Job analysis is an essential procedure for any organization since it defines virtually any personnel-related action. According to Dessler (2017), job analysis produces vital information for job descriptions and specifications — the lists of duties and required professional competencies. In this regard, the job analysis supports such human resource management activities as selection, recruitment, training, and compensation (Dessler, 2017). The job analysis process consists of six consecutive steps, covering all sequences from the decision-making and analysis method selection to the job descriptions and specifications development.
In the first step, an HR specialist decides how they will use the information gathered during the job analysis. For instance, interviewing current employees may serve as a good source of input for relevant job descriptions. The position analysis questionnaires may be used to compare jobs for correct performance appraisal and compensation (Dessler, 2017). Secondly, organization and process charts are reviewed to understand the job’s place within the organization. Additionally, the workflow of particular positions is analyzed in order to create a starting point for job description revision or preparation (Dessler, 2017). Thirdly, a specialist selects a sample of representative positions for the job analysis. According to Dessler (2017), analyzing all similar positions within an organization is unnecessary since a limited selection is sufficient for creating a representative image of a job. In the fourth step, a specialist conducts an actual analysis by gathering relevant information, such as the overall job summary and identification of specific tasks performed by the employees (Dessler, 2017). The data verification is performed as the fifth step, followed by the final step of job description and specification development.
The data for the job analysis can be collected via several methods. An HR specialist should remember that the ultimate choice of the data collection method depends on the job analysis purpose determined in the first step of the process. For example, an interview allows an HR specialist to collect information directly and quickly; however, the answers may be distorted by the employees willing to exaggerate their importance. The questionnaires serve as a reliable way of obtaining information from large numbers of employees. At the same time, this method is vulnerable to distortions and requires significant time for questionnaire development and testing. Direct observation is effective in analyzing jobs that consist of observable physical activities but fails to grasp the essence of mental activity-focused jobs, such as engineering. This issue may be solved via the participant log method, where the employees record their performance at the supervisor’s request.
However, these qualitative methods may not be suitable for comprehensive analysis that requires comparing jobs in order to determine fair compensation for certain employee categories. Dessler (2017) suggests using the quantitative position analysis questionnaire and electronic job analysis methods to overcome this limitation. The quantitative position analysis method is designed for application by job analyst experts, which reduces the impact of employee bias, typical for qualitative interviews and questionnaires. The electronic job analysis facilitates information sharing and discussion between the experts. In addition, job analysis via the Internet allows an organization to standardize the procedure and solicit the opinions of geographically dispersed employees (Dessler, 2017). Overall, one can claim that electronic job analysis can be considered the most effective method due to its versatility and potential accuracy. With sufficient diligence, an analyst would likely receive a comprehensive, distortion-free overview of jobs within the organization.
Reference
Dessler, G. (2017). Human resource management (15th ed.). Pearson.