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Chap 4 1 Job Analysis

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Chap 4 1 Job Analysis

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Job Analysis

Chapte
r2

1
After studying this chapter, you should be able to:

1. Discuss the nature of job analysis, including what it is and


how it’s used.
2. Use at least three methods of collecting job analysis
information, including interviews, questionnaires, and
observation.
3. Write job descriptions, including summaries and job
functions, using the Internet and traditional methods.
4. Write a job specification.
5. Explain job analysis in a “jobless” world, including what it
means and how it’s done in practice.

2
Basics of Job Analysis
• Organizations consist of jobs that have to be staffed.
• Job analysis is the procedure through which a
manager determines the duties of these positions
and the characteristics of the people to hire for them.
• Job analysis produces information for writing job
descriptions (a list of what the job entails) and job
specifications (what kind of people to hire for the
job).
• Every manager should understand the mechanics of
analyzing jobs. Virtually every personnel-related
action a manager takes—interviewing applicants,
and training and appraising employees, for
instance—depends on knowing what the job entails
and what human traits one needs to do the job well.
3
Types of Information Collected
• The supervisor or HRs specialist normally collects the
following types of information via the job analysis:
– Work activities. First, he or she collects information about
the job's actual work activities, such as cleaning, selling,
teaching, or painting. This list may also include how, why, and
when the worker performs each activity.
– Human behaviors. The specialist may also collect
information about human behaviors the job requires, like
sensing, communicating, deciding, and writing. Included here
would be information regarding job demands such as lifting
weights or walking long distances.
– Machines, tools, equipment, and work aids. This includes
information regarding tools used, materials processed,
knowledge dealt with or applied (such as finance or law), and
services rendered (such as counseling or repairing).
4
Types of Information Collected (contd)
– Performance standards. The employer may also want
information about the job's performance standards (in terms
of quantity or quality levels for each job duty, for instance).
Management will use these standards to appraise
employees.
– Job context. Included here is information about such
matters as physical working conditions, work schedule, and
the organizational and social context—for instance, the
number of people with whom the employee would normally
interact. Information regarding incentives might also be
included here.
– Human requirements. This includes information regarding
the job's human requirements, such as job-related
knowledge or skills (education, training, work experience)
and required personal attributes (aptitudes, physical
characteristics, personality, interests).
5
Uses of Job Analysis Information
• Job analysis is important because managers use it to support just
about all their HRM activities.
– Recruitment and Selection. Job analysis provides information
about what duties the job entails and what human characteristics
are required to perform these activities. This information, in the form
of job descriptions and specifications, helps managers decide what
sort of people to recruit and hire.
– Compensation. Compensation (such as salary and bonus) usually
depends on the job's required skill and education level, safety
hazards, degree of responsibility, and so on—all factors you assess
through job analysis. Furthermore, many employers group jobs into
classes (say, senior secretary and executive secretary) for pay
purposes. Job analysis provides the information to determine the
relative worth of each job—and thus its appropriate class.
– Training. The job description lists the job's specific duties and
requisite skills—and therefore the training—that the job requires.
6
FIGURE 2–1 Uses of Job Analysis Information

7
Uses of Job Analysis Information (contd)
– Performance Appraisal. A performance appraisal compares each
employee's actual performance with his or her performance
standards. Doing so requires knowledge of the job's duties and
standards. Managers use job analysis to learn what these duties
and standards are.
– Discovering Unassigned Duties. Job analysis can also help
reveal unassigned duties. For example, your company's
production manager says she's responsible for a dozen or so
duties, such as production scheduling and raw material purchasing.
Missing, however, is managing raw material inventories. On further
study, you learn that none of the other manufacturing people are
responsible for inventory management, either. You've uncovered
an essential unassigned duty, thanks to job analysis.
– Legal Compliance. Job analysis also plays a big role in legal
compliance, like EEO in Bangladesh. For example, to comply with
the Bangladeshis with Disabilities Act, employers should know
each job's essential job functions—which in turn requires
8 a job
analysis.
Steps in Job Analysis
Steps in doing a job analysis:

1 Decide how a manager will use the information.

2 Review relevant background information.

3 Select representative positions.

4 Actually analyze the job.

5 Verify the job analysis information.

6 Develop a job description and job specification.

9
Steps in Job Analysis (contd)
• Step 1: Decide how a manager will use the information, since this will
determine the data s/he collects and how s/he collects them. Some
data collection techniques— like interviewing the employee and asking
what the job entails—are good for writing job descriptions and selecting
employees for the job.
• Step 2: Review relevant background information such as organization
charts, process charts, and job descriptions. Organization charts
show the organization-wide division of work, how the job relates to
other jobs, and where the job fits in the overall organization. The chart
should show the title of each position and who reports to whom and
with whom the job incumbent communicates.
– A process chart provides a more detailed picture of the work flow. In its
simplest form a process chart (Figure 2-2) shows the flow of inputs to and
outputs from the job a manager analyzing. (In Figure 2-2, the quality
control clerk is expected to review components from suppliers, check
components going to the plant managers, and give information regarding
component's quality to these managers.) Finally, the existing job
description, if there is one, usually provides a starting point for building the
revised job description.

10
FIGURE 2–2 Process Chart for Analyzing a Job’s Workflow

11
Steps in Job Analysis (contd)
• Step 3: Select representative positions. There may be too many similar
jobs to analyze them all. For example, it is usually unnecessary to analyze
the jobs of 200 assembly workers when a sample of 10 jobs will do.
• Step 4: Actually analyze the job—by collecting data on job activities,
required employee behaviors, working conditions, and human traits and
abilities needed to perform the job. For this step, use one or more of the job
analysis methods we'll explain in the next section of this chapter.
• Step 5: Verify the job analysis information with the worker performing the
job and with his or her immediate supervisor. This will help confirm that the
information is factually correct and complete. This review can also help
gain the employee's acceptance of the job analysis data and conclusions,
by giving that person a chance to review and modify your description of the
job activities.
• Step 6: Develop a job description and job specification. These are two
tangible products of the job analysis. The job description is a written
statement that describes the activities and responsibilities of the job, as
well as its important features, such as working conditions and safety
hazards. The job specification summarizes the personal qualities, traits,
skills, and background required for getting the job done. It may be in a
separate document or in the same document as the job description.
12
A Quicker Approach for Supervisors
• Job analysis can be a time-consuming process. It might take a few days to
interview five or six employees and their managers. An abbreviated but still
useful process would take just several hours. The steps might include:
– Greet participants.
– Briefly explain the job analysis process and the participants'
roles in this process.
– Spend about 15 minutes interviewing the employees to get
agreement on a basic summary of the job.
– Identify the job's broad areas of responsibility, such as
"accounting" and "supervisory."
– Identify tasks within each area, using a flip chart interactively
with the employees, or collaboration software.
– Print the task list and get the group to sign off on it.
13
Job Analysis Guidelines
• Before analyzing the job keep four practical guidelines in mind:
• Make the job analysis a joint effort by a human resources specialist,
the worker, and the worker's supervisor. The HR manager might
observe the worker doing the job, and have both the supervisor and
worker fill out job questionnaires.
• If there are several employees doing the same job in different
departments, collect job analysis information from employees in
different departments, not just one. The way someone with a particular
job title spends his or her time is not necessarily the same from
department to department.
• Make sure the questions and process are clear to the employees. (For
example, some might not know what you mean when you ask about
the job's "mental demands.")
• Use several different tools for the job analysis. Generally try not to rely
just on a questionnaire, for instance, but perhaps supplement your
survey results with a short follow-up interview. (The problem is that
each tool has potential drawbacks.) 14
Methods of Collecting Job Analysis
Information
• There are various ways/methods (interviews, questionnaires,
observations, and diary/log) to collect information on a job's
duties, responsibilities, and activities.
• Managers could use any one of them, or combine several.
The basic rule is to use those that best fit his/her purposes.
• Thus, an interview might be best for creating a list of job
duties and job description. The more quantitative position
analysis questionnaire may be best for quantifying each job's
relative worth for pay purposes.
• Managers use these methods for developing job
descriptions and job specifications.

15
Methods of Collecting Job Analysis
Information: The Interview
• Job analysis interviews range from completely unstructured
interviews ("Tell me about your job") to highly structured ones
containing hundreds of items to check off.
• Managers may conduct individual interviews with each
employee, group interviews with groups of employees who
have the same job, and/or supervisor interviews with one or
more supervisors who know the job.
• They use group interviews when a large number of
employees are performing similar or identical work, since it
can be a quick and inexpensive way to gather information.
• As a rule, the workers' immediate supervisor needs to attend
the group session.

