job analysis—gathering, analyzing, and structuring Job Evaluation
information about a job’s components, Job analysis information can also be used to
characteristics, and requirements determine the worth of a job.
Job Design
Importance Job analysis information can be used to
write a job description determine the optimal way in which a job
job description—a brief, two- to five-page should be performed.
summary of the tasks and job requirements By analyzing a job, wasted and unsafe motions
found in the job analysis. can be eliminated, resulting in higher
the job analysis is the process of determining productivity and reduced numbers of job
the work activities and requirements, and the injuries.
job description is the written result of the job Compliance with Legal Guidelines
analysis. Any employment decision must be based on
Employee selection job-related information.
clear understanding of the tasks performed and No law specifically requires a job analysis, but
the competencies needed to perform those several important guidelines and court cases
tasks. mandate job analysis for all practical purposes.
By identifying such requirements, it is possible Organizational Analysis
to select tests or develop interview questions During the course of their work, job analysts
that will determine whether a particular often become aware of certain prob- lems
applicant possesses the necessary knowledge, within an organization.
skills, and abilities to carry out the requirements The discovery of such lapses in organizational
of the job. com- munication during a job analysis interview
Training can then be used to correct problems and help
Job analyses yield lists of job activities that can an organization function better.
be systematically used to create training
programs. without knowing the tasks an employee performs,
Personpower planning the conditions under which they are performed,
to determine worker mobility within an and the competencies needed to perform the tasks.
organization. we conduct detailed job analyses to determine job
if individuals are hired for a particular job, to requirements.
what other jobs can they expect to eventually
be promoted and become successful? Job analysis provides the foundation for
Peter Principle: promoting employees until they establishing the validity of selection and
eventually reach their highest level of promotion procedures.
incompetence To develop valid, defensive procedures that reflect
Instead of promoting the person in the job the essential job functions, the job tasks,
immediately below the supervisor, we promote knowledge, skills, and abilities must be defined.
the best employee from the most similar job—
that is, a job that already involves much of the Each project provides new challenges to the job
same knowledge, skills, and abilities as the analyst in capturing the purpose and details
supervisor’s job. With this approach, there is a associated with the job tasks.
better match between the person being In many instances, this information is best obtained
promoted and the requirements of the job. by accompanying the worker on a shift and
Performance Appraisal participating in the work.
As in employee selection, the evaluation of When developing physical performance assessment
employee performance must be job related. procedures and medical guidelines, it is important
Job classification to gather information about the ergonomic
classify jobs into groups based on similarities in parameters that affect the workplace and the
requirements and duties. Job classification is worker.
useful for determining pay levels, transfers, and Ergonomics applies knowledge of human
promotions. capabilities and requirements to the design of work
devices, systems, and the physical work setting.
, Ergonomic evaluations can involve specific analysis Describes the environment in which the employee
of working postures and their effect on muscle works and should mention stress level, work
fatigue or general gathering of data such as heights, schedule, physical demands, level of responsibility,
weights, and forces involved in task performance. temperature, number of co-workers, degree of
danger, and any other relevant information.
Writing a good job description Work Performance.
A job description is a relatively short summary of a
Contains a relatively brief description of how an
job and should be about two to five pages in length.
employee’s performance is evaluated and what
Tend to be only one page in the industry
work standards are expected of the employee.
must describe a job in enough detail that decisions
Compensation Information.
about activities such as selection and training can be
made. This section of the job description should contain
These professionals worry that listing each activity information on the salary grade whether the
will limit their ability to direct employees to position is exempt, and the compensable factors
perform tasks not listed on the job description. used to determine salary.
The first is that duties can always be added to a job The employee’s actual salary or salary range should
description, which can, and should, be updated on a not be listed on the job description.
regular basis. Job Competencies.
