Everything you need to know about the purpose of job analysis. Job analysis is a mechanism of analysing information of job that helps human resource specialists to perform basic activities effectively and smoothly.
The general purpose of job analysis is to document the requirements of a job and the work performed. Job and task analysis is performed as a preliminary to successive actions, including to define a job domain, write a job description, create performance appraisals, selection and promotion, training needs assessment, compensation and organizational analysis/planning.
The information provided by job analysis is useful for almost every phase of employee relations. The purpose of Job Analysis is to establish and document the ‘job relatedness’ of employment procedures such as training, selection, compensation, and performance appraisal.
Job analysis has various purposes. Some of the purposes are discussed herein:-
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1. Human Resource Planning 2. Job Description and Job Specification 3. Job Evaluation 4. Recruitment 5. Selection 6. Employee Training and Development 7. Performance Management
8. Compensation 9. Mobility and Career Development 10. Placement and Induction 11. Counselling 12. Health and Safety 13. Labour Relation 14. Job-Reengineering 15. Job Re-Designing.
Purpose of Job Analysis – Human Resource Planning, Recruitment, Selection, Placement & Orientation and Others
Purpose of Job Analysis – 10 Important Purposes: HR Requirement, Training Decision, Performance Review, Identification of Sources of Recruitment and a Few Others
Job analysis is a mechanism of analysing information of job that helps human resource specialists to perform basic activities effectively and smoothly. The whole process of HR functions starting from acquisition / hiring of people for the organization, till their exit from the organization involves a series of important information about job, and such information are available through job analysis. So, job analysis contributes to effective functioning of HRM activities.
Job analysis programme has various purposes. Some of the purposes are discussed herein below-
Purpose # 1. HR Requirement:
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Job analysis helps to ascertain future needs of human resource through detailed and thorough analysis of job content. Such information facilitate human resource planning activities of HR planner. One of the purposes of job analysis is to make human resource planning meaningful and effective.
Purpose # 2. Training Decision:
Employees need training for development of their competencies. All employees may not require training of the same programme; some may need improvement of technical skill, some may require behavioural training, some may need to increase conceptual skill and the like.
Hence, for nominating employees in the specific training programme management should have valid and reliable information. Job analysis provides necessary information to the management.
Purpose # 3. Performance Review:
Most organizations have developed a system to appraise performance of employees for achievement of individual goals vis-a-vis organizational goals. The appraiser compares the subordinate’s actual performance with the standard set for him/ her. This standard is fixed through job analysis mechanism.
Purpose # 4. Identification of Sources of Recruitment:
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Organization needs to initiate recruitment exercise to search out and stimulate prospective employees for filling some posts. To make this exercise effective necessary information / data are needed. Job analysis provides information to the organization with regard to the sources from where potential candidates can be available.
Purpose # 5. Selection of Candidates:
Selection exercise becomes effective if right people are selected in terms of job requirement. So, selectors should have information with regard to job specification, job description to choose the perfect candidates and this information is available through job analysis.
Purpose # 6. Wage and Salary Administration:
Job analysis data help to determine the worth of each job. Job pricing depends on some factors like working conditions, level of education, skill, responsibility, efforts, safety and hazards. All these factors are assessed through job analysis. So job analysis helps to make wage and salary administration effective.
Purpose # 7. Coping with Change Situation:
With the advancement of science and technology and also invention of new ideas, devices, methods, techniques a lot of changes take place in different areas of activities in an organization. For survival, growth and development organization needs to accept change and confront challenges arising out of changes.
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It can be possible for an organization to cope with change situation if it gets reliable and actual information on regular basis. Job analysis provides such information to an organization so that it can grow with changes.
Purpose # 8. Congenial and Conducive Work Environment:
Organization can take necessary measure to improve working condition, safety arrangement on the basis of the information provided through job analysis. So, job analysis helps to create a congenial and conducive work environment by way of pin pointing weak areas when rectification is required.
Purpose # 9. Creation of Committed, Contented and Satisfied Workforce through Redressing Grievances:
Job analysis provides information with regard to the issues/ grievances of the employees which need immediate redressal for making them satisfied, happy and committed. On the basis of job information organization can take measure to solve employees’ problems to create a satisfied, committed workforce.
