Job Design
Job design is the process of Work arrangement (or rearrangement) aimed at
reducing or overcoming job dissatisfaction and employee alienation arising from repetitive
and mechanistic tasks. Through job design, organizations try to raise productivity levels
by offering non-monetary rewards such as greater satisfaction from a sense of personal
achievement in meeting the increased challenge and responsibility of one's work. Job
enlargement, job enrichment, job rotation, and job simplification are the various
techniques used in a job design exercise. (businessdictionary.com)
According to Michael Armstrong, "Job Design is the process of deciding on the
contents of a job in terms of its duties and responsibilities, on the methods to be used in
carrying out the job, in terms of techniques, systems and procedures, and on the
relationships that should exist between the job holder and his superior subordinates and
colleagues."
Job design is the process of
a) Deciding the contents of the job.
b) Deciding methods & processes to carry out the job.
c) Making optimize use of job/work-time so that job/work-time should not be wasted
as time is money and time cannot be earned, but can be saved by making efficient use
of it.
d) Avoiding manual task if can be handled by machines or automated.
e) Synchronization of work, and no conflict with other jobs
f) Deciding the relationship which exists in the organization.
Job design gives framework to job analysis as it tries to figure out what qualities, skills
and other requirements are needed to perform the given job by a job holder.
In a very simple sense, job design means the ways that decision-makers choose to
organize work responsibilities, duties, activities, and tasks. Job Redesign thus involves
changing work responsibilities, duties, activities, and tasks. which is also sometimes
called work redesign.
Methods, Techniques and Strategies of Job Design
Job design is the process of deciding on the contents of a job in terms of its duties
and responsibilities, on the methods to be used in carrying out the job in terms of
techniques, systems and procedures, and on the relationships that should exist between
the job holders and his supervisors, subordinates and colleagues.
The main objectives of job design are to integrate the needs of the individuals and the
requirements of the organisation. Needs of the employees include job satisfaction in
terms of interest, challenge and achievement? Organisational requirements are high
productivity, technical efficiency and quality of work.
Job Analysis
Job analysis
o Job Descriptions and Job Specifications
Job Analysis and HR Activities
Job Analysis Methods
Stages in the Job Analysis Process
Job Design
Job design
Methods or Techniques of Job Design
o Job Rotation
o Job Enrichment
o Job Enlargement
Job Evaluation
o Qualitative Methods of Job Evaluation
o Quantitative Methods of Job Evaluation
Although job analysis, as just described, is important for an understanding of existing
jobs, organizations also must plan for new jobs and periodically consider whether they
should revise existing jobs. When an organization is expanding, supervisors and human
resource professionals must help plan for new or growing work units. When an
organization is trying to improve quality or efficiency, a review of work units and
processes may require a fresh look at how jobs are designed.
These situations call for job design, the process of defining the way work will be
performed and the tasks that a given job requires, or job redesign, a similar process that
involves changing an existing job design. To design jobs effectively, a person must
thoroughly understand the job itself (through job analysis) and its place in the larger work
unit's work flow process (through work flow analysis). Having a detailed knowledge of
the tasks performed in the work unit and in the job, a manager then has many alternative
ways to design a job. As shown in Figure , the available approaches emphasize different
aspects of the job: the mechanics of doing a job efficiently, the job's impact on motivation,
the use of safe work practices, and the mental demands of the job.
Definitions: -
According to Michael Armstrong, "Job Design is the process of deciding on the
contents of a job in terms of its duties and responsibilities, on the methods to be used in
carrying out the job, in terms of techniques, systems and procedures, and on the
relationships that should exist between the job holder and his superior subordinates and
colleagues."
Job design is the process of
a) Deciding the contents of the job.
b) Deciding methods & processes to carry out the job.
c) Making optimize use of job/work-time so that job/work-time should not be wasted
as time is money and time cannot be earned, but can be saved by making efficient use
of it.
d) Avoiding manual task if can be handled by machines or automated.
e) Synchronization of work, and no conflict with other jobs
f) Deciding the relationship which exists in the organization.
Job design gives framework to job analysis as it tries to figure out what qualities, skills
and other requirements are needed to perform the given job by a job holder.
Job design is the process of deciding on the contents of a job in terms of its
duties and responsibilities, on the methods to be used in carrying out the job in terms of
techniques, systems and procedures, and on the relationships that should exist
between the job holders and his supervisors, subordinates and colleagues.
The main objectives of job design are to integrate the needs of the individuals and the
requirements of the organisation. Needs of the employees include job satisfaction in
terms of interest, challenge and achievement? Organisational requirements are high
productivity, technical efficiency and quality of work.
