Job Analysis Process

Job analysis is a fundamental analysis to find out what an individual can do with the human characteristics that he/she possesses and that are required to perform a job.

That means to diagnose what skill, knowledge and attitudes are required. It is a scientific process of determining the ability, compatibility, and responsibilities of an employee for a specific job. It attempts to record and analyze details concerning skills, knowledge, qualification and. the required levels of efforts in line with the desired role and responsibility.

The steps involved in the job analysis process are:-

1. Organisational Analysis 2. Obtaining Information about Jobs 3. Selecting Representative Jobs for Analysis 4. Responsibility for Collecting Information

5. Collection of Data 6. Developing Job Descriptions 7. Preparing Job Specifications and Employee Specification.

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What is Job Analysis Process?

What is Job Analysis Process – Organisational Analysis, Obtaining Information about Jobs, Selecting Representative Jobs for Analysis, Collection of Data and a Few Others

The process of job analysis consists of the following steps:

Step # 1. Organisational Analysis:

First of all an overall view of various jobs in the organisation is obtained. This is required to judge the linkages between jobs and the organisational goals, interrelationships among jobs, and the contribution of various jobs to efficiency and effectiveness of the organisation.

For this purpose background information collected in the form of organisation charts, class specifications, work flow charts, etc. Organisation charts show the relation of the job with other jobs in the organisation. Class specifications describe the general requirements of the job family. Work flow charts indicate the flow of activities involved in a job.

Step # 2. Obtaining Information about Jobs:

An important preliminary step in securing information is the gathering of full list of job titles, arranged by departments. All job titles should then be reviewed carefully. In many cases, similar titles do not denote similar jobs and like jobs are often referred to by different titles.

This type of adjustment helps jobs analysts in gathering information and later utilising job analysis information. Once the titles have been arranged, the next task is to go about collecting the necessary data. The nature and amount of information shall be based primarily upon the purpose for which this exercise is undertaken.

In general, the information should concentrate on:

1. What the worker does physically and mentally?

2. How he does it?

3. Why he does it?

4. Skills involved-

a. Responsibility;

b. Job knowledge;

c. Mental application — initiative, ingenuity, etc.

d. Dexterity, Accuracy; etc.

5. Physical demands-

a. Physical activities;

b. Working conditions;

c. Work Hazards.

Step # 3. Selecting Representative Jobs for Analysis:

It would be highly time consuming and costly to analyse all the jobs. It is, therefore, desirable to select a representative sample of jobs for the purpose of detailed analysis. Priorities of various jobs needing analysis can also be determined.

Step # 4. Responsibility for Collecting Information.

Having described the kinds of job information to be collected, it is now appropriate to consider by whom the data should be collected. Two alternatives are available. Either trained help may come from outside or members on staff having relevant ability may be used. The advantage of former choice is that competent specialists are secured at once.

But its disadvantage is that the analyst must learn about the company and its special problems. The latter choice reverses the advantages and disadvantages. Whichever choice is made, preliminary training is called for.

Specialists must learn about the company and members must learn about the technique. Generally, a combination of the two is suggested to have the benefit of outside expertise and internal information.

Step # 5. Collection of Data:

In this step data on the characteristics of the job, and qualifications, qualities, and behaviour required to do the job effectively is collected. Data may be collected from the employees who actually perform the job, or from their supervisors or from outsiders called trade job analysts appointed to watch employees performing the job.

Several techniques are available for job analysis. Care should be taken to use only those techniques which are acceptable and reliable in the given situation.

Step # 6. Developing Job Descriptions:

The information collected in the previous step is used in preparing job descriptions. A job description is a written statement that describes in brief the tasks, duties and responsibilities which need to be discharged for effective job performance.

Step # 7. Preparing Job Specifications:

The last step in job analysis is to prepare job specifications for different jobs. A job specification is a written statement which specifies the personal attributes in terms of education, training, skills required, work experience, mental and physical requirements, personality, etc.

