Job analysis

Job analysis is the systematic process of

determining skills, duties, and knowledge
required for performing jobs in organization.
Process of analysis results in two sets of data
i. Job description ii. Job specification

Questions Job Analysis Should

Answer
What kind of physical and mental involvement is
required from the worker?
When is the job to be completed?
Where is the job to be accomplished?
How does the worker do the job?
Why is the job done?
What qualifications are needed to perform the
job?

Job Analysis: A Basic Human Resource

Management Tool
Tasks

Responsibilities

Duties

Job
Descriptions
Job
Analysis

Knowledge

Job
Specifications

Skills

Abilities

Reasons For Conducting

Job Analysis
Staffing - Haphazard if recruiter does not know
qualifications needed for the job.
Training and Development
Performance Appraisal - Employees should be evaluated in
terms of how well they accomplish the duties specified in
their job description and role.
Compensation Value of job must be known before rupee
value can be placed on it
Safety and Health Helps identify safety and health
considerations

Types of information collected for job

analysis
Work Activities - Work activities and processes;
activity records; procedures used; personal
responsibility
Worker-oriented activities - Human behaviors,
such as physical actions and communicating on
job; elemental movements; personal job
demands, such as physical energy requirement
etc.

 Machines, tools, equipment, and work aids used

Job-related tangibles and intangibles - Knowledge
dealt with or applied; materials processed; products
made or services performed
Work performance - Error analysis; work standards;
work measurements, such as time taken for a task
Job context - Work schedule; financial and nonfinancial incentives; physical working conditions;
organizational and social contexts
Personal requirements for job - Personal attributes
such as personality and interests; education and
training required; work experience

Job Analysis : Process

Steps in doing a job analysis:
1

Collecting and recording job information

Checking the job information for relevance & accuracy

Writing job descriptions based on the information

Identifying KSAs and framing job specification

Updation of information from time to time

Job Analysis Methods

Interviews
Questionnaires
Observation
Employee recording - Participant Diary/Logs
Competency-based job analysis
Combination of methods

Interview
Information Sources
Individual employees
Groups of employees
Supervisors with
knowledge of the job
Advantages
Quick, direct way to find
overlooked information
Disadvantages
Distorted information

Interview Formats
Structured (Checklist)
Unstructured

Questionnaires
Information Source
Have employees fill
out questionnaires to
describe their jobrelated duties and
responsibilities
Questionnaire Formats
Structured checklists
Open-ended questions

Advantages
Quick and efficient way
to gather information
from large numbers of
employees
Disadvantages
Expense and time
consumed in preparing
and testing the
questionnaire

Observation
Information Source
Observing and noting
the physical activities
of employees as they
go about their jobs

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

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

Competency-Based Job Analysis

Competencies
Demonstrable characteristics of a person that enable
performance of a job.
Reasons for Competency-Based Job Analysis
To support a high-performance work system.
To create strategically-focused job descriptions.
To support the performance management process in
fostering, measuring, and rewarding:
General competencies
Leadership competencies
Technical competencies

 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 that pinpoint success on
the job.

Job Description
States the tasks, duties, and responsibilities of job. It is
important that job descriptions is both relevant and accurate.
Rapid pace of technological change makes need for
accurate job analysis even more important now and in the
future.
Would include Job Identification Job title, department, reporting
relationship, and job number or code
Job Analysis Date Aids in identifying job changes that
would make description obsolete
Job Summary Concise overview of job
Duties Performed Major duties

Job Specification
Represents minimum qualifications person should
possess to perform particular job
Should reflect minimum, not ideal qualifications
for particular job
Job specifications are often included as major
section of job descriptions
Problems if job description is inflated May systematically eliminate some few from
consideration set
Compensation costs will increase
Job vacancies will be harder to fill