16
Methods of Collecting Job Analysis
Information: The Interview
• Some typical interview questions include the following:
– What is the job being performed?
– What are the major duties of your position? What exactly do you do?
– What physical locations do you work in?
– What are the education, experience, skill, and [where applicable]
certification and licensing requirements?
– In what activities do you participate?
– What are the job's responsibilities and duties?
– What are the basic accountabilities or performance standards that typify
your work?
– What are your responsibilities? What are the environmental and working
conditions involved?
– What are the job's physical demands? The emotional and mental
demands?
– What are the health and safety conditions?
– Are you exposed to any hazards or unusual working conditions?
17
Methods of Collecting Job Analysis
Information: The Interview
• Structured Interviews. Managers can also use a
structured or checklist format to guide the interview.
Figure 2-3 presents one example, in this case, a job
analysis information sheet. It includes a series of
questions regarding matters like the general
purpose of the job; supervisory responsibilities; job
duties; and education, experience, and skills
required. Of course, structured lists are not just for
interviews: Job analysts who collect information by
personally observing the work or by using
questionnaires—two methods explained later—can
also use structured lists like these. Figure 2-4 is a
questionnaire intended for completing online.
18
FIGURE 2–3
Job Analysis
Questionnaire for
Developing Job
Descriptions

19
FIGURE 2–3
Job Analysis
Questionnaire
for Developing
Job Descriptions
(continued)

20
FIGURE 2–4
Example of
Position/Job
Description
Intended for
Use Online

21
Methods of Collecting Job Analysis
Information: The Interview
• Pros and Cons. The interview's wide use reflects its advantages.
It's a simple and quick way to collect information, including
information that might not appear on a written form. For instance,
a skilled interviewer can reveal important activities that occur only
occasionally. The interview also provides an opportunity to explain
the need for and functions of the job analysis. The employee can
also express frustrations that might otherwise go unnoticed by
management.
• Distortion of information is the main problem—whether due to
absolute falsification or honest misunderstanding. Employees may
view the interview as a sort of "efficiency evaluation" that may
affect their pay. They may then tend to exaggerate certain
responsibilities while minimizing others.
22
Job Analysis: Interviewing Guidelines
• The job analyst and supervisor should work together to
identify the workers who know the job best.
• It is advisable to quickly establish rapport/relationship with
the interviewee.
• Follow a structured guide or checklist, one that lists open-
ended questions and provides space for answers.
• Ask the worker to list his or her duties in order of importance
and frequency of occurrence.
• After completing the interview, review and verify the data.

23
Methods of Collecting Job Analysis
Information: Questionnaires
• Information Source
– Having employees fill out questionnaires to
describe their job-related duties and responsibilities.
• Questionnaire Formats
– Structured checklists: each employee gets an
inventory of specific duties/tasks. He/she is asked
to indicate whether or not he/she performs each
task and, if so, how much time is normally spent on
each.
– Open-ended questions: simply ask the employee to
"describe the major duties of your job.”
24
Methods of Collecting Job Analysis
Information: Questionnaires
• Whether structured or unstructured, questionnaires
have pros and cons. A questionnaire is a quick and
efficient way to obtain information from a large
number of employees; it is less costly than
interviewing hundreds of workers, for instance.
• However, developing the questionnaire and testing it
(perhaps by making sure the workers understand
the questions) can be time-consuming. And as with
interviews, employees may distort their answers,
consciously or unconsciously.
25
Methods of Collecting Job Analysis
Information: Observation
• Information Source
– Observing and noting the physical activities of employees as
they go about their jobs.
– It is useful when jobs consists of observable physical
activities, for example, assembly-line workers or accounting
clerk.
• Advantages
– Provides first-hand information
– Reduces distortion of information
• Disadvantages
– Time consuming
– Difficulty in capturing entire job cycle
– Of little use if job involves a high level of mental activity
26
Methods of Collecting Job Analysis
Information: Participant Diary/Logs
• Information Source
– Workers keep a chronological diary/log of what they do and
the time spent on each activity
• Advantages
– Produces a more complete picture of the job
– Employee participation
• Disadvantages
– Distortion of information
– Depends upon employees to accurately recall their activities
• Diary/logs have gone high-tech. Some firms give employees
pocket dictating machines and pagers to record their activities.
27
Quantitative Job Analysis Techniques
• Qualitative methods like interviews and questionnaires are
not always suitable. For example, if your aim is to compare
jobs for pay purposes, a mere listing of duties may not suffice.
You may need to say that, in effect, "Job A is twice as
challenging as Job B, and so is worth twice the pay."
• To do this, it helps to have quantitative ratings for each job.
The position analysis questionnaire and the Department of
Labor approach are quantitative methods for doing this.
• Position Analysis Questionnaire:
– A questionnaire used to collect quantifiable data
concerning the duties and responsibilities of various jobs.
– Consists of a detailed questionnaire containing 194 items.
(see Figure 2-5 for a sample)
– The 194 items (such as "written materials") each
represent a basic element that may or may not play a role
in the job.
28
FIGURE 2–5
Portion of a
Completed
Page from the
Position
Analysis
Questionnaire