Purpose # 10. Healthy Industrial Relations:
One of the purposes of job analysis is to promote industrial relations situation of the organization. Job analysis provides information about the employees who are happy and who are unhappy. On the basis of job information organization can take suitable measure for improving industrial relations situation in the organization.
Purpose of Job Analysis – General Purposes: Determining Training Needs, Compensation, Selection Procedures and Performance Review
The general purpose of job analysis is to document the requirements of a job and the work performed. Job and task analysis is performed as a preliminary to successive actions, including to define a job domain, write a job description, create performance appraisals, selection and promotion, training needs assessment, compensation and organizational analysis/planning.
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In the fields of Human Resources (HR) and Industrial Psychology, job analysis is defined as process involving gathering information for the use in personnel selection, training, classification, and/or compensation.
Job analysis is a systematic approach to defining the job role, description, requirements, responsibilities, evaluation, etc. It helps in finding out required level of education, skills, knowledge, training, etc. for the job position. It also depicts the job worth i.e. measurable effectiveness of the job and contribution of job to the organization. Thus, it effectively contributes to setting up the compensation package for the job position.
Job analysis helps in analyzing the resources and establishing the strategies to accomplish the business goals and strategic objectives. It forms the basis for demand-supply analysis, recruitments, compensation management, and training need assessment and performance appraisal.
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The purpose of job analysis is to establish and document the ‘job relatedness’ of employment procedures such as training, selection, compensation and performance appraisal.
i. Determining Training Needs:
Job analysis can be used in training/”needs assessment” to identify or develop:
1. Training content
2. Assessment tests to measure effectiveness of training
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3. Equipment to be used in delivering the training
4. Methods of training (i.e., small group, computer-based, video, classroom…)
ii. Compensation:
Job analysis can be used in compensation to identify or determine:
1. Skill levels
2. Compensable job factors
3. Work environment (e.g., hazards, attention, physical effort)
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4. Responsibilities (e.g., fiscal, supervisory)
5. Required level of education (indirectly related to salary level)
iii. Selection Procedures:
Job analysis can be used in selection procedures to identify or develop:
1. Job duties that should be included in advertisements of vacant positions;
2. Appropriate salary level for the position to help determine what salary should be offered to a candidate;
3. Minimum requirements (education and/or experience) for screening applicants;
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4. Interview questions;
5. Selection tests/instruments (e.g., written tests, oral tests, job simulations);
6. Applicant appraisal/evaluation forms;
7. Orientation materials for applicants/new hires.
iv. Performance Review:
Job analysis can be used in performance review to identify or develop:
1. Goals and objectives
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2. Performance standards
3. Evaluation criteria
4. Length of probationary periods
5. Duties to be evaluated
Purpose of Job Analysis – 8 Specific Purposes of Analysing Job: Human Resource Planning, Recruitment, Selection, Placement & Orientation and a Few Others
An effective job analysis program is an essential part of successful human resource management. It is the major input to forecasting future human resource requirements, job re-engineering, job evaluation, recruitment, selection, placement and orientation, training and development, counselling, safety, performance appraisal and job evaluation.
The information provided by job analysis is useful for almost every phase of employee relations. The purpose of Job Analysis is to establish and document the ‘job relatedness’ of employment procedures such as training, selection, compensation, and performance appraisal.
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More specifically the purposes of job analysis may be summarized thus:
1. Human Resource Planning:
Job analysis helps in forecasting human resource requirement in terms of knowledge and skills. By indicating lateral and vertical relationships between jobs, it facilitates the formulation of a systematic promotion and transfer policy. It also helps in determining quality of human resources needed in an organization.
2. Recruitment:
By showing the specific requirements of each job, it provides a realistic basis for the recruitment. “Basically, the goal is to match the job requirements with a worker’s attitude, abilities and interests. It also helps in charting the channels of promotion and in showing lateral lines of transfer.
3. Selection:
With the proper and adequate understanding of the job, it is possible to select the right person. If a Super Bazar manager has not clearly identified what a clerk is to do, it is difficult to ascertain if the person selected is to position stores items, run a cash register, or keep the account books.
