job design is a very important function of human resource management. If the jobs are
designed properly, then highly efficient human capital will join the organisation. They will
be motivated to improve the productivity and profitability of the organisation. However, if
the jobs are designed in a wrong manner, then it will result in absenteeism, high labour
turnover, conflicts, and other labour problems. People may be motivated by designing a job
properly and it may also contribute in quality of work life.
A job influences the moral, interest and efficiency of a human resource. Peter Drucker
writes “Work is an extension of personality. It is achievement. It is one of the ways in which
a person defines himself, measures his worthy and humanity. Work, we know, is both a
burden and a need, a curse and a blessing”
2. Defining Job Design

Job design is of comparatively recent origin. The human resource managers have realized
that the design of a job has considerable influence on the productivity and job satisfaction;
poorly designed jobs often result in boredom to the employees, increased turnover, job
dissatisfaction, low productivity and an increase in overall costs of the organization. All
these negative consequences can be avoided with the help of proper job design.

According to Jon Werner and DeSimone, “Job design is the development and alteration
of the components of a job (such as the tasks one performs, and the scope of one’s
responsibilities) to improve productivity and the quality of the employees’ work life.”

Job design has been defined by Davis (1966) as: “The specification of the contents,
methods, and relationships of jobs in order to satisfy technological and organizational
requirements as well as the social and personal requirements of the job-holder.”
Milkovich and Boudreau defined job design as, “Job design integrates work content
(tasks, functions, and relationships), the rewards (extrinsic and intrinsic) and the

Dr. Simran Kaur, Assistant Professor, Department of Law, MAIMS 1

qualifications required (skills, knowledge, abilities) for each job in a way that meets
the needs of employees and the organization.”
Michael Armstrong has defined job design as “the process of deciding on the content of
a job in terms of its duties and responsibilities, on the methods to be used in carrying out
the job, in terms of techniques, systems and procedures, and on the relationships that
should exist between the job holder and his superiors, subordinates and colleagues.”
Job design is an attempt to create a match between job requirements and human
attributes. It involves organizing the components of the job and the interaction patterns
among the members of a work group. It helps in developing appropriate design of job to
improve efficiency and satisfaction.
3. Principles of Job Design:

Principles are the bases of the approach used in job design. Robertson and Smith
(1985) have suggested the following five principles of job design:
To influence skill variety, provide opportunities for people to do several tasks and
combine tasks.
To influence task identity, combine tasks and form natural work units.
To influence task significance, form natural work units and inform people of the
importance of their work.
To influence autonomy, give people responsibility for determining their own
working systems.
To influence feedback; establish good relationship and open feedback channels.
4. Methods of Job Design

The various techniques of job design and redesign are discussed below:
5.1 Job Simplification
In job simplification, the complete job is broken down into small subparts; this is done so
that employee can do these jobs without much specialized training. Moreover, small
operations of the job can also be performed simultaneously so that the complete operation
can be done more quickly. For job simplification, generally time and motion studies are
used.
5.2 Job Rotation

Another technique designed to enhance employee motivation is job rotation, or periodically

assigning employees to alternating jobs or tasks. For example, an employee may spend two
weeks attaching bumpers to vehicles and the following two weeks making final checks of
the chassis. During the next month, the same employee may be assigned to two different
jobs. Therefore, the employee would be rotated among four jobs. The advantage of job
rotation is that employees do not have the same routine job day after day. Job rotation only
addresses the problem of assigning employees to jobs of limited scope; the depth of the job

Dr. Simran Kaur, Assistant Professor, Department of Law, MAIMS 2

does not change. The job cycle of the actual daily work performed has not been lengthened
or changed. Instead, employees are simply assigned to different jobs with different cycles.

Because job rotation does not change the basic nature of jobs, it is criticized as nothing
more than having an employee perform several boring and monotonous jobs rather than
one. Some employees dislike job rotation more than being assigned to one boring job
because when they are assigned to one job they know exactly where to report and what
work to expect each day. Workers quickly realize that job rotation does not increase their
interest in their work.
Although it seldom addresses the lack of employee motivation, it give manages a means of
coping with frequent absenteeism and high turnover. Thus when absenteeism or turnover
occurs in the work force, managers can quickly fill the vacated position because each
employee can perform several jobs.
Job rotation is often effectively used as a training technique for new, inexperienced
employees. At higher organizational levels, rotation also helps to develop managerial
generalists because it exposes them to several different operations.
Advantage of Job Rotation Technique:

• The employee experiences variety of work, workplace and peer group.

• Job rotation helps to broaden the knowledge and skills of an employee.
• The main advantage of job rotation is that it relieves the employee from the
boredom and monotony of doing the same job.
• With the help of this method, people become more flexible. They are prepared to
assume responsibility especially at other positions.
• Job rotation broadens the work experience of employees and turns specialists into
generalists.
• It is beneficial for the management also as the management gets employees who
can perform a variety of tasks to meet the contingencies.
• This method improves the self image and personal worth of the employee.
Disadvantage of Job Rotation Technique:
• Job rotation also creates disruptions. Members of the work group have to adjust
to the new employee.
• Productivity is reduced by moving a worker into new position just when his
efficiency at the prior job was creating organizational economies.
• Training costs are increased.
• The supervisor may also have to spend more time answering question and
monitoring the work of the recently rotated employee.
• It can demotivate intelligent and ambitious trainees who seek specific
responsibilities in their chosen specialty.