The 194 PAQ elements


are grouped into six
dimensions. This
exhibits 11 of the
“information input”
questions or elements.
Other PAQ pages
contain questions
regarding mental
processes, work output,
relationships with others,
job context, and other
29
job characteristics.
TABLE 2–1 Basic Department of Labor Worker Functions

Data People Things


0 Synthesizing 0 Mentoring 0 Setting up
1 Coordinating 1 Negotiating 1 Precision working
Basic Activities

2 Analyzing 2 Instructing 2 Operating/controlling


3 Compiling 3 Supervising 3 Driving/operating
4 Computing 4 Diverting 4 Manipulating
5 Copying 5 Persuading 5 Tending
6 Comparing 6 Speaking/signaling 6 Feeding/offbearing
7 Serving 7 Handling
8 Taking instructions/
helping

Note: Determine employee’s job “score” on data, people, and things by observing
his or her job and determining, for each of the three categories, which of the basic
functions illustrates the person’s job. “0” is high; “6,” “8,” and “7” are lows in each
column.
30
FIGURE 2–6
Sample
Report Based
on Department
of Labor Job
Analysis
Technique

31
Internet-Based Job Analysis
• Methods such as questionnaires and interviews present some
drawbacks and collecting the information from geographically
dispersed employees can be challenging.
• Conducting the job analysis via the Internet is an obvious
solution.
• HR department can distribute standardized job analysis
questionnaires to geographically disbursed employees via
their company intranets, with instructions to complete the
forms and return them by a particular date.
• Of course, the instructions should be clear, and it is best to
test the process first before launching.
• Figure 2-7 lists some of the activities, such as "Information
Input Category" and "Interacting with Others Category”.

32
FIGURE
2–7
Selected
O*NET
General
Work
Activities

33
Writing Job Descriptions
• The employer almost always uses the job analysis to
produce a job description. A job description is a written
statement of what the worker actually does, how he or she
does it, and what the job's working conditions are.
• You use this information to write a job specification; this lists
the knowledge, abilities, and skills required to perform the job
satisfactorily.
• There is no standard format for writing a job description.
However, most descriptions contain sections that cover:
– 1. Job identification, 2. Job summary, 3. Responsibilities
and duties, 4. Authority of incumbent, 5. Standards of
performance, 6. Working conditions, 7. Job specifications
• Figures 2-8 and 2-9 present two sample forms of job
descriptions.
34
FIGURE 2–8
Sample Job
Description,
Pearson
Education

35
FIGURE 2–8
Sample Job
Description,
Pearson
Education
(continued)

36
FIGURE 2–9
Marketing
Manager
Description
from
Standard
Occupational
Classification

37
The Job Description
• Job Identification
– As in Figure 2-8, the job identification section (on top)
contains several types of information.
– The job title specifies the name of the job, such as supervisor
of data processing operations, or inventory control clerk.
– Date is the date the job description was actually approved.
There may also be a space to indicate who approved the
description and perhaps a space that shows the location of
the job.
– This section might also include the immediate supervisor's
title and information regarding salary and/or pay scale.
– There might also be space for the grade/level of the job, if
there is such a category.
38
The Job Description
• Job Summary
– The job summary should of course summarize the
essence of the job, and include only its major functions or
activities.
– Thus (in Figure 2-8), the telesales rep ". . . is responsible
for selling college textbooks ....."
– For the job of materials manager, the summary might state
that the "materials manager purchases economically,
regulates deliveries of, stores, and distributes all material
necessary on the production line."
– For the job of mailroom supervisor, "the mailroom
supervisor receives, sorts, and delivers all incoming mail
properly, and he or she handles all outgoing mail including
the accurate and timely posting of such mail."
39
The Job Description
• Relationships
– There may be a "relationships" statement (not in the
example) that shows the jobholder's relationships with
others inside and outside the organization. For a HR
manager, such a statement might look like this:
– Reports to: Vice president of employee relations.
– Supervises: Human resource clerk, test administrator,
labor relations director, and one secretary.
– Works with: All department managers and executive
management.
– Outside the company: Employment agencies, executive
recruiting firms, union representatives, state and federal
employment offices, and various vendors.
40
The Job Description
• Responsibilities and Duties
– This is the heart of the job description. It should present a list
of the job's significant responsibilities and duties.
– As in Figure 2-8, list each of the job's major duties separately,
and describe it in a few sentences. In the figure, for instance,
the job's duties include "achieve quantitative sales goal. . ."
and "determine sales priorities . .. ."
– Typical duties for other jobs might include maintaining
balanced and controlled inventories, making accurate postings
to accounts payable, maintaining favorable purchase price
variances, and repairing production-line tools and equipment.
– This section may also define the limits of the jobholder's
authority, including his or her decision-making authority, direct
supervision of other personnel, and budgetary authority.