Job analysis can be used in selection procedures to identify or develop:
(a) Job duties that should be included in advertisement of vacant positions;
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(b) Appropriate salary level for the position to help determine what salary should be offered to a candidate;
(c) Minimum requirements (education and/or experience) for screening applicants;
(d) Interview questions;
(e) Selection tests/instruments (e.g., written tests; oral tests; job simulations); and
(f) Applicant appraisal/evaluation forms.
4. Placement and Orientation:
After selecting people, they have to be placed on jobs best suited to their interests, activities and aptitudes. If we are able to determine what needs to be done on a job, it is possible to identify the right person suited for the job. Similarly, effective job orientation can be achieved with a proper understanding of the needs of each job. To teach a new employee how to handle a job, we have to clearly define the job.
5. Determining Training Needs:
Job Analysis can be useful for training “needs assessment” to identify or develop training content, assessment tests to measure effectiveness of training, equipment to be used in delivering the training, methods of training (i.e., small group, computer-based, video, classroom…).
6. Determining Compensation:
Job Analysis can be used in compensation to identify or determine skill levels, compensable job factors, work environment (e.g., hazards; attention; physical effort), responsibilities (e.g., fiscal; supervisory), required level of education (indirectly related to salary level).
7. Performance Review:
Job Analysis can be used in performance review to identify or develop goals and objectives, performance standards, evaluation criteria, length or probationary periods, duties to be evaluated.
8. Counselling:
Managers can properly counsel employees about their careers when they understand different jobs in the organization. Likewise, employees can better appreciate their career options when they understand the specific needs of various other jobs. Job analysis can point out areas that an employee might need to development to further a career.
Purpose of Job Analysis
Job analysis is formal and detailed study of jobs. It refers to a scientific and systematic analysis of a job in order to obtain all pertinent facts about the job. Job analysis is a process of collecting and analysing data relating to a job. Job analysis has been defined as the process of determining by observation and study the tasks, which comprise the job, the methods and equipment used, and the skills and attitude required for successful performance of the job.
Job analysis is nothing, but the job study. It studies the nature and all requirements of a job. It is the meticulous technique of studying a job. It study whether physical conditions of work such as lighting, ventilation, automation etc. physical demands at work or social work conditions and human behaviour at work are good or not It is the procedure by which facts of each job are discovered and systematically noted down.
Job analysis is a process, which details the criteria for successful job performance. Through it, the worker knows what is expected in an organisation in terms of quantity and quality. Job analysis is intended to reveal what is actually done on a job and opposed to what should be done.
The purpose of job analysis can be described as follows:
1. Job analysis makes the work of personnel department scientific and more efficient. For example, as job analysis determines the skills of jobber, proper kind of employees can be recruited. So the problems of mis-replacements don’t arise. As a result productivity of employees will increase and they will achieve greater job satisfaction. Similarly, it will be equally helpful for promotions, transfers; etc.
2. Control of the work of employees also becomes easy. The administrative decisions taken after knowing all the details of the job are bound to be better. Moreover, the management can also have an idea of how much each employee should work,
3. The deficiencies of motion of the worker can be noted and corrected. This will help in reducing the exhaustion of workers and for improving the methods of working. Thus, productivity can be raised.
4. Job analysis can give an idea about risks and possibilities of accidents for a job. Steps can be taken to eliminate these chances and accidents rate can be brought down. In other words, it is helpful for security programme of the company.
5. As the detailed information about the job is available it will help to understand the job better. This will assist in making decisions as to what the employees should be taught and how should they be taught. Thus, job analysis is helpful in preparing training programmes.
6. Job analysis can also be useful for scientific wage and salary administration. It provides information regarding the efforts necessary for performance of job, skills required, experience essential and risks involved in the job. On the basis of all this is a scientific wage and salary policy can be decided.
7. Job analysis is also very much important for professional guidance. It specifies the requirements of each job and would help in determining that for which job a particular person is suitable. This will provide professional guidance to that person.
8. The job analysis helps in establishment of scientific wage and salary administration policy, which will reduce the scope of industrial disputes.