The second is that the phrase “and performs other This section contains what are commonly called job
job-related duties as assigned” should be included specifications or competencies. These are the
in the job description. knowledge, skills, abilities, and other
characteristics (KSAOs) that are necessary to be
Job Title successful on the job
An accurate title describes the nature of the job. These KSAOs can be determined through a
An accurate title also aids in employee selection and combination of logic, research, and use of specific
recruitment. job analysis techniques
If the job title indicates the true nature of the job The competencies section should be divided into
potential applicants for a position will be better able two subsections.
to determine whether their skills and experience The first contains KSAOs that an employee must
match those required for the job. have at the time of hiring. used for employee
Job titles can also affect perceptions of the status selection
and worth of a job. The second subsection contains the KSAOs that are
Brief Summary. an important part of the job but can be obtained
The summary need be only a paragraph in length after being hired. for training purposes
but should briefly describe the nature and purpose
of the job. PREPARING FOR A JOB ANALYSIS
used in help-wanted advertisements, internal job Who Will Conduct the Analysis?
postings, and company brochures. Typically conducted by a trained individual in the
human resources department, but it can also be
Work Activities.
conducted by job incumbents, supervisors, or
Lists the tasks and activities in which the worker is outside consultants.
involved. Time is always an issue when using supervisors or
These tasks and activities should be organized into incumbents.
meaningful categories to make the job description Consultants are a good choice for conducting a job
easy to read and understand. analysis because they are well trained and have
The category labels are also convenient to use in extensive experience. The main drawback, though,
the brief summary. is their expense.
Tools and Equipment Used. An interesting alternative to consultants is the use
Lists all the tools and equipment used to perform of college interns. Graduate students from I/O
the work activities in the previous section. psychology programs tend to have job analysis
Information in this section is used primarily for training and experience and can be employed for a
employee selection and training. relatively small cost
Job Context.
, How Often Should a Job Description Be Updated? behavior or should the job be analyzed at a more
a job description should be updated if a job changes general level
significantly. the work obviously must be performed in a specific
the stability of tasks performed, the tools and manner for the greatest financial savings. Thus, the
equipment used, and KSAOs needed to perform the job analysis is more effective at a more detailed
job varied by the complexity of the job. level.
reason that job descriptions change across time is addresses the issue of formal versus informal
job crafting – the informal changes that employees requirements.
make in their jobs Formal requirements for a secretary might include
typing letters or filing memos.
Which Employees Should Participate? Informal requirements might involve making coffee
advisable to have all employees participate in the or picking up the boss’s children from school.
job analysis. Including informal requirements has the advantages
In a committee-based job analysis, a group of of identifying and eliminating duties that may be
subject matter experts meet to generate the tasks illegal or unnecessary.
performed, the conditions under which they are informal requirements may need to be made
performed, and the KSAOs needed to perform more formal to reduce potential confusion
them. regarding who is responsible for the task.
In a field-based job analysis, the job analyst
individually interviews/observes a number of Conducting a Job Analysis
incumbents out in the field. the goal of most job analyses is to identify the tasks
After the number of participants has been performed in a job, the conditions under which the
determined, a decision needs to be made about tasks are performed, and the KSAOs needed to
which particular employees will participate. If every perform the tasks under the conditions identified.
employee will not participate, the same sampling
rules used in research should be used in job Step 1: Identify Tasks Performed
analysis. identify the major job dimensions and the tasks
participants should be selected in as random a way performed for each dimension, the tools and
as practical yet still be representative. equipment used to perform the tasks, and the
employee differences in gender, race, job conditions under which the tasks are performed.
performance level, experience, job enjoyment, and Gathering Existing Information.
personality can at times result in slightly different Interviewing Subject Matter Experts.
job analysis outcomes. SMEs are people who are knowledgeable about
the job and include job incumbents,
Which particular employees will participate? supervisors, customers, and upper-level
It may be determined through: management.
o Job Competence. Job analysis interviews come in two main forms:
o Race. individual and group.
o Gender. In the individual interview, the job analyst
o Education Level. interviews only one employee at a time.
o Personality. Cucina, Vasilopoulos, and Sehgal In the group interview, or SME conference, a
found that the personality of the incumbent larger number of employees are interviewed
was related to the personality traits rated by together.
the incumbent to be important to the job.
o Viewpoint Guidelines for interview
If males and females perform equally well on a job, Prepare for the interview by announcing the job
yet perform the job in different ways, the job analysis to the employees well in advance by
analyses must contain information about both selecting a quiet and private interview location.
styles. Open the interview by establishing rapport, putting
the worker at ease, and explaining the purpose of
What Types of Information Should Be Obtained? the interview.
concerns level of specificity. That is, should the job Conduct the interview by asking open-ended
analysis break a job down into very minute, specific questions, using easy- to-understand vocabulary,
information about a job’s components, Job analysis information can also be used to
characteristics, and requirements determine the worth of a job.