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What is Job Analysis Process – 5 Basic Steps

Job can be analysed through a process of that consists of five basic steps:

1. Strategies:

The company’s strategies are the basis for any organisational activity including job analysis. If the strategy implementation requires innovative skills and autonomy, they should be included in the job analysis.

According to William P. Anthony, every company must make four strategic choices viz. – (i) the extent of employee involvement in job analysis, (ii) the level of details of job analysis, (iii) timing and frequency of analysis and (iv) past-oriented vs. future oriented job analysis.

2. Collection of Background Information:

Collection of background information refers to gathering of organisation charts, class specifications and existing job descriptions. The organisation charts show the relationship of one job with other jobs in the entire organisation. Class specifications describe the general requirement of the class of job concerned. The existing job description provides a good starting point for the job analysis.

3. Process of Information Selection of Representative Position and Job Analysis Data:

As it is extremely difficult and time consuming to analyse all the jobs, it would better to select some of the representative positions for analysing them.

Further, collection of job analysis data involves actually analysing a job by collecting data on features of the job, the needed behaviour of employers and human needs.

4. Developing Description:

This step involves description of the contents of the job in-terms of functions, duties, responsibilities, operations etc. The incumbent of the job is required to discharge his duties and responsibilities and perform the functions and persuasions entrusted to him.

5. Developing Job Specification and Employee Specification:

This step involves conversion of the job description details into a job specifications. Job specifications are job requirements describe the personal qualities and qualifications, traits, skills, knowledge, experience etc. Finally it involves conversion of specifications of human qualities required for a job into an employee specification. Employee specification describes physical qualifications, educational qualifications, experience etc.

Job analysis will cover the following information:

1. Identification of the job with definite sub-titles.

2. Characteristics of each job such as its location, its physical setting, amount of supervision required, etc.

3. What the job-holder is required to do with his job e.g. tasks and responsibilities involved to do with his job e.g. tasks and responsibilities involved in the job.

4. Materials and equipment used by the worker at his job.

5. Nature of operations involved in the performance of the job such as handing, feeding, drilling, etc.

6. Personal capabilities a job-holder must possess for the satisfactory performance of his job. e.g. physical and mental capabilities, experience, sociability, training, apprenticeship, etc.

7. Relationship of the job to other jobs. Such relationship will include opportunities for advancement or promotion from one job to another, co-operation between different jobs etc.

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What is Job Analysis Process

Job analysis is a systematic procedure for studying jobs to determine their various elements and requirements.

The job analysis for a particular position typically consists of two parts:

1. A job description is a list of the elements that make up a particular job.

2. A job specification is a list of the qualifications required to perform particular job.

1. Job Description:

Job description is derived from job analysis. It is an important document as it clarifies the scope of job activities, duties and responsibilities and positioning of job in the organisation.

The contents of job description are given below:

i. Job identification – Job title, department, division, and plant and code number of the job.

ii. Job summary – It provides additional identification information when a job title is not adequate and secondly it orients the reader towards an understanding of detailed information which constitutes a job.

iii. Job duties – It gives a comprehensive list of the duties. It is the backbone of job description and utmost care should be taken in writing it down. It should be regarded as an outline of the minimum requirements of the job, thus preserving flexibility of operations.

iv. Supervision given and received – It includes the titles of jobs that are immediately over and under this job and the degree of supervision involved, such as general, intermediate or close supervision.

v. Relation to other jobs – It exhibits the vertical relationship of promotion and the horizontal relationships of workflow and procedures.

vi. Machine, tools and equipment – It provides the list and defines each major type or trade names of the machines, tools equipments and the raw material used.

vii. Working conditions – It provides information about the environment in which the job-holder has to work, such as, hot, cold, dry; dusty, oily, noisy etc. Hazardous conditions should be clearly mentioned.

viii. Unusual terms – Any technical or unusual works under the head ‘job duties’ or ‘duties performed’ should be listed separately and defined.

There are several uses of job description.