Dr. Simran Kaur, Assistant Professor, Department of Law, MAIMS 3

 5.3 Job Enlargement
Another means of increasing employee’s satisfaction with routine jobs is job enlargement,
or increasing the number of tasks performed (i.e. increasing the scope of the job). Job
enlargement, like job rotation, tries to eliminate short job cycles that create boredom.
Unlike job rotation, job enlargement actually increases the job cycle. When a job is
enlarged, either the tasks being performed are enlarged or several short tasks are given to
one worker. Thus, the scope of the job is increased because there are many tasks to be
performed by the same worker. Job enlargement programs change many methods of
operation- in contrast to job rotation, in which the same work procedures are used by
workers who rotate through work stations. Although job enlargement actually changes the
pace of the work and the operation by reallocating tasks and responsibilities, it does not
increase the depth of a job.
The focus of designing work for job enlargement is the exact opposite of that for job
specialization. Instead of designing jobs to be divided up into the fewest of tasks per
employee, a job is designed to have many tasks for the employee to perform. An enlarged
job requires a longer training period because there are more tasks to be learned. Worker
satisfaction should increase because is reduced as the job scope is expanded. However, job
enlargement programs are successful with jobs what have increased scope; such workers
are less prone to resort to absenteeism, grievances, slowdowns and other means of
displaying job dissatisfaction.
Enlargement is done only on the horizontal level. Thus, the job remains the same, but
becomes of a larger scale than before. In the words of Geroge Strauss and L.R. Sayles
“Job enlargement implies that instead of assigning one man to each job, a group of men
can be assigned to a group of jobs and then allowed to decide for themselves how to organize
the work. Such changes permit more social contacts and control over the work process.”
Job enlargement has the following advantages:

• Increase in diversity of jobs

• Job satisfaction
• Provides wholeness and identity with the task and increases the knowledge
necessary to perform it.
• Provides variety of skills.
• Reduces tension and boredom.
• Trains and develops more versatile employees.
Despite these advantages this is not a completely satisfactory method of job design as it
does not increase the depth of a job. Enlarged jobs require longer training period as there
are more tasks to be learned.
5.4 Job Enrichment
The concept of job enrichment has been derived from Herzberg’s two-factor theory of
motivation in which he has suggested that job content is one of the basic factors of

Dr. Simran Kaur, Assistant Professor, Department of Law, MAIMS 4

motivation. If the job is designed in such a manner that it becomes more interesting and
challenging to the job performer and provides him opportunities for achievement,
recognition, responsibility, advancement and growth, the job itself becomes a source of
motivation to the individual.
According to Richard W. Beatty and Graig Eric. Schneider, “Job enrichment is a
motivational technique which emphasizes the need for challenging and interesting work.
It suggests that jobs be redesigned so that intrinsic satisfaction is derived from doing the
job. In its best applications it leads to a vertically enhanced job by adding function from
other organizational levels, making it contain more variety and challenge and offer
autonomy and pride to the employee.”

According to P. Robbins, “Job enrichment refers to the vertical expansion of the jobs. It
increases the degree to which the worker controls the planning, execution and evaluation
of his work.”
In the words of Robert Albanese, “Job enrichment sometimes called. “vertical job leading’
is a job redesign strategy that focuses on job depth.”

According to Mondy. Holmes, and Flippo, “Job enrichment refers to basic changes in
the content and level of responsibility of a job so to provide for the satisfaction of the
motivation needs of personnel. Rebert Ford, who was associated with designing of jobs to
make them more enriched, has provided some bases (though not exhaustive) for job
enrichment as shown in Table 8.1

Table 8.1 : Job Enrichment Bases

Techniques of Job Enrichment: In order to enrich the jobs. The management should
adopt the following measures:

• Freedom in decisions
• Assign a natural work unit to an employee.
• Encouraging participation
• Allow the employee to set his own standards of performance.
• Minimize the controls to provide freedom to the employees
Dr. Simran Kaur, Assistant Professor, Department of Law, MAIMS 5
 • Make an employee directly responsible for his performance.
• Encourage participation of employees in deciding organizational goals and policies.
• Expand job vertically
• Introducing new, difficult and creative tasks to the employees.
• Sense of achievement.
Advantages of Job Enrichment: The advantages of job enrichment are as follows:

• It enriches the role.

• Job enrichment is the most widely used of job design as it provides a meaningful
learning to employees.
• It makes the work interesting and employee get motivated.
• It helps in reducing the rate of labour turnover and absenteeism.
• It increases skills of the employees.
• It increases morale and performance.
• Reduce Boredom and dissatisfaction.
• Increase in output both qualitative and quantitative.