Job Design
Importance Job analysis information can be used to
write a job description determine the optimal way in which a job
job description—a brief, two- to five-page should be performed.
summary of the tasks and job requirements By analyzing a job, wasted and unsafe motions
found in the job analysis. can be eliminated, resulting in higher
the job analysis is the process of determining productivity and reduced numbers of job
the work activities and requirements, and the injuries.
job description is the written result of the job Compliance with Legal Guidelines
analysis. Any employment decision must be based on
Employee selection job-related information.
clear understanding of the tasks performed and No law specifically requires a job analysis, but
the competencies needed to perform those several important guidelines and court cases
tasks. mandate job analysis for all practical purposes.
By identifying such requirements, it is possible Organizational Analysis
to select tests or develop interview questions During the course of their work, job analysts
that will determine whether a particular often become aware of certain prob- lems
applicant possesses the necessary knowledge, within an organization.
skills, and abilities to carry out the requirements The discovery of such lapses in organizational
of the job. com- munication during a job analysis interview
Training can then be used to correct problems and help
Job analyses yield lists of job activities that can an organization function better.
be systematically used to create training
programs. without knowing the tasks an employee performs,
Personpower planning the conditions under which they are performed,
to determine worker mobility within an and the competencies needed to perform the tasks.
organization. we conduct detailed job analyses to determine job
if individuals are hired for a particular job, to requirements.
what other jobs can they expect to eventually
be promoted and become successful? Job analysis provides the foundation for
Peter Principle: promoting employees until they establishing the validity of selection and
eventually reach their highest level of promotion procedures.
incompetence To develop valid, defensive procedures that reflect
Instead of promoting the person in the job the essential job functions, the job tasks,
immediately below the supervisor, we promote knowledge, skills, and abilities must be defined.
the best employee from the most similar job—
that is, a job that already involves much of the Each project provides new challenges to the job
same knowledge, skills, and abilities as the analyst in capturing the purpose and details
supervisor’s job. With this approach, there is a associated with the job tasks.
better match between the person being In many instances, this information is best obtained
promoted and the requirements of the job. by accompanying the worker on a shift and
Performance Appraisal participating in the work.
As in employee selection, the evaluation of When developing physical performance assessment
employee performance must be job related. procedures and medical guidelines, it is important
Job classification to gather information about the ergonomic
classify jobs into groups based on similarities in parameters that affect the workplace and the
requirements and duties. Job classification is worker.
useful for determining pay levels, transfers, and Ergonomics applies knowledge of human
promotions. capabilities and requirements to the design of work
devices, systems, and the physical work setting.
, Ergonomic evaluations can involve specific analysis Describes the environment in which the employee
of working postures and their effect on muscle works and should mention stress level, work
fatigue or general gathering of data such as heights, schedule, physical demands, level of responsibility,
weights, and forces involved in task performance. temperature, number of co-workers, degree of
danger, and any other relevant information.
Writing a good job description Work Performance.
A job description is a relatively short summary of a
Contains a relatively brief description of how an
job and should be about two to five pages in length.
employee’s performance is evaluated and what
Tend to be only one page in the industry
work standards are expected of the employee.
must describe a job in enough detail that decisions
Compensation Information.
about activities such as selection and training can be
made. This section of the job description should contain
These professionals worry that listing each activity information on the salary grade whether the
will limit their ability to direct employees to position is exempt, and the compensable factors
perform tasks not listed on the job description. used to determine salary.
The first is that duties can always be added to a job The employee’s actual salary or salary range should
description, which can, and should, be updated on a not be listed on the job description.
regular basis. Job Competencies.