Some of them are given below:

i. It facilitates in the development of job specifications, which are useful in planning recruitment and in formulating training and development programmes.

ii. It facilitates in orienting the newcomers towards their duties and responsibilities.

iii. It helps in developing performance standards.

iv. It is used as a method of wage and salary administration.

2. Job Specification:

The job specification is an output of job description, states the minimum acceptable qualifications that the newcomer must possess to perform the job satisfactorily and successfully. Job specification identifies education, knowledge, skill, personality and abilities needed to do the job effectively. Job specifications serve as an important tool in the selection process and evaluation. They are developed by the human resource department in consultation with different supervisor and managers.

The various elements of job specification are:

i. Educational requirement – Minimum formal education necessary to perform a particular job.

ii. Experience – Minimum experience required to perform the job.

iii. Specific knowledge requirements – This includes specific knowledge that cannot be covered adequately by the education and experience requirement.

iv. Skill requirements – Manual skill required to perform a job.

v. Personality requirements – For certain jobs personality factors such as personal appearance, emotional stability, maturity, initiative, drive and sociability are required.

vi. Responsibility – For certain high level jobs the ability to assume responsibility is an essential prerequisite. This responsibility may be supervision of others, safety of others, operation and maintenance of equipment, tools, etc.

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What is Job Analysis Process – Organizational Analysis, Selection of Representative Positions to be Analyzed and Collection of Job Analysis Data

The major steps involved in the process of job analysis are as follows:

Process # 1. Organizational Analysis:

It is required to find the overall picture of various jobs in the organization. This helps in finding the relationships between jobs and organizational objectives, interrelationship between various jobs and contribution of each job towards achieving the goals of the organization. All these information are obtained through organization charts and workflow charts.

Process # 2. Selection of Representative Positions to be Analyzed:

Job analysis is time consuming and a costly affair. Hence it is not possible for the organization to go on analyzing each and every job in the organization. For a proper and fair job analysis the organization chooses representative sample jobs to be analyzed.

Process # 3. Collection of Job Analysis Data:

Data are collected on the characteristics of job, the required behaviour and personal qualifications that are required to carry out the job effectively. Data collected must be reliable and validated.

The various techniques available for data collection are as follows:

i. Job performance

ii. Personal observation

iii. Critical incidents

iv. Interviews

v. Panel of experts

vi. Job incumbent diary/Log

vii. Questionnaires

i. Job Performance:

The job analyst does the actual job and thus gets first-hand experience on contextual factors on the job including physical hazards, social demands, emotional pressures and mental requirements.

Pros and Cons of Job Performance:

Pros:

a. It is useful for simple and easy jobs.

b. The job analyst becomes skillful.

Cons:

a. This method is not suitable for difficult and hazardous jobs like working in the smelter plant.

b. This method is also not suitable for jobs requiring extensive training like doctors, para-medical practioners.

ii. Personal Observation:

The worker does the work and the analyst observes him on the job. He records the core job characteristics from the observation. The job analyst may videotape the job incumbent in order to understand the job in detail.

Pros and Cons of Personal Observation:

Pros:

i. This method allows for a deep understanding of job duties.

ii. This method is useful in cases where the job is fairly routine and take less time for completion.

Cons:

This method does not take care of the mental aspects of the job.

iii. Critical Incidents:

It is a qualitative approach to job analysis. It is used to obtain specific, behaviourally focused descriptions of work or other activities. The job incumbents are asked to describe several incidents based on their past experience. The incidents so collected are analyzed and classified according to the job areas they describe. The job analyst draws the line between effective and ineffective behaviour of workers on the job.

Pros and Cons of Critical Incidents:

Pros:

This method is suitable in distinguishing between effective and ineffective behaviour.

Cons:

a. It is a time consuming process.

b. Incidents of behaviour are dissimilar. Hence classifying them into usable job description is difficult.

iv. Interviews:

A structure questionnaire is prepared mentioning a series of job related questions. The interviewer interviews a representative sample of job incumbents using a structured interview which includes a series of job related questions i.e. presented to each interviewee in the same order.

v. Job Incumbent Diaries/Logs:

Job incumbents are required to keep diaries or logs of their daily job activities and record the amount of time spent on each activity. The job analyst analyzes the dairy for a period of time and gets sufficient information regarding the essential characteristics of the job.