9. In short, job analysis is useful to keep up maximum efficiency in an industrial unit and better manpower planning.
Purpose of Job Analysis – For Effective HR Planning, Recruitment and Selection, Employee Training and Development, Performance Management and a Few Others
Job analysis is very useful because it provides relevant information for an effective HRM, especially, in the following areas:
1. HR Planning:
Proper human resources planning facilitate adequate quality personnel for an organization without leading to surplus or deficit workforce. Job analysis enables the HR manager to determine the nature of workforce requirement. Planning is a must in order to obtain the proper kind and number of employees required to accomplish the common objectives of an organization. It also facilitates for strategic planning.
2. Recruitment and Selection:
Job analysis helps in deciding internal and external source of recruitment to fill up the vacancies. Both, qualitative and quantitative aspects of personnel are appropriately and adequately determined and procured through job analysis. As it enables to know the nature and features of the jobs, selection of right person for the right job is very much possible.
3. Employee Training and Development:
Job analysis enables the manager to know the required job skills the new employees should possess to carry out their job most effectively and efficiently. It also facilitates the manager to sketch out appropriate training and development programmes for the employees. Actively participating in training programmes both, on-the-job and off-the-job, the quality of workforce is enhanced.
4. Performance Management:
Job description is useful in defining job goals to be achieved by the employees. This is the base on which the employees’ level of performance are being measured.
5. Compensation:
Job description, as an outcome of job analysis, helps the manager to know the nature of job, work load, skills required, grade of job, etc. It provides the basic information in evolving adequate and appropriate compensation for employees.
6. Mobility and Career Development:
Job information enables for internal mobility of employees, both vertical and lateral, in the organization. It facilitates for employee promotion and lateral line of transfer. Equipping and enhancing the required competencies and skills, the employees climb up in the organizational hierarchy and plan for better career advancement and development.
7. Placement and Induction:
As the job analysis facilitates to know the characteristics of the job, it enables for appropriate placement of personnel because, proper placement is more important than selecting the right person for the organization. Induction is a process of accustoming the newly recruited people with the existing personnel of the organization. Both job specification and job description, helps the managers to make better orientation and socialization of employees.
8. Counselling:
Job description helps the manager to make up the minds of the employees for performing their job effectively. Occupational counselling enables for internal fit to the present position and plan for career development.
9. Health and Safety:
Job analysis reveals information with regard to equipment and machineries to be used, working condition, outcome of process such as dust, fumes, noise, temperature, etc. As it is required by law, the management will provide better safety measures for employees to avoid unwanted accidents.
10. Labour Relation:
Job description not only helps for grouping the job activities but also serves as a ready reference in case of any conflict or controversies which arise with regard to the jobs performed by the employees.
11. Job-Reengineering:
Job analysis provides sufficient information for reengineering the job. It also enables to give room for special provisions required for women and handicapped employees and accordingly alter the contents of the job.
12. Job Evaluation:
Job description and job analysis provides valuable information for making job evaluation. It is the process of ascertaining the relative worth of a job. It is a process of comparing, grading and establishing relationships among various jobs based on some common values and criteria. It also enables to plan out adequate and equal compensation for different job grades.
Purpose of Job Analysis
Jobs are important factors of productivity of every organisation. According to the US department of labour, job analysis is the process of determining by observation, study and reporting facts and information relating to the nature of a specific job. It is the determination of the tasks which comprise the job and of the skill, knowledge, abilities and responsibilities required of the worker of a successful performance and which differentiate one job from another.
In short, a job consists of certain tasks that must be accomplished for an enterprise or organisation to achieve its targets.
It is a fact that a job to bring out substantial output, which has to adhere to the following factors:
1. Time
2. Workers, and
3. Conducive environment.
1. Time – Some people for instance, a truck driver, teacher and a lawyer. They would be performing different things at different times according to their work schedules.
2. Workers – Most often in different situations, whether a driver, a teacher or a lawyer, the job is what an individual accomplishes it.
3. Conducive environment – Environmental factors do have a say over the situational changes in the nature of job. For example, management’s ideas on various aspects may reflect in the performance of workers. It is the systematic process of determining the skills, duties, qualification and knowledge necessary for performing jobs in an organisation.
Job analysis is a sequential process of gathering, assessing, and scrutinizing the data and information about a job in an orderly manner.
