Job Analysis Kelly Quirin Penn State University February 19, 2001

Job AnalysisJob Analysis

Kelly QuirinKelly Quirin

Penn State UniversityPenn State University

February 19, 2001February 19, 2001

OverviewOverview

• What is job analysis?What is job analysis?• How can you use this tool in your How can you use this tool in your

organization?organization?• Methods of job analysisMethods of job analysis• How it worksHow it works• Real world exampleReal world example• An exerciseAn exercise• SummarySummary

What is job analysis?What is job analysis?

• A systematic approach to collect A systematic approach to collect information about a job such as information about a job such as tasks, responsibilities and the skills tasks, responsibilities and the skills required to perform those tasksrequired to perform those tasks

• An important part of Human An important part of Human Resources (HR) planningResources (HR) planning

How can it be used in your How can it be used in your organization?organization?

• Job analysis assists HR in Job analysis assists HR in determining:determining:– Necessity of the jobNecessity of the job– Equipment neededEquipment needed– Skills requiredSkills required– SupervisionSupervision– Working conditionsWorking conditions– Management/employee interactionManagement/employee interaction


• RecruitingRecruiting– Keyword searches on resumes that Keyword searches on resumes that

match job requirementsmatch job requirements

• SelectionSelection• AppraisalAppraisal• Salaries and IncentivesSalaries and Incentives• Training and DevelopmentTraining and Development

The Multifaceted Nature of The Multifaceted Nature of the Job Analysisthe Job Analysis

Job Analysis

Job Description

Job Specifications

Recruiting Selection

Strategic HR

Planning

Employee Training

Employee Development

Career Development

Performance Appraisal

Compensate

Safety and Health

Labor Relations *DeCenzo and Robbins, p.

145


• Job analysis can also:Job analysis can also:– Help the company remain profitable Help the company remain profitable

and competitiveand competitive– Help the company keep up with Help the company keep up with

technologytechnology– Prevent employees from being Prevent employees from being

overworkedoverworked– Help the company stay Help the company stay

in compliance with in compliance with government regulationsgovernment regulations

Nuts and boltsNuts and bolts

• What is analyzed?What is analyzed?– Work activitiesWork activities– Working conditionsWorking conditions

• Supervisors Supervisors • LocationLocation• ScheduleSchedule

– Machines and equipmentMachines and equipment

Nuts and boltsNuts and bolts

• What is analyzed? (cntd.)What is analyzed? (cntd.)– Job performanceJob performance

• OperationsOperations• StandardsStandards• TimeTime

– Experience, training, and skillsExperience, training, and skills– Supervision and promotion patternsSupervision and promotion patterns– Products/services completedProducts/services completed

Nuts and BoltsNuts and Bolts

• Who is involved in the job analysis?Who is involved in the job analysis?– ManagementManagement– SupervisorsSupervisors– Job analystsJob analysts– Job incumbentJob incumbent– UnionsUnions– ConsultantsConsultants

Methods of Job AnalysisMethods of Job Analysis

• ObservationObservation• InterviewInterview

– IndividualIndividual– GroupGroup

• QuestionnairesQuestionnaires– PAQPAQ

• DiaryDiary• Technical ConferenceTechnical Conference• Critical Incident TechniqueCritical Incident Technique


• Observation MethodObservation Method– Analyst observes incumbent Analyst observes incumbent

• DirectlyDirectly• VideotapeVideotape

– Useful when job is fairly routineUseful when job is fairly routine– Workers may not perform to Workers may not perform to

expectations expectations


• Interview MethodInterview Method– IndividualIndividual

• Several workers are interviewed Several workers are interviewed individuallyindividually

• The answers are consolidated into a The answers are consolidated into a single job analysissingle job analysis

– GroupGroup• Employees are interviewed Employees are interviewed

simultaneouslysimultaneously• Group conflict may cause this method to Group conflict may cause this method to

be ineffectivebe ineffective


• QuestionnairesQuestionnaires– Employees answer questions about Employees answer questions about

the job’s tasks and responsibilitiesthe job’s tasks and responsibilities– Each question is answered using a Each question is answered using a

scale that rates the importance of scale that rates the importance of each taskeach task


• Questionnaires (ctnd.)Questionnaires (ctnd.)– Position Analysis Questionnaire (PAQ)Position Analysis Questionnaire (PAQ)

• A structured, behavioral questionnaireA structured, behavioral questionnaire• 194 items in 6 categories194 items in 6 categories

– Information inputInformation input– Mental processesMental processes– Work outputWork output– RelationshipsRelationships– Job contextJob context– Other characteristicsOther characteristics


• Diary MethodDiary Method– Employees record information into Employees record information into

diaries of their daily tasksdiaries of their daily tasks• Record the time it takes to complete tasksRecord the time it takes to complete tasks

– Must be over a period of several Must be over a period of several weeks or monthsweeks or months


• Technical Conference MethodTechnical Conference Method– Uses experts to gather information Uses experts to gather information

about job characteristicsabout job characteristics


• Critical Incident Technique (CIT)Critical Incident Technique (CIT)– Takes past incidents of good and bad Takes past incidents of good and bad

behaviorbehavior– Organizes incidents into categories Organizes incidents into categories

that match the job they are related to that match the job they are related to

• Involves 4 stepsInvolves 4 steps


• CIT stepsCIT steps– Brainstorm and create lists of Brainstorm and create lists of

dimensions of job behaviorsdimensions of job behaviors– List examples of effective and List examples of effective and

ineffective behavior for each ineffective behavior for each dimensiondimension

– Form a group consensus on whether Form a group consensus on whether each incident is appropriately each incident is appropriately categorizedcategorized