Pros and Cons of Dairies:

Pros:

All the detailed information is available to the job analyst.

Cons:

a. The method is time consuming.

b. It is costly.

vi. Questionnaires:

The job holder is required to fill up a questionnaire containing series of questions about the job’s knowledge, skill, and ability requirements, duties and responsibilities. There is quantitative scale associated to each question, which measures the importance of the job factor. The job incumbents hand over the questions to the supervisors. The supervisors clarify their doubt if any and submit the questionnaires to the job analyst.

Pros and Cons of Questionnaires:

Pros:

a. It is highly economical.

b. The data can be quantified and processed through a computer.

c. The participants can complete the items leisurely.

Cons:

a. Questionnaire design is not an easy task.

b. Qualitative data are not useful to be processed through a computer.

c. Sometimes the job incumbents do not fill up all the questions.

Some of the standard questionnaire methods are:

a. Position Analysis Questionnaire

b. Management Development Questionnaire

c. Functional Job Analysis

a. Position Analysis Questionnaire (PAQ):

PAQ is a job analysis questionnaire developed by Dr. Ernest J. McCormick and his associates at Purdue University. It is a structured questionnaire for quantitatively assessing jobs with respect to the job duties and responsibilities.

It contains 194 items divided into 6 major sections which are:

i. Information input (Where and how does job incumbent get information?)

ii. Mental processes (What reasoning, decision- making, and planning processes are used to perform the job?)

iii. Physical activities (what physical activities and tools are used to perform the job?)

iv. Relationships with other people (What relationships with others are required to perform the job?)

v. Job context (In what physical and social context is the job performed?)

vi. Other job characteristics (What activities, conditions, or characteristics other than those described above are relevant to the job?)

A computer analyzes the completed PAQ and generates a score for the job and its characteristics.

b. Management Position Description Questionnaire (MPDQ):

It is a standardized instrument designed specifically for use in analyzing managerial jobs.

The 274 item questionnaire contains 15 sections which are as follows:

i. General Information

ii. Decision making

iii. Planning and organizing

iv. Administering

v. Controlling

vi. Supervising

vii. Consulting and innovating

viii. Contacts

ix. Coordinating

x. Representing

xi. Monitoring business indicators

xii. Overall ratings

xiii. Knowledge, skills and abilities

xiv. Organization chart

xv. Comments and reactions

c. Functional Job Analysis (FJA):

It is worker orientated job analysis approach that attempts to describe the whole person on the job. It tries to examine the fundamental components of data, people and things.

Steps:

i. Identification of the organization’s goals

ii. Identification and description of tasks (physical/mental)

iii. Analysis of tasks

iv. Development of performance standards

v. Development of training content needed by the job holder

It is frequently used for government jobs. It is helpful in fixing wage rates and in developing employee succession plans. Successive implementation of FJA requires proper training which demands both money and time.

Designing Job Description:

It is a written document that identifies, describes, and defines a job in terms of its duties, responsibilities, working conditions, and specifications.

It includes:

i. Job Title- Job title, code number and the department;

ii. Job Summary- A brief write-up about the job;

iii. Job Activities- A description of the tasks done, facilities used, extent of supervisory help etc.;

iv. Working Conditions- The physical environment of job in terms of heat, light, noise etc.; and

v. Social Environment- Size of work group and interpersonal interactions required to do the job.

