Personnel Psychology Job Analysis Guide for UHS 2062

Personnel Psychology: Job Analysis Guide for UHS 2062 students at UTM, Malaysia Prepared by : Siti Rokiah Siwok srsiwok@gmail. com

Major Fields in IOP � Personnel Psychology � Organizational � Ergonomics Psychology

�Job Personnel Psychology : Overview analysis �Employee Recruitment ◦ Different methods of recruitment ◦ Recruiting special populations �Employee Selection ◦ Characteristics of effective selection techniques ◦ Different types of employee selection

Job analysis � It is a process of gathering, analyzing and structuring about a job’s components, characteristics and requirements ( Sanchez & Levine, 2000) � A process of determining the work activities and requirements

Job Analysis � Very �A ◦ ◦ ◦ ◦ ◦ important. job analysis provides information for : Job description Employee selection Performance Appraisal/Competency criteria Job Evaluation Job Classification Job Design Organizational analysis Training etc

Job Analysis: Essential Questions �Who will conduct? �How often? �Who should participate?

Who will conduct Job Analysis? � Internal Department � Internal Task Force � Supervisors � Employees � Consultants � Interns

Who should participate? � Choices ◦ ◦ All employees Random sample Representative sample Convenience sample � Consisderations: ◦ ◦ ◦ Job competence Race Gender Education Perspectives Diversities

Job Analysis : The Basic process 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. Identify task performed Write tasks statements Rate task statements Determine essential KSAOs Select tests to tap KSAOs

Conducting a Job Analysis

Step 1: Identify Tasks Performed � Gathering existing information � Interviewing subject matter experts (SMEs) ◦ Individual interviews ◦ Subject Matter Experts Conferences ◦ Ammerman Technique � Observing incumbents � Job participation

Step 2: Write Task Statements � Characteristics statements of well-written task One action and one object Appropriate reading level The statement should make sense by itself All statements should be written in the same tense ◦ Should include the tools and equipment used to complete the task ◦ Task statements should not be competencies ◦ Task statements should not be policies ◦ ◦

Poorly written task statement Properly written task statement Sends purchase requests to the purchasing department using campus mail Drives a five-speed truck to make food deliveries within the city of Toledo Locks hall doors Uses master key to lock hall doors at midnight so that nonresidents cannot enter the residence hall 13

Step 3: Rate Task Statements � Tasks ◦ ◦ ◦ ◦ can be rated on various scales Importance Part-of-the-job Frequency of performance Time spent Relative time spent Complexity Criticality � Research shows only two scales are necessary ◦ Frequency ◦ Importance

Example of a Rating Scale Frequency 0 1 2 Task is not performed as part of this job Task is seldom performed Task is occasionally performed Task is frequently performed 3 Importance Unimportant. There would be no negative consequence if the 0 task were not performed or not performed properly 1 Important: Job performance would be diminished if task were not completed properly 2 Essential: The job could not be performed effectively if the incumbent did not properly complete this task 15

Step 4: Determine Essential KSAOs Knowledge A body of information needed to perform a task Skill The competence to perform a certain task Ability A basic capacity for performing a wide range of different tasks, acquiring a knowledge, or developing a skill Other characteristics Personal factors such as personality, willingness, interest, and motivation and such tangible factors as licenses, degrees, and years of experience 16

Examples of KSAOs

Competency 1. Typing speed 2. Finger dexterity 3. Driving a car 4. Traffic rules 5. A driver’s license 6. A friendly personality 7. Ten years of experience 8. Basic intelligence KSAO Skill Ability Skill Knowledge Other Ability 18

Competency 9. Physical strength 10. Color vision 11. Being a nonsmoker 12. Customer service experience 13. Use of Power. Point 14. Willingness to work weekends 15. Spelling and grammar 16. Writing reports KSAO Ability Other Skill, knowledge Skill 19

Job Description � The written product of the job analysis is the job description, which is a brief 2 -5 page summary of the tasks and job requirements found in the job analysis. � Thus, job analysis is the process of determining the work activities and requirements and job description is the written result of the job analysis. � Job analysis and job description is the basis for many HR activities, such as employee selection, evaluation , training, performance appraisal, job design etc (Brannick & Levine, 2002)

Job Description

Job Description Sections � Job title � Brief summary � Work activities � Tools and equipment used � Work context � Work Performance � Compensation information � Job competencies

Job Description sections: Job title � The job title must describe the nature of the job. � Assists in employee selection and recruitment � The job title influences the perceptions of job worth and status. � Affects the accuracy of resumes.

Job Description sections: Brief summary � The summary is useful for recruitment advertising � The language used should be easily understandable. � Avoid the use of jargon and abbreviations

Job Description sections: Work Activities � Organize work activities by dimensions ◦ Similar activities ◦ Similar KSAOs ◦ Temporal order � Task ◦ ◦ statements One activity per statement “stand alone” statements Written in easy to understand style Precise, not general

Job Description sections: Tools and equipment used

Job Description sections: Work Context �Work context includes: ◦ Work schedule ◦ Degree of supervision ◦ Ergonomic details

Job Description sections: Work Performance � Contains description of performance evaluation, which includes: ◦ The standard used ◦ Evaluation frequency ◦ Evaluation dimensions ◦ Evaluation personnel

Job Description sections: Compensation Information

Job Description sections: Job Competencies

The importance of Job Analysis

Employee Selection � Without a clear understanding of the tasks performed and competencies needed to perform the tasks, employee selection cannot be made. � With clear understanding and requirements for tasks identified, tests or interview questions can be formulated to determine suitability of applicants.

Performance Appraisal � The evaluation of employee performance must be job related, thus job analysis is crucial in the construction of a performance appraisal instrument (PAI). � Through job analysis, performance appraisal instrument, are specific, job-related and valid; leading to accurate performance appraisals. � PAI, when properly administered and utilized, serve as excellent source of employee training and counselling.

Job classification � Job analysis enables the HR to classify jobs into groups based in requirements and duties. � Useful in determining pay levels, transfers and promotions.

Job Evaluation � Another use of the job analysis is to determine the worth of a job. � The process of determining a job’s worth is called job evaluation. � Job evaluation is usually done in 2 stages, namely determining internal pay equity and determining external pay equity

Job Design � Job analysis information can be use to determine the optimal way in which a job should be performed. � Examples : the best way to sit at the computer table, the best way for a warehouse person to lift boxes etc � Good work design prevents wasted and unsafe motions; resulting in higher productivity and reduced number of injuries.

Training � Job analysis provides requirements of a job and yields lists of job activities that can be used to create training programs.

Personpower Planning Personpower planning is important (but seldom used). � Personpower planning is to determine employees’ mobility within an organization, that is looking into other jobs that employees can be expected to be eventually promoted and become successful. � Job analysis results are used to compare all jobs in the company so as to promote the best employee from the most similar job, thus better match between the person being promoted and the requirements of the job. �

Also…. .

Legal Guidelines Compliance Any employment decision must be based on job-related information and job analysis is one of the ways to directly determine job relatedness. � No law specifically requires a job analysis , but several important guidelines and court cases mandate job analysis for all practical purposes. �

Organizational Analysis � During the course of their work, job analysts often become aware of certain problems within the organization. � Job analysts thus help to correct lapses in the organization and correct problems so as to promote better organizational functioning.

Main references: � Aamodt, M. G ( 2010). Industrial/Organizational Psychology. An Applied Approach. ( 6 th Ed) USA: Wadsworth � Spector, P. E. ( 2008). Industrial and Organizational Psychology (5 th ed). USA: Wiley � Job Analysis (2010). Cengage Learning