Managing Work Flows and Job Analysis

Transcription

1 Managing Work Flows and Job Analysis Human Resource Management 1 Lecture Outline Work: Organizational perspective Group perspective Individual perspective Job Analysis Flexible work force HR information system 2 Work: The Organizational Perspective Work Flow the way work is organized Goal is to meet production and service outcomes Organizational Structure relationships in organization Both formal and informal Should be related to organization s strategy HR strategies should support both Organizational strategy and structure 3 1

2 Strategy and Organizational Structure Strategy is set based on: Analysis of the external environment Appraisal of how business can deploy its assets to compete most effectively Strategy then decide the structure that most appropriate to implement the strategy. The structure alternatives terms of division of labor, chain of commands, communication channels, decision-making process, level of employees involvement, level of control, etc. 4 Designing the Organization Bureaucratic structure: A pyramid-shaped organizational structure that consists of hierarchies with many levels of management Flat structure: An organization structure that has only a few levels of management and emphasizes decentralization. Boundary-less structure: An organizational structure that enables and organization to form relationships with customers, suppliers, and/or competitors either to pool organizational resources for mutual benefit or to encourage cooperation in an uncertain environment 5 Bureaucratic Structure Many levels of management Top-down management approach Highly specialized jobs Narrowly specified job descriptions Hierarchical career paths within one function Rigid boundaries between jobs and units Employees or individuals working independently 6 2

3 Flat Structure Few levels of management Decentralized management approach Broadly defined jobs General job descriptions Horizontal career paths that cross functions Flexible boundaries between jobs and units Emphasis on teams with more power Strong focus on the customer 7 Boundary-less Structure Joint ventures with customers, suppliers and competitors Emphasis on teams whose members may cross organizational boundaries Shares many characteristics of flat organizational structure 8 Organisational Sesign Organisational design is the process of creating structures that best serve a company s mission and objectives. 3

4 Organizational Structure Alternatives 10 Work: The Organizational Perspective Work Flow Analysis: How work creates/adds value to org. Examine work as moves through production process Often can combine/eliminate/simplify steps Business process reengineering (BPR) Rethink whole process 11 Work: The Group Perspective Team: A small number of people with complementary skills who work toward common goals for which they hold themselves mutually accountable. Vital in flat and boundary-less organizations Teams can be organized into departments 12 4

5 Group Perspective Types of Teams: Self-Managed Team Members usually cross-trained Problem-Solving Teams Temporary teams comprised of volunteers Special-Purpose Teams (task force) Examine complex issues Virtual Teams 13 Self-Managed Teams SMTs are responsible for a entire product, process or an ongoing service. SMTs duties are work scheduling, selecting work methods, ordering materials, evaluation performance and disciplining team members 14 Self-Managed Teams Benefits of SMTs More productivity and efficiency Reduce the rate of defective products More motivation (empowerment and rewards) Flexibility Enhance employees morality For SMTs to be fully effective, HR dept. plays a very important role in training employees skills required of team members. These includes technical, administrative, and interpersonal skills. 15 5

6 Other Types of Teams Problem-solving team: A team consisting of volunteers from a unit or department who meet one or two hours per week to discuss quality improvement, cost reduction, or improvement in the work environment. Special-purpose team: A team consisting of workers who span functional or organizational boundaries and whose purpose is to examine complex issues Virtual team: A team that relies on interactive technology to work together when separated by physical distance. 16 Work: The Individual Perspective Motivation Force which energizes, sustains and directs human behavior Mangers need to understand what motivates employees 17 Motivation Two-Factor Theory Motivators responsibility, achievement Hygiene factors working conditions, pay. Work Adjustment Theory Fit between employee needs and abilities and the job Goal-Setting Theory Clear, challenging, attainable Commitment Feedback very important Job Characteristics Theory 18 6

7 Job Characteristics Theory 19 Job Design The process of organizing work into the tasks required to perform a specific job. Job design are influenced by Work flow analysis Business strategy Organizational structure 20 Approaches to Job Design Work simplification Simple and repetitive tasks Narrowly defined tasks No planning or organizing involved Ads: efficiency in a stable environment Disads: inefficiency in a changing environment, boredom, high turnover, low satisfaction, lack of understanding of the bigger picture 21 7

8 Approaches to Job Design Job enlargement and job rotation Enlargement: expanding a job s duties Rotation: rotating workers among different narrowly defined tasks without disrupting the flow of work Job enrichment Horizontal expansion Vertical expansion Team-based job design 22 Job Analysis Process that determines the important tasks of a job and the human attributes necessary to successfully perform those tasks Foundation for most work in HRM 23 Foundation for HRM Job Analysis Job Evaluatio n Job Description Job Specifications Compensatio n Promotion Layoff Criterion Development Performance appraisal Job design Redesign Training Selection Placement Transfer 24 8

9 Choosing the Right JA Method Job analysis methods must align with the purpose for which such information was collected. It simply is not true that a single type of job analysis data can support any HR activity. 25 Job Analysis Terminology Job Collection of positions similar enough to one another to share a job title Position Task Comprised of tasks performed by an individual Multiple in an elements; organization activity of work that is performed to achieve a specific objective Element Smallest unit of work activity 26 KSAOs Knowledge Collection of discrete, related facts & information about a particular domain Skill (e.g., computer or interpersonal skills) Practiced act Ability Stable capacity to engage in a specific behavior Other characteristics: interests, personality, etc. 27 9