Example:

Example of Job Description:

i. Job Title- Expert/ Senior Expert in Financial Stability or Expert/Senior Expert in Monetary Policy, Fin 003, Finance.

ii. Job Summary-

a. Assessment of risks and vulnerabilities in the macro economy and financial sector and provide technical assessment to the top management; and

b. Regular assessment of the current stance of monetary policy in the country, taking into considerations regional and international constraints and developments and provide assessment to the management.

iii. Job Activities-

a. Preparation of regular reports/briefs on the relevant areas and keeping the top management updated on recent development;

b. Preparation of annual financial stability review and annual report, taking into account the best international practices;

c. Engage in the preparation of specific stress test templates and suitable early warning indicators on various types of risks, such as credit, market and liquidity risks among others;

d. Active participation in meetings with international organization such as IMF, World Bank etc.;

e. Assessment of the work of the bank in the move towards its long term goal; and

f. Undertake ad hoc analysis on select areas of the economy as requested by top management.

iv. Working Conditions- The bank will provide excellent working atmosphere with best of physical facilities.

v. Social Environment- The expert is supposed to lead a team of six members.

Designing of Job Specification:

Job specification includes following things:

a. Essential Attributes- Skills, Knowledge and Abilities (SKA) a person must possess;

b. Desirable Attributes- Qualifications a person ought to possess;

c. Contra-lndicators- Attributes that will become a handicap to successful job performance.

Example:

For the above position of Expert/ Senior Expert in Financial Stability or Expert/Senior Expert in Monetary Policy in Qatar Central Bank the job specification will be:

i. Essential Attributes- PhD in Economics or Finance, background in Macro Economics and ability to articulate policies. Fluency in English is a must;

ii. Desirable Attributes- Candidates having 2 years of experience in policy articulation are preferable;

iii. Contra-lndicators- Arabic is an advantage.

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What is Job Analysis Process – 5 Stages in the Entire Process of Job Analysis

The entire process of job analysis can be divided into following stages:

1. To determine the objectives.

2. To decide what information is to be gathered.

3. To collect the required information.

4. To present properly the collected information.

5. To analyse the collected information and take decisions.

Let us see each of these stages one-by-one in their respective order.

Stage # 1. To Determine the Objectives:

It is impossible to decide on the mode of journey before we know where we want to go. Similarly, before undertaking any activity we should be clear about its objective. Job analysis is no exception from this canon. Thus, we should first of all decide the objectives of the job analysis before we proceed any further. The clarity of objective will help in stopping waste of time, money and energy and will direct the entire process on the right path.

Stage # 2. To Decide what Information is to be Gathered:

What information is necessary to fulfil our objective should also be decided so that time, money and energy spent on collecting information doesn’t go in vain. We saw the job analysis formula given by ‘War-Man-Power Commission’ of USA.

The formula includes the nature and conditions of the job (What), the process of job, machines and instruments used and the process for their use (How), the objective of the job (Why), and the qualities required from the employer (Skills).

Stage # 3. To Collect the Required Information:

One or more of the following methods can be used to collect the required information:

(i) Questionnaire

(ii) Interview.

(iii) Observation

(iv) Other methods.

Let us study each of these methods briefly.

(i) Questionnaire:

This is an old and well known method of collecting information. A questionnaire containing the questions pertaining to the job is given to the employees. Some directions are given and the employees is asked to reply the questions. Sometimes, this method is also known as self-analysis. In small firms, the number of questions is limited. However, in big concerns questionnaire sometimes extends up to five or six pages. Two types of questions are asked in questionnaire.

The following questions constitute the first part:

(a) Description of the job.

(b) What special knowledge is necessary for the job?

(c) How much experience is necessary for performance of the job?

(d) How much time does the employees have to work for successful performance of his job?

The second part will include questions relating the following things:

(a) What is his daily work?

(b) What is his weekly work?

(c) What is his monthly work?

(d) The details of his special duties, if any.

(e) Criticism of the job.

The filling of questionnaire by the employees themselves saves the time and money. But this method is useless for illiterate employees. However, special employees can be kept to question the illiterate employees and to fill up the questionnaire.

(ii) Interview:

In this method, a trained analyst interviews the employees and gathers the required information. This is so relatively expensive method. Interviews can be held in two ways. The interviewer may go to the spot where the employees are working and take their interviews; or he may call the employees one-by-one or in groups of twos and threes in his office and take their interviews.