The second is that the phrase “and performs other This section contains what are commonly called job
job-related duties as assigned” should be included specifications or competencies. These are the
in the job description. knowledge, skills, abilities, and other
characteristics (KSAOs) that are necessary to be
Job Title successful on the job
An accurate title describes the nature of the job. These KSAOs can be determined through a
An accurate title also aids in employee selection and combination of logic, research, and use of specific
recruitment. job analysis techniques
If the job title indicates the true nature of the job The competencies section should be divided into
potential applicants for a position will be better able two subsections.
to determine whether their skills and experience The first contains KSAOs that an employee must
match those required for the job. have at the time of hiring. used for employee
Job titles can also affect perceptions of the status selection
and worth of a job. The second subsection contains the KSAOs that are
Brief Summary. an important part of the job but can be obtained
The summary need be only a paragraph in length after being hired. for training purposes
but should briefly describe the nature and purpose
of the job. PREPARING FOR A JOB ANALYSIS
used in help-wanted advertisements, internal job Who Will Conduct the Analysis?
postings, and company brochures. Typically conducted by a trained individual in the
human resources department, but it can also be
Work Activities.
conducted by job incumbents, supervisors, or
Lists the tasks and activities in which the worker is outside consultants.
involved. Time is always an issue when using supervisors or
These tasks and activities should be organized into incumbents.
meaningful categories to make the job description Consultants are a good choice for conducting a job
easy to read and understand. analysis because they are well trained and have
The category labels are also convenient to use in extensive experience. The main drawback, though,
the brief summary. is their expense.
Tools and Equipment Used. An interesting alternative to consultants is the use
Lists all the tools and equipment used to perform of college interns. Graduate students from I/O
the work activities in the previous section. psychology programs tend to have job analysis
Information in this section is used primarily for training and experience and can be employed for a
employee selection and training. relatively small cost
Job Context.
, How Often Should a Job Description Be Updated? behavior or should the job be analyzed at a more
a job description should be updated if a job changes general level
significantly. the work obviously must be performed in a specific
the stability of tasks performed, the tools and manner for the greatest financial savings. Thus, the
equipment used, and KSAOs needed to perform the job analysis is more effective at a more detailed
job varied by the complexity of the job. level.
reason that job descriptions change across time is addresses the issue of formal versus informal
job crafting – the informal changes that employees requirements.
make in their jobs Formal requirements for a secretary might include
typing letters or filing memos.
Which Employees Should Participate? Informal requirements might involve making coffee
advisable to have all employees participate in the or picking up the boss’s children from school.
job analysis. Including informal requirements has the advantages
In a committee-based job analysis, a group of of identifying and eliminating duties that may be
subject matter experts meet to generate the tasks illegal or unnecessary.
performed, the conditions under which they are informal requirements may need to be made
performed, and the KSAOs needed to perform more formal to reduce potential confusion
them. regarding who is responsible for the task.
In a field-based job analysis, the job analyst
individually interviews/observes a number of Conducting a Job Analysis
incumbents out in the field. the goal of most job analyses is to identify the tasks
After the number of participants has been performed in a job, the conditions under which the
determined, a decision needs to be made about tasks are performed, and the KSAOs needed to
which particular employees will participate. If every perform the tasks under the conditions identified.
employee will not participate, the same sampling
rules used in research should be used in job Step 1: Identify Tasks Performed
analysis. identify the major job dimensions and the tasks
participants should be selected in as random a way performed for each dimension, the tools and
as practical yet still be representative. equipment used to perform the tasks, and the
employee differences in gender, race, job conditions under which the tasks are performed.
performance level, experience, job enjoyment, and Gathering Existing Information.
personality can at times result in slightly different Interviewing Subject Matter Experts.
job analysis outcomes. SMEs are people who are knowledgeable about
the job and include job incumbents,
Which particular employees will participate? supervisors, customers, and upper-level
It may be determined through: management.
o Job Competence. Job analysis interviews come in two main forms:
o Race. individual and group.
o Gender. In the individual interview, the job analyst
o Education Level. interviews only one employee at a time.
o Personality. Cucina, Vasilopoulos, and Sehgal In the group interview, or SME conference, a
found that the personality of the incumbent larger number of employees are interviewed
was related to the personality traits rated by together.
the incumbent to be important to the job.
o Viewpoint Guidelines for interview
If males and females perform equally well on a job, Prepare for the interview by announcing the job
yet perform the job in different ways, the job analysis to the employees well in advance by
analyses must contain information about both selecting a quiet and private interview location.
styles. Open the interview by establishing rapport, putting
the worker at ease, and explaining the purpose of
What Types of Information Should Be Obtained? the interview.
concerns level of specificity. That is, should the job Conduct the interview by asking open-ended
analysis break a job down into very minute, specific questions, using easy- to-understand vocabulary,