41
The Job Description
• Standards of Performance and Working Conditions
– Some managers want the job description to contain a
"standards of performance" section.
– This lists the standards the company expects the employee to
achieve under each of the job description's main duties and
responsibilities.
– It guides both the employee and manager in assessing how
the former is performing.
– Setting standards is never easy.
– Here are some examples:
• Accurately posting accounts payable
• Meeting daily production schedule

42
TABLE 2–2 SOC Major Groups of Jobs
11-0000 Management Occupations
13-0000 Business and Financial Operations Occupations
15-0000 Computer and Mathematical Occupations
17-0000 Architecture and Engineering Occupations
19-0000 Life, Physical, and Social Science Occupations
21-0000 Community and Social Services Occupations
23-0000 Legal Occupations

Note: Within these major groups


are 96 minor groups, 449 broad
25-0000 Education, Training, and Library Occupations

occupations, and 821 detailed


27-0000 Arts, Design, Entertainment, Sports, and Media Occupations
29-0000 Healthcare Practitioners and Technical Occupations
31-0000 Healthcare Support Occupations
33-0000 Protective Service Occupations
35-0000 Food Preparation and Serving-Related Occupations
37-0000 Building and Grounds Cleaning and Maintenance Occupations
39-0000 Personal Care and Service Occupations

occupations.
41-0000 Sales and Related Occupations
43-0000 Office and Administrative Support Occupations
45-0000 Farming, Fishing, and Forestry Occupations
47-0000 Construction and Extraction Occupations
49-0000 Installation, Maintenance, and Repair Occupations
51-0000 Production Occupations
53-0000 Transportation and Material Moving Occupations
55-0000 Military Specific Occupations

43
Writing Job Specifications
• The job specification takes the job description and answers the
question, "What human traits and experience are required to do this job
effectively?"
• It shows what kind of person to recruit and for what qualities you
should test that person.
• The job specification may be a section of the job description, or a
separate document. Often, as in Figure 2-8, the employer presents it
as part of the job description.

“What traits and experience


are required to do this job
well?”

Specifications for Specifications Specifications


Trained Versus Based on Based on
Untrained Personnel Judgment Statistical Analysis
44
Writing Job Specifications
• Specifications for Trained Versus Untrained Personnel
– Writing job specifications for trained employees is relatively
straightforward. For example, suppose you want to fill a
position for a bookkeeper (or counselor or programmer). In
cases like these, your job specifications might focus mostly
on traits like length of previous service, quality of relevant
training, and previous job performance.
– The problems are more complex when you're filling jobs with
untrained people. Here you must specify qualities such as
physical traits, personality, interests, or sensory skills that
imply some potential for performing or for being trained to do
the job. For example, a circuit board assembly line worker.

45
Writing Job Specifications
• Specifications Based on Judgment
– Most job specifications come from the educated guesses
of people like supervisors and HR managers. The basic
procedure here is to ask, "What does it take in terms of
education, intelligence, training, and the like to do this job
well?"
– There are several ways to get these "educated guesses."
You could simply review the job's duties, and deduce from
those what human traits and skills the job requires.
– You can choose them from the competencies listed in
Web-based job descriptions.
– You can also use common sense when compiling your list.

