Job Analysis – Meaning:

Job analysis is a systematic and detailed examination of jobs. It is the process of collecting
information about a job — that is, the knowledge, skills, and the experience needed to carry
out a job effectively. The jobholder is supposed to possess job-related knowledge useful to
carry out the job easily.

He must possess relevant skills to put the knowledge into practice quickly and effectively. He
should have the ability to understand how the tools, equipment, materials, resources,
machines need to be deployed in order to produce results. Only after a careful examination of
the requirements of job, the job incumbent’s qualifications are generally determined.

In other words, job analysis refers to the anatomy of the job. It is a complete study of job,
embodying every known and determinable factor, including the duties and responsibilities
involved in its performance, the conditions under which the performance is carried on, the
nature of the task, the qualities required in the worker, and such conditions of employment as
pay hour, opportunities and privileges. It also emphasises the relation of one job to others in
the organisation.

Job Analysis – Definitions:

(1) According to Edwin B. Flippo – “Job analysis is the process of studying and collecting
information relating to the operations and responsibilities of a specific job. The immediate
products of this analysis are job descriptions and job specifications.”

(2) Further, David A. De Cenzo and Stephen P. Robbins has defined “job analysis is a
systematic exploration of the activities within a job. It is a basic technical procedure, one that
is used to define the duties, responsibilities and accountabilities of a job.”

Job analysis provides the following information about a job:

i. Nature of jobs required in a concern;

ii. Nature of organizational structure;

iii. Type of people required to fit that structure;

iv. The relationship of a job with other jobs in a concern;

v. Kind of qualifications required for a particular job;

vi. Provision of physical condition to support the activities of a concern;

vii. Materials, equipments and methods used in performing the job.

Job Analysis – Objectives:

The main objectives of job analysis are as follows:

i. Work Simplification:

Job analysis provides the information related to job and this data can be used to make process
or job simple. Work simplification means dividing the job into small parts i.e. different
operations in a product line or process which can improve the production or job performance.

ii. Setting Up of Standards:

Standard means minimum acceptable qualities or results or performance or rewards regarding

a particular job. Job analysis provides the information about the job and standard of each can
be established using this information.

iii. Support to Personnel Activities:

Job analysis provides support to various personnel activities like recruitment, selection,
training and development, wage administration, performance appraisal, etc.

Job Analysis – Purposes:

A comprehensive JA programme is an essential ingredient of sound personnel management.

It is the major input to forecasting future human resource requirements, job modifications,
job evaluation, determination of proper compensation, and the writing of job evaluation,
determination of proper compensation, and the writing of job descriptions.

It is of fundamental importance to manpower management programmes because of the wider

applicability of its results. The information provided by JA is useful, if not essential, in
almost every phase of employee relations.

1. Organisation and Manpower Planning:

It is helpful in organisation planning, for it defines labour needs in concrete terms and co-
ordinates the activities of the workforce, and clearly divides duties and responsibilities.

2. Recruitment, Selection:

By indicating the specific requirements of each job (i. e., the skills and knowledge), it
provides a realistic basis for the hiring, training, placement, transfer and promotion of
personnel. “Basically, the goal is to match the job requirements with a worker’s aptitude,
abilities and interests. It also helps in charting the channels of promotion and in showing
lateral lines of transfer.

3. Wage and Salary Administration:

By indicating the qualifications required for doing a specified job and the risks and hazards
involved in its performance, it helps in salary and wage administration. Job analysis is used
as a foundation for job evaluation.
4. Job Reengineering:

Job analysis provides information which enables us to change jobs in order to permit their
being manned by personnel with specific characteristics and qualifications.

5. Employee Training and Management Development:

Job analysis provides the necessary information to the management of training and
development programmes. It helps to determine the content and subject matter of in-training
courses. It also helps in checking application information, interviewing, weighing test results,
and in checking references.

6. Performance Appraisal:

It helps in establishing clear-cut standards which may be compared with the actual
contribution of each individual.

7. Health and Safety:

It provides an opportunity for identifying hazardous conditions and unhealthy environmental

factors so that corrective measures may be taken to minimise and avoid the possibility of
accidents.

Job Analysis – Methods:

Methods of collecting job analysis information include direct observation, work method
analysis, critical incident technique, interview and questionnaire method.

These are given below:

1. Direct Observation Method:

Direct Observation is a method of job analysis to observe and record behaviour / events /
activities / tasks / duties when the worker or group engaged in doing the job. Observation
method can be effective only when the job analyst is skilled enough to know what is to be
observed, how to analyze, and what is being observed.

2. Work Method Analysis:

Work methods analysis is used to describe manual and repetitive production jobs, such as
factory or assembly-line jobs. Work methods analysis includes time and motion study and
micro-motion analysis.

3. Critical Incident Technique:

Critical incident technique is a method of job analysis used to identify work behaviours that
classify in good and poor performance. Under this method, jobholders are asked to describe
critical incidents concerning the job and the incidents so collected are analyzed and classified
according to the job areas they describe.
4. Interview Method:

Interview method is a useful tool of job analysis to ask questions to both incumbents and
supervisors in either an individual or a group setting. Interview includes structured
interviews, unstructured interview, and open-ended questions.