1. Job Rotation:
It is one of the methods of job design which is an answer to the problem of boredom. Job
rotation implies the shifting of an employee from one job to another without any change
in the job. With job rotation, a given employee performs different jobs but, more or less,
jobs of the same nature.
The advantages of job rotation are—it relieves the employee from the boredom and
monotony of doing a single task. The organisation also stands to benefit as the worker
become competent in several jobs rather than only one. Periodic job changing can also
improve inter-department co-operation.
The limitations are—the basic nature of the job remains unchanged. Also frequent shifting
of employees may cause interruption in the work routine of the organisation.
2. Job Simplification:
Here the jobs are simplified or specialised. A given job is broken down into small sub-
parts and each part is assigned to one individual.
Job simplification involves (i) Mechanical processing of work; (ii) Repetitive work process
(assembly lines); (iii) Working on only one part of a product; (iv) Predetermining tools and
techniques; (v) Few skill requirements.
Work simplification is done so that less-trained and the less paid employees can do these
jobs.
This method has limitations. Over simplification results in boredom which lead in turn to
errors.
3. Job Enlargement:
It is the process of increasing the scope of a job by adding more tasks to it. The related
tasks are combined. Job enlargement involves expanding the number of tasks or duties
assigned to a given job. Job enlargement therefore, naturally is opposite to work
simplification. Adding more tasks/ duties to a job does not mean that new skill and abilities
are needed to perform it. There is only a horizontal expansion.
Job enlargement reduces monotony and boredom. It helps to increase interest in work
and efficiency. But there is no time increase of the job. Enlarged jobs require longer
training period as there are more task to be learned.
4. Job Enrichment:
Job enrichment is a management concept that involves redesigning jobs so that
they're more challenging to the employee and have less repetitive work. The concept is
based on a 1968 Harvard Business Review article by psychologist Frederick Herzberg
titled ''One More Time: How Do You Motivate Employees?'' In the article, Herzberg stated
that the greatest employee motivators, based on several investigations, are (in
descending order): achievement, recognition, work itself, responsibility, advancement,
and growth. To improve employee motivation and productivity, jobs should be modified
to increase the motivators present for the employee.
It involves designing a job in such a way that it provides the workers greater
autonomy for planning and controlling his own performance. It seeks to improve tasks,
efficiency and human satisfaction by building into people’s jobs, greater scope for
personal achievement and recognition, more challenging and responsible work and more
opportunity for individual advancement.
The advantages here are that, Job enrichment benefits employees and organisation in
terms of increased motivation, performance, job satisfaction, job involvement and
reduced absentees.
Further an enriched job shall meet certain psychological needs of job holders (Identity
achievement) etc. Job enrichment is motivating and satisfying as it adds status to one’s
job. Empowerment, a by-product of job enrichment, gives the employees a sense of
ownership and control over their job.
The limitations are, if the employee is lazy or does not give due attention to his/her job,
job enrichment will not have the desired outcomes. The cost of design and
implementation increases. Further job enrichment by itself does not motivate. This must
be preceded by the provision of other variables which contribute to the quality of work life.
To make this concept more usable, let's imagine you're a company manager and want
to increase the satisfaction of your staff. As you walk through the process of job
enrichment, you'll need to keep in mind these goals:
Reduce repetitive work.
Increase the employee's feelings of recognition and achievement.
Provide opportunities for employee advancement (as in promotions into jobs
requiring more skills).
Provide opportunities for employee growth (as in, an increase in skills and
knowledge without a job promotion).
Reason for Enriching Jobs
The purpose of job enrichment is to make the position more satisfying to the employee.
Overall goals for the company often include increasing employee job satisfaction,
reducing turnover, and improving productivity of employees.
To rephrase this as if it's coming from the mouth of the company manager or even the
CEO: ''We want to enrich our staff's positions so that they'll be happier, more productive,
and less likely to seek a job elsewhere.''
Principles of Job Enrichment
Vertical job loading is the terminology used by Herzberg to describe his principles for
enriching positions and giving employees more challenging work. It's intended to contrast
with job enlargement, a.k.a. horizontal job loading, which often involves giving employees
more work without changing the challenge level.
To enrich a position, you first need to brainstorm a list of potential changes to the
position. Once you have a list of options, Herzberg recommends using the following seven
principles to review the options, and shortlist only those that invoke one or more of the
following:
1. Removing some controls while retaining accountability
2. Increasing the accountability of individuals for own work
3. Giving a person a complete, natural unit of work
4. Granting additional authority to employees in their activity
5. Making periodic reports directly available to the workers themselves rather than to
supervisors
6. Introducing new and more difficult tasks not previously handled
7. Assigning individuals specific or specialized tasks; enabling them to become
experts
For example, you might have on your list ''Allow staffer A to present the monthly report
directly to senior management.'' When you review this option against our list above, you
find that it will meet the following goals:
Increasing the accountability of individuals for own work by having them present
directly to senior staff.
