INTRODUCTION

JoJo Soya Products [Link] a small manufacturing company that manufactures and markets soya
products available at local market. The Executive Director notices that most staff appeared to
be uncertain about their roles and those relevant goals were never achieved.
She hired an industrial psychologist in order to fix this problem. This Industrial psychologist
finds many areas of improvement. She found that the role of production and planning was not
for everyone in the company. Sales representatives were doing some purchases of raw materials
although there was a purchasing section under the Operations Department. Two different
departments maintain inventory control.
The person in charge of marketing and sales did not have the salesmanship skills to perform
that task.
Based on the analysis, several jobs were redesigned and job descriptions were written down
for all positions. The Executive director then implemented all the changes with the purpose of
changing nature of jobs.
One lacuna clearly observed in the above examples is the lack of job analysis and clarity of
duties and responsibilities. A clear view of one’s roles should be a basis for self-appraisal.
It should make it simpler for Executive Director to assign responsibilities. For instance,
suppose you are the proprietor of a startup company or organization, as a director you need to
understand the director duties.
Understanding what creates a director's job should help you to perform your role and
responsibilities more effectively. Thus, before recruitment and selection techniques are used, it
is necessary to analyze the appropriate jobs.

DEFINITION AND NATURE OF JOB ANALYSIS

As we know that, employees are the important pillars of an organization. As a matter of fact,
the profit and loss of an organization is determined largely by how well employees do their
duties. Selecting the right person for right place and job, capacity building and paying proper
salary and benefits are therefore of extreme importance.
If someone ask you what makes an effective clinical counselor or what content might cover a
capacity building for the grassroots worker. What is your reply? How could a director of the
organization find out what employee do at workplace? The answer to the above questions is,
by carrying out job analysis.
Thus, job analysis mainly helps us understand about the job, the activities to be carried out as
well as the skills required to carry out the activities. For instance, as time goes by vegetable
chef of the small restaurant might assume additional duties like prepare pastries and desserts
that did not assigned before.
If the restaurant needs to replace this chef but does not have an up-to-date job analysis report
for the position, it is unlikely that the restaurant will be able to recruit a person with all the
experience, skills, talents, and other features required to perform the job as it currently exists.
It can be said that job analysis is a systematic and thorough examination of a job. It refers to a
scientific and systematic study of work to collect all relevant information about the job.
It is difficult to understand precisely what the role of an employee requires before an employee
can be selected or trained and before an employee, performance can be measured. Such an
analysis should also be carried out on a regular basis to ensure that employment information is
up to date. In other words, the process for determining the duties, responsibilities and skill
requirements of a job and the category of employee who should be selected for it.

According to Mondy and Noe (1996), job analysis is the systematic process of determining
the skills, duties and knowledge recurred for performing job in an organization. It is an essential
and pervasive human resource technique.
Brannick, Levine and Morgeson (2007) defined job analysis as a systematic method of
discovering the purpose of a job by dividing it into smaller units, where one or more written
products arise from the process to explain what is achieved on the job or what skills are required
to perform the job effectively.
Dessler (2013, page 105) explained job analysis as “the procedure through which you
determine the duties of the positions and the characteristics of the people to hire for them”.
Job analysis can be explained as a process through which we collect information about a job.
It is carried out in terms of job description and job specification.
Job description mainly denotes the work activities that need to be carried out and job
specification specifies the skills and experience required.
Thus, job description provides information what constitutes the job and job specification
provides details about the kind of individuals that need to be hired for the job.
Dessler (2013, page 105) defined job description as “a list of a job’s duties, responsibilities,
reporting, relationships, working conditions, and supervisory responsibilities” and job
specification as “a list of a job’s ‘human requirements’, that is the requisite education, skills,
personality, and so on”.
Job analysis can be carried out by collecting information about work-related activities, human
behaviours, machines, tools, equipment etc required to carry out the job, standards of
performance, context of the job and human requirements.
 Work related activities denote the actual activity that needs to be carried out like marketing
a product, counselling employees and so on.

 Human behaviours denote the behaviour that is required to perform the job.
For example communication, negotiation and so on.
 Machines, tools, equipment, etc can also provide information about the nature of the job.

 Performance standards denote the levels of quality and quantity related to the job activities.
 Context of job denotes the working conditions, schedule, incentives, and so on.
 Human requirements mainly focus on the skills, expertise, knowledge, experience, training
etc. required to perform the job.
To monitor the production or service, that is, get the job done successfully, the job analysis
process requires in-depth investigation. The mechanism helps to figure out what a specific
department or section needs and what a future employee or worker needs to offer.
It also helps to decide job specifics, including job description, job position, job overview, tasks
involved, working conditions, possible risk, resources, equipment and supplies to be used by
the existing/ potential employees or workers. The process, however, is not merely confined to
the determination of these factors. It also applies to figuring out the professional or technical
qualifications required to do the work.
These include education, experience, assessment, training, commitment, leadership skills,
physical abilities, communication skills, accountability, emotional and social quotient, and
unusual sensory demand levels.
These factors change depending on the type, level of seniority, industry, and risk involved in a
specific job. As we learned that, Job analysis provide information used for writing job details
(a list of what the job entails) and job specifications (what kind of employee to hire for the
particular job).
The human resource manager or industrial psychologist normally collects one or more of the
following types of information via job analysis:
 Job context: Information on factors such as physical working conditions, hazard, risk factor,
job schedule, job rotation, and the organizational and social background is included here, such
as the number of individuals with which the employee will usually associate. Incentive and
reward information can also be included here.

