Job Analysis Methodologies the Changingminds.org

Job Analysis Methodologies

The ChangingMinds.org Website defines the job analysis process as one that provides sufficient detail to recruit new workers and to assess the performance of those already working in the job. There are several methods by which a job analysis can be conducted, each with advantages and disadvantages. These include work-oriented methods such as structured questionnaires, process analysis, observation, self-reports, and participation; and worker-oriented methods such as interviews, the critical incident technique, and repertory grid. When conducting a job analysis, the best approach is to integrate two or more methods in order to provide as objective a view as possible of the job in question.

To optimize the advantages and minimize the disadvantages of the job analysis methods are available, it has been decided to combine the best elements of process analysis, observation, and self-reports.

Process analysis means that the various tasks within a job are listed, and their sequence analyzed (ChangingMinds.org). The main advantage of process analysis is that unnecessary tasks can be eliminated in order to streamline the process, even while obtaining and accurate and objective job description. The main disadvantage is the complexity and possible time-intensive nature of this activity.

Observation means that the researcher observes the process of performing the work. This can be integrated smoothly with process analysis. Possible disadvantages of this process is that the researcher may not have a sufficiently in-depth understanding of the job to describe it accurately, and that similarities may be overemphasized while differences are overlooked within the various aspects of the work. This could compromise an objective description of the job.

This is where self-reports can assist the researcher. Self-reports mean that workers record all the aspects of their job as they perform them. Such self-reports will help the researcher to fill any gaps with regard to a lack of understanding or other limitations. The disadvantages of self-reports could include that workers are biased regarding their specific work, the number of steps involved, or the integration of the specific work with the rest of the department. Here the observation aspect of the analysis will be able to mitigate the problem. In this way, all three methods of job analysis can integrate in order to provide an objective as well as global overview of the job being analyzed.

When analyzing the Packagers job, all three methods will then be used in an integrated way. Because of the size of the company, interviews and questionnaires have been considered as unviable. It would simply take too much time and effort to administer and analyze questionnaires. Interviews in turn would impose upon the work time of workers, and would not be sufficiently accurate to be of value to the analysis.

In order to assemble the information and complete the analysis in a timely manner, it was decided to delegate the self-reporting tasks to team managers. Each team manager will provide a self-report of his or her own, together with gathering self-reports from subordinates. These will then be consolidated and provided to the HR Manager. For the observation aspect, the HR manager will hire external researchers to ensure objectivity. Finally, the process analysis will be conducted with the use of all the information that has been collected.