What is job analysis?
Job analysis or work analysis as the name suggests, is a process of analyzing jobs. It involves collecting and analyzing information related to a job such as responsibilities, required skills, knowledge, ability, competence and tools as well as the context in which a job is performed. Job analysis helps organizations to create a good job description and make sure that a right candidate is hired in a job.
The purpose of job analysis
There are different reasons for analyzing jobs including creating job description, designing jobs, classifying jobs, training employees, increasing efficiency, improving working conditions, determining the personnel requirements and assessing the employees performance. These are also reasons for why job analysis is important in an organization.
Job description
Job description is a document which elaborates the job information including responsibilities, duties and specifications (qualifications) of the job. The data brought from job analysis are used by recruiters to create a good job description which helps them in selecting a right person in a position.
Job design
Job design is a process of creating new jobs or adding new roles to the existing jobs. A well designed job motivates employees, the five characteristics of a motivating job are skilled variety, task identity, task significance and autonomy. Human resources managers use the information from job analysis to design the motivating jobs.
Job classification
Job classification also known as job evaluation, is a process of grouping jobs according to their similarities by evaluating their duties, responsibilities, scope, and complexity. The main aim is to rank jobs in an organizational hierarchy and set a pay rate for the employees according to their jobs or positions. Job classification process is accomplished by using the data from job analysis.
Employees training and development
Training is a program in which employees acquire new skills. Job analysis helps to identify the required knowledge, skills and abilities (SKA) in a particular job, HR managers use these information to determine the training needs in an organization.
Efficiency increase
Job analysis can help to create good methods of performing jobs. This increases efficiency in an organization.
Performance assessment
Employees performance is a virtual key for organizational goals achievement. Job analysis provide details which are important in evaluating the employees performance in their jobs, thus facilitates the performance appraisal process.
Working conditions improvement
The workplace should promote safety and heath as employees perform their responsibilities confidently and better in safer environments. Through data brought from job analysis, hazardous working conditions can be identified and HR managers can improve them easily.
Methods used in Job analysis
There are different methods of collecting job information which vary depending on the needs of an organization and the purpose of the job analysis, some methods used in job analysis include;
- Observation
- Questionnaire
- Interview
- Work dairy
- Job performance
All these methods aims at collecting job information. The information collected in job analysis include job context, personnel requirements, performance, tools and roles.
Observation
Observation is one of method used in collecting job data. In this method an analyst observes how employees perform their jobs and take note about the roles, equipments and other details relating to the jobs. According to Job Analysis Methods by Management Study Guide, observation method includes three techniques which are direct observation, Work Methods Analysis and Critical Incident Technique.
- Direct observation method; involves direct observation and record of an employee's behaviour in different situations.
- Work Methods Analysis; The study of time and motion and is specially used for assembly-line or factory workers.
- Critical Incident Technique; is about identifying the work behaviours that result in performance.
An analyst may use observation together with interview method to get accurate information about the job.
Questionnaire
Questionnaire is another method used in collecting job information, in this method an analyst creates the series of written questions about the job, these questions will be filled by the employees.
Interview
The interview method involves asking employees about their responsibilities, how they accomplish the tasks and the problems they are facing when performing their jobs. This method helps to get the genuine information related to the jobs and understand how employees perceives their jobs. Usually, the information from employees is supplemented by the information from their supervisor.
Work dairy
In a work dairy method, an organization requires employees to record the activities they perform daily in the logs or diaries, this is usually done in a set period of time like a week or a month. Analysts use the information recorded by employees to analyze jobs.
Job performance
In this method an analyst join in the job and perform the tasks performed by employees to understand more about them. This help an analyst to get the actual experience of the job. However, this method is not suitable for jobs which need high level of training.
Job inventory
Job inventory method is a job analysis approach which focuses on listing the tasks and activities performed in the job, the list is created by using the data collected through interview, questionnaire or observation.
Other methods are Functional job analysis which involves identification of the essential functions of a job and Technical conference method where by the conference is conducted and various experts and supervisors who possess great knowledge about the job are invited.
Steps of job analysis
1. Determine the purpose of conducting job analysis
Firstly, the purpose of analyzing the job must be identified. The purpose is a reason for why you conduct the job analysis and it should rely on achieving organizational goals. Determining the purpose will help you in selecting an appropriate job analysis method.
2. Identify the jobs to be analyzed
After determination of the purpose of job analysis, next step is to identify jobs to be analyzed.
3. Review relevant data
This step involves reviewing current and previous job information such as reviewing the description of the jobs. By doing so you can get prior knowledge to start with.
4. Selection of the job analysis method
The suitability of the method will depend with the purpose of the job analysis, selecting an appropriate method will help you to collect valid information. The most common methods used in collecting data from the job are observation, interview, questionnaire and work diary.
5. Collection of the data
In this step, the information about the job are collected by using the method(s) selected in step 4. There are three types of data to be collected in job analysis which are job activities, job qualifications and job context. Job activities: Is the data about the activities within the job, Job qualifications: Is the data about workers qualities required in the job, Job context: Is the data about the environment of the job including internal and external.
6. Analysis of the data
The data collection is followed by the data analysis. The time to be taken in analyzing the data will depend with the amount of data collected.
7. Formulate the job description and job specifications
After collecting and analyzing the job information, next is to write the description and specifications of the job. The results of the analysis helps analysts to formulate them perfectly.
8. Periodic review
This is a period in which job description and job specifications are reviewed to verify their accuracy.
Benefits of job analysis
Job analysis is very important to both employers and employees as it rely on analyzing job information which help them to understand the jobs in deep. With job analysis, employers can identify the nature of the jobs such as the skills, knowledge and abilities (SKA) required to perform the jobs. This helps them to formulate job descriptions and plan for the training programs for the employees who do not fit in the position. Further more, job seekers can understand the qualifications of the job by reading the description which is created through the data brought from job analysis.
Helps to understand duties and responsibilities
By reading job description which is a result of job analysis can help both employers and employees to understand duties and responsibilities of a particular job.
Helps to understand which jobs are important to organization
Job analysis helps to Identify the most important jobs in the organization and understand skills needed as well as identify training needs for those positions.
Helps to identify the required qualifications for the job
Job analysis helps employers to Identify the qualifications required in the particular jobs including required skills, knowledge, ability and other requirements. This helps to hire a right person in a right position.
Helps to Identify training needs
Job analysis helps to identify the SKA required in performing a certain job, this helps employers to Identify the employees who do not fit in the positions and plan for the training program for them.
Advantages/benefits source: The Importance of Job Analysis: How It Can Benefit Your Business - HR DEFINED
Conclusion
Job analysis is a process of collecting and analyzing job information, thus collecting right information helps to get appropriate results. The selection of method for gathering information depends with the purpose of the job analysis.
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