STRATEGIC HUMAN RESOURCE MANAGEMENT
MODULE 2: WORK, JOB, AND JOB ANALYSIS
UNIT 1: Nature of Jobs and Work
One way to visualize an organization is, as an entity that takes inputs from the surrounding
environment and then, through some kind of “work,” turns those inputs into good or services.
Work is effort directed toward accomplishing results.
I. Workflow Analysis
- Workflow analysis is the study of the way work moves through an organization.
- Usually, it begins with an examination of the quantity and quality of the desired and actual
outputs (goods and services).
- Then the activities (tasks and jobs) that lead to the outputs are evaluated to see if they are
achieving the desired outputs.
- Finally, the inputs (people, material, information, data, equipment, etc.) must be assessed
to determine if they make the outputs and activities better and more efficient.
- A job is a grouping of the tasks, duties, and responsibilities that constitutes the work
assignment for an employee. Tasks, duties, and responsibilities may change over time;
therefore, jobs may change and may increase or decrease in number.
II. Factors to Consider
1. Technology and Workflow Analysis
- A factor that must be considered in workflow analysis in organizations is
technology.
- The information - based systems used by many employees make workflow different
from what it was in previous years.
- Sometimes the differences are positive and highly productive, but technology also
can reduce workflow and productivity.
2. Business Process and Productivity
- After workflow analysis provides an understanding of how work is being done,
reengineering generates the needed changes in the operation.
- The purpose of business process reengineering (BPR) is to improve such activities
as product development, customer service, and service delivery.
III. Job Design
- Refers to organizing tasks, duties, responsibilities, and other elements into a productive
unit of work.
- Identifying the components of a given job is an integral part of job design.
- Job design receives attention for three major reasons:
- Job design can influence performance in certain jobs, especially those where employee
motivation can make a substantial difference.
, Job design can affect job satisfaction, because people are more satisfied with certain
job elements than others, identifying what makes a “good” job becomes critical.
Reduced turnover and absenteeism also can be linked to effective job design.
Job design can impact both physical and mental health. Problems that may require
assistance such as hearing loss, backache, leg pain, stress, high blood pressure, and
even heart disease sometimes can be traced directly to job design.
- Managers play a significant role in job design because often they are the people who
establish jobs and their design components.
- They must make sure that job expectations are clear, that decision - making responsibilities
and the accountability of workers are clarified, and that interactions with other jobs are
integrated and appropriate.
IV. Workers and Job Design
- Organizations are employing a variety of workers, and not just full time ones.
- Depending on economic and competitive factors, the types of workers in one firm may
include:
Full - time employees
Part - time employees
Independent contractors
Temporary workers
Contingent workers
- Although some organizations still use the traditional approach of employing full - and part
- time workers, many firms are making significant use of independent, temporary and
contingent individuals.
- These persons are not employees but generally work at will or on limited contracts, and
they may be working for other employers as well.
- A contingent worker is someone who is not an employee, but a temporary or part - time
worker for a specific period of time and type of work.
V. Person - Job Fit
- The person-job fit is a simple but important concept of matching characteristics of people
with characteristics of jobs.
- If a person does not fit a job, theoretically either the person can be changed or replaced, or
the job can be altered.
- However, though an employer can try to make a “round” person fit a “square” job, it is
hard to successfully reshape people.
- By redesigning jobs, the person-job fit may sometimes be improved more easily.
VI. Job - Person Match
- Matching people with jobs they like and fit can have positive consequences.
- Higher or lower turnover rates in the first few months of employment are often linked to
recruiting and selection screening efforts.
- Then, once individuals have been placed in jobs, other job/work factors affect retention.
MODULE 2: WORK, JOB, AND JOB ANALYSIS
UNIT 1: Nature of Jobs and Work
One way to visualize an organization is, as an entity that takes inputs from the surrounding
environment and then, through some kind of “work,” turns those inputs into good or services.
Work is effort directed toward accomplishing results.
I. Workflow Analysis
- Workflow analysis is the study of the way work moves through an organization.
- Usually, it begins with an examination of the quantity and quality of the desired and actual
outputs (goods and services).
- Then the activities (tasks and jobs) that lead to the outputs are evaluated to see if they are
achieving the desired outputs.
- Finally, the inputs (people, material, information, data, equipment, etc.) must be assessed
to determine if they make the outputs and activities better and more efficient.
- A job is a grouping of the tasks, duties, and responsibilities that constitutes the work
assignment for an employee. Tasks, duties, and responsibilities may change over time;
therefore, jobs may change and may increase or decrease in number.
II. Factors to Consider
1. Technology and Workflow Analysis
- A factor that must be considered in workflow analysis in organizations is
technology.
- The information - based systems used by many employees make workflow different
from what it was in previous years.
- Sometimes the differences are positive and highly productive, but technology also
can reduce workflow and productivity.
2. Business Process and Productivity
- After workflow analysis provides an understanding of how work is being done,
reengineering generates the needed changes in the operation.
- The purpose of business process reengineering (BPR) is to improve such activities
as product development, customer service, and service delivery.
III. Job Design
- Refers to organizing tasks, duties, responsibilities, and other elements into a productive
unit of work.
- Identifying the components of a given job is an integral part of job design.
- Job design receives attention for three major reasons:
- Job design can influence performance in certain jobs, especially those where employee
motivation can make a substantial difference.
, Job design can affect job satisfaction, because people are more satisfied with certain
job elements than others, identifying what makes a “good” job becomes critical.
Reduced turnover and absenteeism also can be linked to effective job design.
Job design can impact both physical and mental health. Problems that may require
assistance such as hearing loss, backache, leg pain, stress, high blood pressure, and
even heart disease sometimes can be traced directly to job design.
- Managers play a significant role in job design because often they are the people who
establish jobs and their design components.
- They must make sure that job expectations are clear, that decision - making responsibilities
and the accountability of workers are clarified, and that interactions with other jobs are
integrated and appropriate.
IV. Workers and Job Design
- Organizations are employing a variety of workers, and not just full time ones.
- Depending on economic and competitive factors, the types of workers in one firm may
include:
Full - time employees
Part - time employees
Independent contractors
Temporary workers
Contingent workers
- Although some organizations still use the traditional approach of employing full - and part
- time workers, many firms are making significant use of independent, temporary and
contingent individuals.
- These persons are not employees but generally work at will or on limited contracts, and
they may be working for other employers as well.
- A contingent worker is someone who is not an employee, but a temporary or part - time
worker for a specific period of time and type of work.
V. Person - Job Fit
- The person-job fit is a simple but important concept of matching characteristics of people
with characteristics of jobs.
- If a person does not fit a job, theoretically either the person can be changed or replaced, or
the job can be altered.
- However, though an employer can try to make a “round” person fit a “square” job, it is
hard to successfully reshape people.
- By redesigning jobs, the person-job fit may sometimes be improved more easily.
VI. Job - Person Match
- Matching people with jobs they like and fit can have positive consequences.
- Higher or lower turnover rates in the first few months of employment are often linked to
recruiting and selection screening efforts.
- Then, once individuals have been placed in jobs, other job/work factors affect retention.