 Human requirement: This includes information on the human requirements of the job, such
as work-related expertise or skills (technical or professional education, training, work
experience) and essential personal characteristics (aptitudes, attitude, physical characteristics,
personality, interests, emotional and intelligence quotient).
 Human behavior: The human resource management may collect information about
behaviours like communicating, problem-solving and decision-making.

 Job action: Collect information about job actual work, duties, and activities such as
counselling, guidance, training, teaching, and writing. This list must include how, why and
when the employee performs each assignment.
 Equipment, machines, tools, and working aid: This section contains information on
methods used, technical or professional skills dealt with or applied (for instance finance,
accountancy, legislation, language programming), and services provided (similarly counseling,
guidance, and repairing).

 Performance criteria: The human resource manager (HRM) must need data about the
performance level of the job in term of quality and quantity. HRM will use these data to review
the employee.
 USES OF JOB ANALYSIS
The uses of job analysis are discussed as follows:

 Employee selection:
How an employee will be selected is difficult to imagine unless there is a specific work
understanding of the duties and responsibilities to be performed and the skills necessary to
perform those duties. It is necessary to select assessments or design interview questions by
defining those criteria, which will decide if a specific candidate has the requisite expertise and
skills to carry out the job requirements.
For instance, height and good physical fitness requirements for the Indian Army and Physical
attractiveness for the frontline sales team.
 Training and development:
Job analysis is useful for human resource managers as far as it allows employees to understand
what the mandatory needs from a given job in terms of experience, aptitude, and skills.
Depending on the work requirements, capacity building programmes and skill upgradation
strategies may be planned. Participant’s selection and skill development content are also
supported by job analysis reports.
 Job Description:
Short report of duties and responsibilities contained in the job description is one of the written
products of job analysis. In simple words, the job analysis is the written report and it is the
method of deciding the duties and job description. Job analysis acts as the basis for many
practices in the area of managing human resources planning, including the selection of
employee, capacity building, job design, and appraisal.
 Job Classification:
Job analysis enables a human resource manager to classify jobs into groups, subgroups and
teams based on similarities in duties and responsibilities. Job analysis is useful for determining
salary, incentives, benefits, transfer and promotions.
 Job evaluation:
Job analysis information can be used to determine the worth of a job. It also help to human
resource manager to fix salaries whose jobs are similar in value to the company and must have
similar pay if they do their task well.

 Performance appraisal:
A performance appraisal compares every employee's real performance with her/his
performance criteria. To address job duties and performance criteria, human resource managers
use job analysis reports.
 Discovering unassigned duties and responsibilities:
Job analysis can help reveal unassigned duties and responsibilities. For instance, your
organizational head assigned so many task i.e. collection of raw material, monitor production
process and recruitment of new staff members. On further discussion, you might have learned
that none of the production managers are responsible for the recruitment drive.
 Organisational analysis:
During the time of their duties, job analysts often become aware of uncertain problems within
the organization.
For instance, during a job analysis process discussion cum interview, sales team members may
inform that they do not know how they are being evaluated and to whom they are supposed to
discuss daily issues faced in the market. The finding of, such a gap in the internal
communication can be used to fix the communication gap and help the company for smooth
functioning.
 Job design:
The job analysis information can be used to define the best way to do a job. Job design is the
division of job tasks allocated to an employee in an organization that determines what the
employee is doing, how, and why.
 Human resource planning:
Job analysis provides a basis for human resource planning and suitable selection and
recruitment of employee. It reveals the personality and skills of an employee required for a job.
 Working conditions:
Job analysis provides information about unhealthy, risky and hazardous working environmental
condition in various jobs.

METHODS FOR COLLECTING JOB ANALYSIS INFORMATION

The method used to collect job details differs greatly in terms of comprehensiveness and
systematic rigour. Observation, interviews, and questionnaires have historically been the most
common methods. Emphasis is placed on the advantages and disadvantages or drawback of
each method.
 Methods for Collecting Job Analysis Information

