JOB ANALYSIS METHODS: FOUR BASIC TYPES

Job analysis is just that — analyzing the tasks you need done in order to complete a job. It doesn't have to be difficult or complicated. Job analysis is the process of looking at exactly what a job entails in order to determine the necessary job qualifications.

Whatever methodology is used, the job analysis should be based on observable behaviors or work products. By recording behavior and work products in the job analysis, the analysis concentrates on those aspects of the job which are empirically verifiable.

Through the job analysis, a job's skills, knowledge and ability (KSA) can be defined in operational terms. This is essential if the job analysis data are to have any utility whatever. For example, if KSA's are to be used in performance assessment, they must be operationally defined.

• Knowledge is knowing how to perform the work but not having performed it.
• Skill is having performed the work.
• Ability is having the physical, emotional, intellectual, and psychological ability to perform the work but neither having done the work nor having been trained to do the work.

Once jobs have been scored for KSA level and those scores have been entered into a computer, it is possible to have the computer sort the jobs by skill level.

The relative ranking of one job to another may then be supported by KSA's. Jobs with lesser KSA's tend to be lower in the organization than jobs with greater KSA's; this may be relevant in the determination of pay levels within the organization.

Content validity and empirical observations:

A job analysis should focus on work behavior(s) and the tasks associated with them. If work behavior(s) are not observable, the job analysis should identify and analyze those aspects of the behavior(s) that can be observed and the observed work products.

In order to ensure content validity, the job analysis must be a record of observable behaviors or work products. The job analysis should not record thought processes, attitudes, traits, or other such constructs.

Employee input:

The work of jobs is done by people and people do not generally behave in random fashion. In general, people are reasonable and systematic. Furthermore, when asked, people are able to talk about their jobs in a very organized, systematic manner. Hence, it should be possible to do a job analysis by talking to job incumbents.

Accommodating changing jobs:

The job analysis process must be able to accommodate and adjust to organizational change. Many jobs undergo constant change, and job analysis systems must address this fact of change. If the job analysis data are not valid and do not reflect job changes, employment decisions based on that data may be irrelevant. To avoid being invalid, job analysis data should be periodically reviewed by employers.

• pinpoint precise details about timing, frequency, complexity, work flow, production efficiencies, work conditions, materials, and equipment

• minimizes likelihood of incumbents biasing the data

Negative aspects of site observation...

• can only be used on jobs that are easily discernible or measurable

Employee observation:

Observing employees is one of the most commonly used job analysis techniques. Observation can also serve as a complement to an interview, to ensure that nothing has been left out or to verify the data provided by the job incumbent.

Drawbacks:

The job analysis will generally analyze the employee performing the job through a complete job cycle. It is important that, when observing an employee, the person doing the analysis not let opinions about the employee get in the way of observing the job. Don't analyze the employee (this is not a performance assessment) — analyze the job. Employee observation is usually easier in a manufacturing or production environment. Because the jobs and tasks of a management employee may vary so widely from day to day, site observation of this job may not be as easy or appropriate.

JOB ANALYST randomly samples the content of a job rather than the entire job

Care must be taken that the sample is indeed representative of the ENTIRE job

Interviews:

Initial job analysis data collection is generally achieved through interviews with one or more job incumbents. These incumbents are likely to be the most knowledgeable people about the duties and responsibilities of the job.

In general, for most jobs, employees can identify several hundred tasks per job. Using a relative scale, employees can rank hundreds of tasks in terms of relative frequency and relative difficulty; this provides an excellent method for defining the critical aspects of a job.

The interview process:

The job analysis interview starts with the interviewer asking the job incumbents to talk about what they do. Interviews permit the interviewer to attain considerable richness of detail; if the interviewer is unclear about what the incumbent is talking about, clarification may be asked for.

Once the initial interview has been completed, the data should be entered into a computer.

Management review of data:

Management should review the data from the initial interview to determine if the data reflect the work being done by the employees, and if the employees are doing what they should be doing?

Verification of the information:

A computer print-out of the initial interview data can then be distributed to everyone in the job, so they can revise the data according to their perception and experience with the job.

Job analysis detail (critical job behaviors):

Given the hundreds of specific tasks that might be identified for any job, one task of the analysis is to determine the level of detail necessary for a good job analysis? To this end, the incumbents should be asked to score each of the tasks for relative frequency and relative difficulty. One way to do this would be to score each task for frequency and difficulty with a number from 0 to 7. Once the employees have scored the list of tasks for frequency and difficulty, it is a simple matter to establish which tasks are critical.

QUESTIONNAIRE...

...MOST EFFICIENT METHOD:

• fast

• standardized

• if data is inadequate, follow-up interviews may be scheduled

Written questionnaires:

A questionnaire is a written series of questions that relate to the specific duties of the job. This questionnaire is completed by a job incumbent. The questionnaire seeks to determine the tasks the employee does most, and the skills the employee will need to do the job.

Questionnaires can vary in style. For example, the questions can be highly structured or open ended. Open-ended questions allow the interviewee to give a narrativeanswer, such as an essay question. Open-ended questions are also especially effective for positions that cover a wide range of responsibilities.

Remember, the main objective is to find out what is done. The job analysis process can help an employer crystallize her/his thoughts into a clear picture of what is needed to do a job, and which skills a prospective employee must have to do it.