5. Questionnaire Method:

It includes 6 techniques, which are as follows:

a. Position Analysis Questionnaire (PAQ Model):

PAQ model is a questionnaire technique of job analysis. It developed by Mc Cormick,

Jeanneret, and Mecham (1972), is a structured instrument of job analysis to measure job
characteristics and relate them to human characteristics. It consists of 195 job elements that
describe generic human work behaviours.

b. Functional Job Analysis (FJA Model):

FJA model is a technique of job analysis that was developed by the Employment and
Training Administration of the United States Department of Labour. It includes 7 scales
(numbers) that measure- 3 worker-function scales- measure percentage of time spent with:
data, people, things; 1 worker-instruction scale; 3 scales that measure reasoning,
mathematics, and language.

c. Work Profiling System (WPS Model):

WPS model is a questionnaire technique of job analysis, is a computer-administered system

for job analysis, developed by Saville & Holds worth, Ltd.

d. MOSAIC Model:

MOSAIC model is a questionnaire technique of job analysis used to collect information from
incumbents and supervisors. It contains 151 job tasks rated in terms of importance for
effective job performance and 22 competencies rated in terms of importance, and needed
proficiency at entry.

e. Common Metric Questionnaire (CMQ Model):

CMQ model is a technique of job analysis that was developed by Harvey as a “worker-
oriented” job analysis instrument designed to have applicability to a broad range of exempt
and nonexempt jobs. It includes 41 general questions of background section, 62 questions of
contacts with people, 80 items of decision making, 53 items of physical and mechanical
activities, 47 items of work setting.

f. Fleishman Job Analysis System (FJAS Model):

FJAS model is a technique of job analysis that describes jobs from the point of view of the
necessary capacities. It includes 52 cognitive, physical, psycho-motor, and sensory ability;
each of the categories consists of two parts – an operational and differential definition and a
grading scale.

Job Analysis – Functions:

The job analysis provides the following function:

(1) Job identification- Its title, including its code number.

(2) Significant characteristics of a job- Its location, physical setting, supervision, union
jurisdiction, hazards and discomforts.

(3) What the typical worker does? This part of information includes specific operations and
tasks to be performed by the typical worker including their relative timing and importance,
their simplicity, routine or complexity, the responsibility for others, etc.

(4) Job duties- A detailed list of duties along with the probable frequency of occurrence of
each duty.

(5) What materials and equipment the worker uses? Metals, plastics, grains, yarn or lathes,
milling machines testers, punch presses and micrometers.

(6) How a job is performed? Emphasis here is on the nature of operations like lifting,
handling, cleaning, washing, feeding, removing, drilling, driving, setting up and the like.

(7) Required Personal Attributes – These include experience, training undertaken,

apprenticeship, physical strength, coordination or dexterity, physical demands, mental
capabilities, aptitudes, social skills, etc.

(8) Job Relationship – This includes opportunities for advancement, patterns of promotions,
essential co-operation, etc.

Job analysis also provides the information relating to mental skills, working conditions,
hazards, education, vocational preparation, etc.

Job Analysis – Significance:

1. Facilitates Manpower Planning:

Job analysis is the qualitative aspect of manpower requirements. It determines the demands of
the job in terms of responsibilities and duties and then translates these demands into skills,
qualities and other human attributes.

It determines the quantum of work which an average person can perform on the job in a day.
It facilitates the division of work into different jobs. Thus, it is an essential element of
manpower planning as it matches jobs with men.

2. Helps Recruitment, Selection and Placement:

In order to hire the right person on a job, it is essential to know the requirements of the job
and the qualities of the individual who will perform it. The information regarding these is
procured from job description and job specifications respectively. These help the
management in matching the job requirements as closely as possible with workers’ aptitudes,
abilities, interests, etc. It facilitates the execution of employment programme.

3. Determines Training and Development Needs:

Job analysis determines the levels of standards of job performance. It helps in administering
the training development programmes. Job descriptions and job specifications are written
documents. If the contents of these two documents are known to the employees, they will try
to acquire the skills and knowledge required to perform the task assigned to them efficiently.

They may also prepare themselves for the higher post in the light of the job description and
the job specifications. The same information may be used by those who administer the
training and development programmes for determining the contents and subject matter
needed in such programmes.

4. Determines Job Evaluation:

Job evaluation aims at determining the relative worth of the job which helps in determining
the compensation of job. These jobs are evaluated in terms of money. An accurate and
comprehensive set of job descriptions and the job specifications forms of factual basis for
evaluating the worth of the job.

5. Provides Data for Performance Appraisal:

Job analysis data provide a clear-cut standard of performance for every job. The performance
of employee can be appraised objectively with the standard of job performance so
established. A supervisor may very easily compare the contribution of each man with the set
standards.

6. Helps Job Designing:

Industrial engineers may use the job analysis information in designing the job by making the
comprehensive study of the job elements. It helps in time and motion study, work-
specifications, methods and workplace improvement and work-measurement. Human
engineering activities such as physical, mental and psychological actions are studied with the
help of job analysis information.

7. Ensures Safety and Health:

The job analysis process uncovers the hazardous and unhealthy environmental factors such as
heat, noise, fumes, dust, etc. related with the jobs. The management may take corrective
measures to minimize the chances of risks to ensure safety to workers and avoid unhealthy
conditions.

8. Maintains Discipline:
Job analysis provides the information regarding characteristics of various jobs and the job-
holders. It studies the failure of the workman to meet the required standard of performance.
Corrective measures may be taken in time to avoid untoward situations. In this way it helps in
maintaining the discipline in the industry.

Job Analysis – Advantages:

Job analysis is an important element of human resource management. Most information can
be taken by human resource manager with the help of job analysis.

The main advantages of job analysis are given below:

i. Job analysis helps the personnel manager at the time of recruitment and selection of right
man on right job;

ii. It helps human resource manager to understand extent and scope of training required in
that field;

iii. It helps in evaluating the relative worth of different jobs;

iv. It also helps to chalk out the compensation plans for the employees;

v. It also helps the personnel manager to undertake performance appraisal effectively in a

concern;

vi. Job analysis reveals unhealthy and hazardous environmental and operational conditions in
various jobs;

vii. Job analysis provides pertinent information to both management and trade unions for
collective bargaining;

viii. Job analysis provides necessary information for effective human resource planning.