46
Writing Job Specifications
• Job Specifications Based on Statistical Analysis
– Basing job specifications on statistical analysis is the more
defensible approach, but it's also more difficult. The aim here
is to determine statistically the relationship between (1)
some predictor (human trait, such as height, intelligence, or
finger dexterity), and (2) some indicator or criterion of job
effectiveness, such as performance as rated by the
supervisor.
– The procedure has five steps: (1) analyze the job and decide
how to measure job performance; (2) select personal traits
(like finger dexterity) that you believe should predict
successful performance; (3) test candidates for these traits;
(4) measure these candidates' subsequent job performance;
and (5) statistically analyze the relationship between the
human trait (finger dexterity) and job performance. Your
objective is to determine whether the former predicts the
latter.
47
Job Analysis in a Worker-Empowered World
• We usually think of a "job" as a more or less unchanging
specific set of duties that one carries out for pay.
• However, over the past few years, that concept has been
changing quite dramatically.
• Indeed, for employees at many firms like Google, what they
do on their jobs changes almost every day.
• This has prompted managers to re-think how they conduct
job analyses.
• After all, how can you conduct a job analysis if the duties the
job entails today may be different tomorrow?
– From Specialized to Enriched Jobs
– Competency-Based Job Analysis
– How to Write Job Competencies-Based Job Descriptions
– Why Competency Analysis?
48
Job Analysis in a Worker-Empowered World
• From Specialized to Enriched Jobs
– By the mid-1900s, writers were reacting to what they viewed
as the "dehumanizing" aspects of pigeonholing workers into
highly repetitive jobs. Many proposed solutions like job
enlargement.
– Job enlargement means assigning workers additional same-
level activities. Thus, the worker who previously only bolted
the seat to the legs might attach the back as well.
– Job rotation means systematically moving workers from one
job to another.
– Job enrichment means redesigning jobs in a way that
increases the opportunities for the worker to experience
feelings of responsibility, achievement, growth, and
recognition.
– It does this by empowering the worker—for instance, by
giving the worker the skills and authority to inspect the work,
instead of having supervisors do that.
49
Job Analysis in a Worker-Empowered World
• Competency-Based Job Analysis
– Competencies are demonstrable characteristics of the
person that make performance possible.
– Competency-based job analysis means describing the
job in terms of measurable, observable, behavioral
competencies (knowledge, skills, and/or behaviors) that
an employee doing that job must exhibit to do the job well.
– This contrasts with describing jobs in terms of job duties
and responsibilities.
– Traditional job analysis is more job-focused (what are this
job's duties?).
– Competency-based analysis is more worker-focused:
Here you ask, "What must these employees be competent
to do in order to perform this multi-skilled job?"

50
Job Analysis in a Worker-Empowered World

• Examples of Competencies
– general competencies (such as reading, writing,
and mathematical reasoning),
– leadership competencies (such as leadership,
strategic thinking, and teaching others), and
– technical competencies (programming in xtml, or
writing advertising copy, for instance).

51
Job Analysis in a Worker-Empowered World
• How to Write Job Competencies-Based Job Descriptions
– Interview job incumbents and their supervisors
• Ask open-ended questions about job responsibilities and
activities.
• Identify critical incidents/competencies that pinpoint
success on the job.
– Use off-the-shelf competencies databanks
– For example, BP created skills matrices for various jobs for
two groups of employees: those on a management track and
those whose aims lay elsewhere (such as to stay in
engineering).
– As in Figure 2-11, each matrix listed (1) the basic skills
needed for that job (such as technical expertise) and (2) the
minimum level of each skill required for that job or job family.
– The focus is on developing the new skills needed for the
employees' broader and empowered responsibilities.
52
FIGURE 2–11 The Skills Matrix for One Job at BP

53
Job Analysis in a Worker-Empowered World
• Why Competency Analysis?
– There are two reasons to consider describing jobs in
terms of competencies rather than duties.
– First, traditional job descriptions may actually fail if a high-
performance work system is your goal. Here the whole
drive is to encourage employees to work in a self-
motivated way. Employees must be enthusiastic about
learning and moving among jobs. The important thing is to
ensure that each worker has the skills he or she needs to
move among the jobs.
– Second, describing jobs in terms of skills can help the
company support its strategic aims. As an example,
Canon's competitive strategy emphasizes miniaturization
and precision manufacturing. Encouraging employees to
develop their skills in these two areas helps ensure Canon
has the skills it needs to execute its strategy.
54
KEY TERMS
job analysis Standard Occupational
job description Classification (SOC)
job specifications job enlargement
organization chart job rotation
process chart job enrichment
diary/log reengineering
position analysis competency-based job
questionnaire (PAQ) analysis
U.S. Department of Labor
(DOL) job analysis
procedure
functional job analysis
55

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