10 Types of Job Analysis Task-oriented job analysis Begins with statement of actual tasks & what is accomplished by those tasks Worker-oriented job analysis Focuses on attributes of the worker necessary to accomplish tasks 28 Criticisms of Task-Oriented Techniques Task-oriented methods can provide in-depth and detailed information about jobs but Too narrowly focused on the tasks for a particular job May miss similarities in jobs due to high level of task specificity (technological and behavioral) Doesn t your job change over time? 29 Advantages of Worker-Oriented Techniques Greater focus on the human characteristics that contribute to successful job performance Better for training and giving feedback More effective for comparisons across jobs 30 10

11 Task Inventory Approach Task-oriented job analysis approach Task statements generated by subject matter experts (SMEs) Incumbents: people occupying the job of interest Supervisors I/O Psychologists Task statements are rated by incumbents on performance, importance/criticality, relative time spent on job performing task 31 Position Analysis Questionnaire Worker-oriented job analysis approach Best known job analysis method, useful in describing many jobs Standardized instrument: 194 items (elements) for 6 divisions (1) information input (2) mental processes (3) work output (physical activities and tools) (4) relationships with others (5) job context (the physical and social environment) (6) other job characteristics (such as pace and structure) Job analysts or supervisors usually complete the PAQ based on the interview with job incumbents 32 Position Analysis Questionnaire Major criticisms: Reading level is high (college-level) Required training Not well suited for managerial jobs Items are too abstract 33 11

12 How Job Analysis is Done 1. Gather information from Incumbent, Supervisor (Subject Matter Experts SMEs) Observation Interviews Critical incidents & work diaries Questionnaires/surveys Performing the job Ride-alongs Online resource Old job analysis Job description 2. Create Task Statements and list of KSAs 3. Have incumbents rate task statements and KSAs on several dimensions (Frequency, Importance etc.) 4. Do a linkage survey to connect KSAs and Tasks 5. Analyze surveys and select final list of tasks and KSAs 34 Potential distorting influences in Job Analysis Sources of Inaccuracy Social Social influence processes Pressures to follow group decision Self-representation processes Desire to make one s job look more difficult Attempts to provide answers that SME thinks job analyst wants Cognitive Limited in information processing systems i.e., Information overload Biases in information processing systems i.e., Carelessness or Inadequate information 35 Potential distorting influences in Job Analysis 36 12

13 Dictionary of Occupational Titles 1930s Dept. of Labor used Functional Job Analysis to develop DOT Tool that matches people with jobs (supply with demand) Narrative descriptions of tasks, duties, and working conditions of ~12,000 jobs Occupational code, lead statement, task element statements, may items Hierarchical organization of jobs 37 DOT Description for Faculty Member Occupational code Occupational title Industry Lead statement FACULTY MEMBER, COLLEGE OR UNIVERSITY (education) Conducts college or university courses for undergraduate or graduate students: Teaches one or more subjects, such as economics, chemistry, law, or medicine, within prescribed curriculum. Prepares and delivers lectures to students. Compiles bibliographies of specialized materials for outside reading assignments. Stimulates class discussions. Compiles, administers, and grades examinations or assigns this work to others. Directs research of other teachers or graduate students working for advanced academic degrees. Conducts research in particular field of knowledge and publishes findings in professional journals. Performs related duties, such as advising students on academic and vocational curricula, and acting as advisor to student organizations. Serves on faculty committee providing professional consulting services to government and industry. May be designated according to faculty rank in traditional hierarchy as determined by institutions estimate of scholarly maturity as Associate Professor (education); Professor (education); or according to rank distinguished by duties assigned or amount of time devoted to academic work as Research Assistant (education); Visiting Professor (education). May teach in two-year college and be designated Teacher, Junior College (education); or in technical institute and be designated Faculty Member, Technical Institute (education). May be designated: Acting Professor (education); Assistant Professor (education); Clinical Instructor (education); Instructor (education); Lecturer (education); Teaching Assistant (education). GOE: STRENGTH: L GED: R6 M5 L5 SVP: 8 DLU: 81 Task element statements May items 38 Limitations of DOT Information generated was very job specific New jobs require new tasks generation which often are time consuming and costly Information in DOT was becoming dated due to the fast pace of change in the work and jobs Information in DOT did not allow cross-job comparison Did not contain much information regarding the KSAOs 39 13

14 Occupational Information Network O*NET Introduced by federal government to replace the Dictionary of Occupational Titles (DOT) Electronic medium, so it can be updated instantaneously as changes occur O*NET Principles Multiple windows (i.e., descriptors) Common language to allow convenient updates, comparison across jobs Using taxonomies and hierarchies of descriptors 40 O*NET Data Bases Data Bases Forming the Foundation for O*NET SOURCE: Mumford & Peterson (1999). 41 Job Analysis & Employment Litigation Competent job analysis does not guarantee validity, but absence of credible job analysis could be very damaging Growing gap between evolution of I-O psychology & Uniform Guidelines on Employee Selection Procedures (1978) SIOP Principles (2003) are more updated and consistent with current research 42 14

15 Summary and Conclusions Strategy should determine structure Bureaucratic structure: best in stable environments Flat and Boundary-less Structures: Better in dynamic environment More likely to use self-managed teams Job design can effect motivation Job Analysis No single best technique Should be guided by purpose of analysis 43 15