Granting additional authority to employees in their activities by trusting them to
make a presentation to a second-level manager.
Since it does meet some of the goals on our enrichment list, it would be added to the
shortlist. Once you have a final list, prioritize the options and document implementation
steps and dates for each option you plan to implement.
Job Descriptions
A job description is an internal document that clearly states the essential job
requirements, job duties, job responsibilities, and skills required to perform a specific role.
A more detailed job description will cover how success is measured in the role so it can
be used during performance evaluations. They are also known as a job specification, job
profiles, JD, and position description (job PD).
Job description includes basic job-related data that is useful to advertise a specific job
and attract a pool of talent. It includes information such as job title, job location, reporting
to and of employees, job summary, nature and objectives of a job, tasks and duties to
be performed, working conditions, machines, tools and equipments to be used by a
prospective worker and hazards involved in it.
Purpose of Job Description
The main purpose of job description is to collect job-related data in order to
advertise for a particular job. It helps in attracting, targeting, recruiting and
selecting the right candidate for the right job.
It is done to determine what needs to be delivered in a particular job. It clarifies
what employees are supposed to do if selected for that particular job opening.
It gives recruiting staff a clear view what kind of candidate is required by a
particular department or division to perform a specific task or job.
It also clarifies who will report to whom.
How Do You Write a Job Description?
1. Download a job description template.
2. Add the official internal job title.
3. Summarize the role in the opening paragraph.
4. Detail the essential job duties and job responsibilities.
5. Detail the essential requirements and qualifications.
6. Define success in the role.
7. State who the role reports to.
8. Have it verified by the hiring manager and HR.
Why Do You Need a Job Description?
Properly written job position descriptions are often the only documents that totally define
what a role is, what skills are required to perform it, and where the role fits in an
organization. This makes it simple to identify candidates that are a good fit for the role
and also to hold candidates accountable if they are not performing essential duties that
are required in the role.
What Is the Difference Between a Job Specification and a Job Description?
A job specification could be considered a more precise job description that details the
exact educational degrees, experience, skills, and requirements for a role. In most cases,
these terms are used interchangeably and nearly always describe the same document.
Also known as employee specifications, a job specification is a written statement of
educational qualifications, specific qualities, level of experience, physical, emotional,
technical and communication skills required to perform a job, responsibilities involved in
a job and other unusual sensory demands. It also includes general health, mental health,
intelligence, aptitude, memory, judgment, leadership skills, emotional ability, adaptability,
flexibility, values and ethics, manners and creativity, etc.
Purpose of Job Specification
Described on the basis of job description, job specification helps candidates
analyze whether are eligible to apply for a particular job vacancy or not.
It helps recruiting team of an organization understand what level of qualifications,
qualities and set of characteristics should be present in a candidate to make him
or her eligible for the job opening.
Job Specification gives detailed information about any job including job
responsibilities, desired technical and physical skills, conversational ability and
much more.
It helps in selecting the most appropriate candidate for a particular job.
Job description and job specification are two integral parts of job analysis. They define a
job fully and guide both employer and employee on how to go about the whole process
of recruitment and selection. Both data sets are extremely relevant for creating a right fit
between job and talent, evaluate performance and analyze training needs and measuring
the worth of a particular job.
Job Description and Job Specification
Job Analysis is a primary tool to collect job-related data. The process results in collecting
and recording two data sets including job description and job specification. Any job
vacancy can not be filled until and unless HR manager has these two sets of data. It is
necessary to define them accurately in order to fit the right person at the right place and
at the right time. This helps both employer and employee understand what exactly needs
to be delivered and how.
Both job description and job specification are essential parts of job analysis information.
Writing them clearly and accurately helps organization and workers cope with many
challenges while onboard. Though preparing job description and job specification are not
legal requirements yet play a vital role in getting the desired outcome. These data sets
help in determining the necessity, worth and scope of a specific job.
References:
https://study.com/academy/lesson/job-enrichment-definition-advantages-
disadvantages-examples.html
https://www.businessmanagementideas.com/job/job-design-methods-rotation-
simplification-enlargement-and-enrichment-of-jobs/2517
http://www.whatishumanresource.com/job-design
https://www.betterteam.com/job-descriptions
https://www.managementstudyguide.com/job-description-specification.htm