The job analysis is purposeful in different ways and provides information like:
i. Educational Qualifications, Training, Experience, Skills, Traits, and Attitudes:
Refer to the information about the various types of skills required to perform a job. Through the process of job analysis, numerous activities required to perform a job are identified and a cumulative list of these activities is prepared. This list provides guidelines for the type of educational qualifications, experience, and training required to perform a job. It also provides job specifications that indicate the necessary skills and abilities for performing a job.
ii. Structure and Design of Job:
Make the job meaningful and enhance the job holder’s performance. Job analysis establishes the framework of the job and provides information that helps in designing the job logically. It simplifies the entire job by splitting it into individual tasks, so that the job holder is aware of his/her duties and responsibilities. You must group all the tasks together to ensure that a job is meaningful as a whole.
iii. Human Resource Requirements and Employees’ Career Graph:
Help in external recruitment and employees’ career planning. Job analysis indicates the skills presently possessed by the workforce of the organization. It also provides information on future jobs that determine the skills required in future. Moreover, the skills requirement changes when the organization plans for expansion, growth, or diversification.
Job analysis deals with such variations in the skills requirement by assessing the long-term human resource requirements. This information helps the organization to determine if people need to be recruited from outside or promoted from within the organization. This information forms the basis of internal recruitments by considering the employees with the required potential within the organization.
iv. Information that Facilitates the Placement of Right Person on the Right Job:
Ensures the optimal utilization of the skills available to an organization. Job analysis indicates the skills required for a job; thereby, facilitating the identification of the right people within the organization to perform the job. Therefore, it is possible to match available skills with the job requirements and utilize the human resource optimally.
v. Established Performance Standards:
Refers to the set of standards against which the performance of employees can be measured. Job analysis indicates the activities required to perform a job and achieve the organizational objectives. These activities, when performed, enable the accomplishment of measurable goals and targets. The proficiency with which an employee achieves his/her goals and targets determines his/her performance level.
Purpose of Job Analysis – Job Description and Specification, Job Evaluation, Recruitment, Selection and Placement, Employee Orientation and a Few Others
Job Analysis information in its complete form puts forth two important documents – job description and job specification. This provides the pivot point around which a human resource manager forecasts personnel functions.
Thus, job analysis is not only useful but an essential part of organizational strategies to serve the following purposes:
Purpose # 1. Job Description and Job Specification:
Two valuable sources of information generated by job analysis are job description and specification. These two are very crucial to personnel activities and act as basic inputs for diverse human resource functions. As these two documents provide concrete information regarding the job, it also indicates the labour needs and clearly charts out duties and responsibilities of the total workforce.
Purpose # 2. Job Evaluation:
As job analysis involves an in-depth exploration of different job components it enables the employer to determine the differential pay structure prevailing in the organization. On the basis of duties, responsibilities, difficulty levels and skill requirements an equitable wage and salary schedule is prepared by the management.
Purpose # 3. Recruitment, Selection and Placement:
Job analysis provides a realistic basis for hiring, training, placement, transfer and promotion of personnel. It enables one to match the specific job requirements to the rightly qualified person, thereby picking up a subset of personnel who are more likely to perform successfully on a job.
Purpose # 4. Employee Orientation:
Effective job orientation cannot be accomplished without a clear understanding of the job requirements. The duties and responsibilities of a job must be clearly defined before a new employee can be taught how to perform the job.
Purpose # 5. Utilizing Personnel:
Job Analysis information can help both employees and managers, pinpoint the root of a problem if the employee functions are not adequate. This can easily be done by matching job expectations and job performance. It ultimately clears the grey areas of doubt and proper enlightenment of the problem can be achieved, thus, optimally tapping employee potential.
Purpose # 6. Training and Development:
Job analysis information not only guides the manager about the current training needs of the present job incumbent but also helps in determining whether a problem is recurring because of training needs or some other requirements. The subject matter of in training courses can also be discussed by job analysis.
Purpose # 7. Job Re-Designing:
The information procured from job analysis can be used for re -designing jobs from human and industrial engineering activities point of view. The concerns for re – designing may include operational analysis, motion studies, work environment improvement and also physical and psychological capabilities of humans for increase in organizational health, administration and productivity.