Disadvantages of Job Enrichment: Dunham and Newstrom state, “Even the strongest
supporters of job enrichment readily admit that there are limitations in its application.”
Newstrom and Keith Davis also write, “Employees are the final judges of what enriches
their jobs. All that management can do is to gather information about what tends to enrich
jobs, try these changes in the job system, and then determine whether employees feel that
enrichment has occurred.” A few limitations of or problems with job enrichment are as
follows:
• Increase cost
• Need more employee counseling, training, and guidance.
• Not applicable to all jobs.
• Negative impact on personnel.
• Imposed on people.
• Objected by unions
• Pay dissatisfaction
5. Job Enlargement vs. Job Enrichment

Job enlargement and job enrichment are both important forms of job design in order to
enhance productivity and satisfaction of the employees. They differ from each other in the
following respects:
A. Nature of Job: The major difference between job enrichment and enlargement
lies in the nature of additions to the job. Enlargement involves a horizontal loading or
expansion, or addition
of tasks of the same nature. Enrichment involves vertical loading of tasks and
responsibility of the job holder; it improves the quality of the job in terms of its intrinsic

Dr. Simran Kaur, Assistant Professor, Department of Law, MAIMS 6

 worth.

B. Purpose: The purpose of job enlargement is to reduce the monotony in performing

repetitive jobs by lengthening the cycle of operation. On the other hand, the purpose of
job enrichment is making the job lively, challenging and satisfying. It satisfies the higher
level needs such as ego satisfaction, self expression, sense of achievement and
advancement of Job holders.
C. Skill Requirement: Job enlargement may not necessarily require the use of
additional skills which the job holder was using in performing the job before the
enlargement. This is due to similarity of additional tasks. Enrichment calls for
development and utilization of higher skills, initiative, and innovation on the part of the
job holder in performing the job.
D. Direction and Control: Job enlargement requires direction and control from external
sources, say supervisor. In fact, the job holder may require more direction and control
because of enlargement of his responsibility. Enrichment does not require external
direction and control as these come from the job holder himself. He requires only
feedback from his supervisor.
6. Factors affecting Job Design

A well defined job will make the job interesting and satisfying for the employee and it results
in increased performance and productivity. If a job fails to appear interesting and leads to
employee dissatisfaction towards job then it means that job must be redesigned based
upon the feedback from the employees.

Various factors that affect a job design may be classified under three heads:

1. Factors related to Organization

2. Factors related to Environment
3. Factors related to Behaviour
4. Other Factors

(1) Factors related to Organization

We can consider the following factors under this:

A. Nature of Work: A job contains various elements and job design is required to
classify various tasks into a job. The various tasks may be planning, monitoring,
executing, controlling etc and all these are to be taken into consideration while we
designing a job.
B. Work Place Culture: Work culture of an organization determines the way tasks are
carried out at the work places. Work practices are methods/ standards laid out for
carrying out a certain task in a specific way. These practices often affect the job
design especially when the practices are not aligned to the interests of the workers

Dr. Simran Kaur, Assistant Professor, Department of Law, MAIMS 7

 or unions.
C. Workflow: Product and service type often determines the sequence of work flow. A
good job design ensures the balance between various product or service processes.
D. Ergonomics: Ergonomics aims at designing jobs in such a way that the physical
abilities & individual traits of human resources are taken into consideration to
ensure productivity and efficiency.

(2) Factors related to Environment

Both internal as well as external environmental factors affect the job design to a large
extent. They include:

A. Employee skills, abilities and time of availability: It plays a crucial role in job
design. The above economic and mentioned factors are taken into consideration for
employees who are actually going to perform the job. Designing a job more than the
abilities or skill set will lead to decreased productivity and employee satisfaction.
B. Cultural and social expectations: In place of process centered, the Jobs are
nowadays becoming more employee centered. They are therefore designed keeping
the employees in central place. In addition the literacy level among the employees
and life style is also on the rise side. They now demand jobs that are of their liking
and according to their competency so that they can perform the best.

(3) Factors related to Behaviour

Behavioural factors are those that pertain to the human need and that need to be
satisfied for ensuring productivity at workplace. They include:

A. Autonomy: Employees need autonomy and they want to work in an open

environment rather than one that contains fear or unnecessary pressure. Autonomy
promotes creativity, independence and also leads to increased efficiency and
productivity.
B. Diversity: A job should carry sufficient diversity and variety so that it remains as
interesting with every passing day. Repetitive jobs often make work monotonous
which leads to boredom. Job variety diversity should be given due importance while
designing a job.
C. Feedback: Feedback should be an integral part of work; it must be taken in a
positive manner. Each employee should receive proper feedback about his work
performance.
D. Use of Skills and abilities: Jobs should be designed in a manner such that an
employee is able to make full use of his abilities and perform the job effectively.

(4) Other Factors:

• Proper scope of job

• Full-time challenge of the job

Dr. Simran Kaur, Assistant Professor, Department of Law, MAIMS 8

• Managerial skills
• Organisation's requirements
• Individual likes and dislikes
• Organisational structure
• Technology

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