– Rate each incident according to its Rate each incident according to its value to the companyvalue to the company

How It WorksHow It Works

• Conducting the job analysisConducting the job analysis– Know the purposeKnow the purpose– Gather Information about jobs to be Gather Information about jobs to be

analyzedanalyzed• BooksBooks• ChartsCharts• Trade union literatureTrade union literature• Government agency literatureGovernment agency literature

– Use employee inputUse employee input

How It WorksHow It Works

• Conducting the job analysis (ctnd.)Conducting the job analysis (ctnd.)– Choose an efficient method of Choose an efficient method of

collecting information collecting information – Gather information from Gather information from

employee/supervisor about the jobemployee/supervisor about the job– Draft a job descriptionDraft a job description– Obtain supervisor approvalObtain supervisor approval

A Real World ExampleA Real World Example

• The Department of LaborThe Department of Labor– Job analyst uses observation and Job analyst uses observation and

interview methods to gather interview methods to gather information about an employeeinformation about an employee

– Information organized into 3 Information organized into 3 categoriescategories• DataData• PeoplePeople• ThingsThings

A Real World ExampleA Real World ExampleWork Functions

Data People Things

0. Synthesizing 0. Mentoring 0. Setting up

• Coordinating 1. Negotiating 1. Precision work

• Analyzing 2. Instructing 2. Operating

• Compiling 3. Supervision 3. Driving

• Computing 4. Diverting 4. Manipulating

• Copying 5. Persuading 5. Tending

• Comparing 6. Speaking 6. Feeding

7. Serving 7. Handling

8. Helping

*U.S. Department of Labor, Dictionary of Occupational Titles, 4th ed. Revised (Washington, D.C.: Government Printing Office, 1991), p.xix.

A Real World ExampleA Real World Example

• Job titles are listed in the Job titles are listed in the Dictionary Dictionary of Occupational Titlesof Occupational Titles

• Each job is given a codeEach job is given a code– Ex. A recruiter might be assigned the Ex. A recruiter might be assigned the

code 2, 6, 7 if the job entails analyzing code 2, 6, 7 if the job entails analyzing data (2), speaking to people (6), and data (2), speaking to people (6), and handling different things (7)handling different things (7)• See previous tableSee previous table

An ExerciseAn Exercise

• Bruce Spuhler, customer service Bruce Spuhler, customer service manager at BGS Sports, wants to manager at BGS Sports, wants to conduct a job analysis on how his conduct a job analysis on how his employees interact with customers employees interact with customers and other employees.and other employees.

• What steps should Bruce take to What steps should Bruce take to implement a successful job implement a successful job analysis, and what method should analysis, and what method should he use to analyze his employees?he use to analyze his employees?


• Possible Answer:Possible Answer:1.1. Determine the Purpose- to reinforce Determine the Purpose- to reinforce

good behavior among employees good behavior among employees and provide better customer serviceand provide better customer service

2.2. Gather as much information as Gather as much information as possible about retail and customer possible about retail and customer service, including past experiences service, including past experiences with customerswith customers


3. Choose best method of job 3. Choose best method of job analysisanalysis

-Critical Incident Technique-Critical Incident Technique

-This would allow Bruce to -This would allow Bruce to discuss with his employees discuss with his employees past past incidents and whether they were incidents and whether they were effective or noteffective or not

-Assign values of effectiveness-Assign values of effectiveness

4. Gather information from workers 4. Gather information from workers and other managers about the joband other managers about the job


5. Draft a behavioral job 5. Draft a behavioral job descriptiondescription

6. Identify areas that need 6. Identify areas that need improvement, and implement improvement, and implement training programs to improve training programs to improve those areasthose areas

SummarySummary

• Job analysis is an effective Job analysis is an effective approach to gathering information approach to gathering information about jobsabout jobs

• There are 6 popular techniques to There are 6 popular techniques to conducting job analysesconducting job analyses

• Job analysis is directly related to Job analysis is directly related to nearly every function of Human nearly every function of Human Resource departments in Resource departments in organizationsorganizations

ReferencesReferences

Cascio, Wayne F. Cascio, Wayne F. Managing Human Resources.Managing Human Resources. New York: New York: McGraw-Hill, Inc., 1992.McGraw-Hill, Inc., 1992.

DeCenzo, David A. and Stephen P. Robbins. DeCenzo, David A. and Stephen P. Robbins. Human Resource Human Resource Management. Management. New York: John Wiley & Sons, 1999.New York: John Wiley & Sons, 1999.

Gomez-Mejia, Luis R. and David B. Balkin. Gomez-Mejia, Luis R. and David B. Balkin. Managing Human Managing Human Resources.Resources. Upper Saddle River: Prentice- Hall, Inc., 2001. Upper Saddle River: Prentice- Hall, Inc., 2001.

U.S. Department of Labor. U.S. Department of Labor. Dictionary of Occupational Titles, Dictionary of Occupational Titles, 44thth ed. Revised ed. Revised (Washington, D.C.: Government Printing (Washington, D.C.: Government Printing Office, 1991), p. xix.Office, 1991), p. xix.

Documents

Job Analysis Kelly Quirin Penn State University February 19, 2001