Observation: In this method, a job analyst observe employees directly, video, or review report
of employee performance reports. Observation provides firsthand information. Usually, the
observer makes extensive notes on the exact activities and duties conducted in the observational
process.
To make detailed observations, however, the job analyst must know what to look for. With the
observation method, it is crucial that the times chosen for observation are reflective of the
routine of the employee, especially if the job requires that during various times of the hours,
day, week or year, the employee can be engaged in different tasks.
For instance, a medical sales representative may deal with sales and doctor visit report on
Fridays, may spend most of Saturday updating medicine stock figure and weekly report and
may be almost entirely occupied with finding newest stockiest for new products. This method
has both positive and negative aspects.
On the positive side, the primary data collected are accurate because of direct observation. On
the other side, sometimes observer bias can creep in. Further observers cannot observe
cognitive tasks such as problem-solving and thinking skills. This method requires that the entire
range of activities be observable, which is not possible for many jobs for instance, managerial
job.
Interviews: Another form of job analysis is interviews. They can be open ended such as could
you tell us about what you do on the job. Alternatively, they can use structured or standardized
questions. Because any one source of information can be biased, the job analyst may want to
get more than one perspective by interviewing the employee.
The employee’s immediate supervisor and employee subordinates. The job analyst may also
interview several employees within a section or unit or organization to get more information
of the job and to see whether various individuals holding the same job title in the organisation
actually perform similar work. The advantages of this method is job analyst might ask follow
up questions/comments, flexible and it is applicable to all job tittle. One of the drawbacks of
interviews that job analysts miss information out, especially when a task becomes automatic
and difficult to pull all information tighter.

Surveys: In this method of job analysis usually associates the administration of a paper pencil
questionnaire that the employee completes and returns to the job analyst. Such questionnaires
consist of lists of job a task or other factor such as working condition.
Survey consists of open-ended questions such as What technical skills are required to operate
this automatic machine? Close-ended questions such as Which of the job titles suit you?
i) Workshop Manager
ii) Machine operator
iii) Workshop supervisor
iv) Administrative assistant
The survey method has three advantages over the interview method:
1) Allows for a large collection of data
2) Cost effective
3) Time saving
One of the drawbacks of this method is that the information collected is limited by the questions
of the questionnaire or schedule.
 Job Diaries: Another method for job analysis is to have employee record their daily activities
in diary. It is known as the process of self-recording. An advantage of the job diary is that it
provides a detailed minute-to minute, hours- to – hours and day–to–day account of employee’s
work, and it is good when jobs are difficult to observe such as Loco pilot( Train Driver).
Difficulties of job diary are: i) Extra time to write diary ii) Clarity of information/data provided
iii) Differing literacy levels of employees iv) Analysing large amount of information/data

 Participation: In this method, a job analyst may want to conduct a specific job or job activity
to get a better understanding of how the job is done. The advantage of this method is hands-on
knowledge of the job and how work or an operation relates to each other. The disadvantage to
this method is not for jobs that require a high degree of proficiency or professional and technical
skills.
 Existing data: Mostly large, well-established organizations or Startup Companies usually
have some data or reports, and records can be used in the job analysis process i.e. previous job
analysis report, employee performance and task sheet for the post or an analysis.
Sometimes data can be arranged from another organization, startup company, Government
database, and Human Resource consultancy firm that has conducted analysis from similar
posts. Always, existing data must be reviewed to ensure that it conforms to the job as it is
actually being carried out and to assess if the existing data allows for the introduction of new
technology or processes into the job.
 Using other Job Analysis Methods
The most common method for Collecting Job Analysis Information was discussed. In addition
to these methods for performing job analysis, there are number of unique standardized analysis
techniques. This technique has not only been widely used but has also provided a substantial
amount of research on their effectiveness. We will consider four of these specific techniques:
the job element, the critical incident technique, the Position Analysis Questionnaire, and
functional job analysis.
a) Job Element Method: The Job Element Method (Primoff & Eyde, 1988) focuses mainly on
industrial or unskilled jobs. This is a job analysis method that analyzes jobs in terms of the
knowledge, skills, abilities, and other characteristics ( KSAOs) required to perform the job.
This method is “person-oriented” or personality-based in that it focuses on the characteristics
of the individual who is performing the job (Foster, Gaddis & Hogon, 2012).
b) Critical Incident Technique (CIT): The critical incident concept developed by Flanagan
(1954) includes the recall and analysis of specific instances of employee behavior on the job,
either good or bad. The method includes gathering factual stories about job behaviors that are
crucial in performing the job effectively (Zemke & Karmlinger, 1982).
Three pieces of information needed from each critical incident are presented by Flanagan:
 The context of behavior and details of the lead-up to the behavior exhibited.

 The employee behavior

 The consequences of the behavior.
This tool is powerful because it gives a multi-dimensional view of the activities, including acts
that have taken place, interactions with other staff members, and verbal and non-verbal
behavior.
c) Position Analysis Questionnaire (PAQ): The Position Analysis Questionnaire
(McCormick, Jenneret & Mecham, 1972) is a questionnaire based on employees that measures
job characteristics and relates them to the behavior of employees. 194 job elements are part of
the questionnaire.
Six main areas are grouped into the items on the questionnaire.
• Information input: Considers how the employee obtains the relevant information to perform
the job.
• Mental process: It involves the thinking and decision-making required in the job.
• Physical activities: The employee must perform, and the equipment they will use as part of
their role.
• Relationship with other persons: It is including reporting lines as well as colleagues.
• Job context: Such as physical or social contexts, including working in noisy environments.
• Other characteristics: Such as other activities required as part of the job.
The advantage of this method is that it can be used for a limited number of employees, since
the questionnaire is structured, it is affordable and simple to use, allowing easy quantification.
Disadvantages - involve individuals misinterpreting their job and the amount of time the
questionnaire is administered