(iii) Observation:

Instead of questioning the employees, here, the analyst goes on the shop floor observes the working of the employees, and gathers the first hand information. However, he may ask the supervisor or the employee himself regarding certain complex mailers. This method can help in collecting for more accurate information; but the basic requisites are that the analyst should know the job pretty well and he should have enough time for his observations.

(iv) Other Methods:

One of the methods not discussed above is the conference method. In this method, a conference of workers, supervisors and related officers is held, and information is gathered by discussions. However, this method may interrupt the regular functioning of the organisation.

Moreover, combinations of different methods may be formed. For example, the employees may be asked to fill up a questionnaire; supervisors may be interviewed to check the validity of the information given in the questionnaire; and finally a conference may be held.

After collection of the information the step which will logically follow is the presentation of the information.

Stage # 4. To Present the Information:

The heap of the collected information will not serve any purpose. The information should be properly arranged in a certain order. Only after proper arrangement of information it would be possible to gather some meaning from the information. The inter-related information should be put together and a certain order should be maintained to present the information.

At this point, it will be fair to switch over the goal of doing all this exercise, i.e., taking decisions on the basis of the information collected.

Stage # 5. To Analyse the Collected Information and Take Decisions:

Now, we drive to the end-point of the job analysis process, the aim of all the labour. The information collected should be interpreted properly and necessary decisions should be taken. However, the interpretation of the information would be affected by the objective of the job analysis and so the objective of the job analysis remains in the centre while making decisions.

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What is Job Analysis Process

Job analysis is a fundamental analysis to find out what an individual can do with the human characteristics that he/she possesses and that are required to perform a job. That means to diagnose what skill, knowledge and attitudes are required. It is a scientific process of determining the ability, compatibility, and responsibilities of an employee for a specific job. It attempts to record and analyze details concerning skills, knowledge, qualification and. the required levels of efforts in line with the desired role and responsibility.

Job analysis obtains the information about the job. It is used to develop a job description and job specification, which in turn evaluate the job price and the worth of an employee. Therefore, to decide the job price to correlate it with compensation to be paid require job analysis to understand job contents, duties and responsibility level required.

The information is extremely valuable in respect of decisions relating to organizational planning and design, recruitment and selection of people, their training, appraisal, and development, and other human resource activities. Job analysis is sometimes called as job study suggesting the care with which tasks, processes, responsibilities, and personal requirements are investigated.

Currently, the expression ‘task analysis’ is also used for the purpose. We however intend to use these expressions interchangeably. The British approach to task analysis emphasises on specific activi­ties which the job holder has to perform, whereas the American approach to analysis emphasis on the competencies needed to perform the activities. Both the approaches seem to be comple­menting each other.

Task analysis can be defined as the process of identifying the tasks of a particular job in a particular organi­zational context by analysing activities, establishing performance criteria, determining required competencies, and analysing any discrepancies uncovered by this process.

The task/job analysis involves the following steps:

(1) The contextual analysis (know the mission, orientation, and goals of the organization of which the job is a part of).

(2) Activity analysis (develop a clear understanding of the activities to be performed. The infor­mation regarding activities can be collected partly through observation and partly through interviews, log books, questionnaires, and diaries, detail­ing notes that a job incumbent keeps about work-related activities).

(3) Task delineation (after activity analysis—group the activities into tasks and name them. This process, known as task delineation, involves subjective decision-making and should be taken only by people who know and understand the job).

(4) Competency analysis (it helps in identifying the competencies in terms of knowledge, skills, abilities, orientation, and experience that are necessary for the tasks to be performed).

(5) Performance analysis is to evaluate the impact of a job—how effectively it is being done or has been done. This step consists of assessing how well the job incumbent has performed the tasks for which he/she is responsible, and

(6) Discrepancy analysis through such an analysis, discrepancies are identified which may exist between activities reported by the job incumbent and those observed or expected, between the importance of a task and the time spent in completing it, between needed competencies and existing competencies, and so on. These gaps may indicate the need for remedial measure, e.g., redefining the role, need for training, counselling, etc.

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