What is a Job Design?
“Job design specifies the contents of jobs in order to satisfy work requirements and meet the personal needs of the job holder, thus increasing levels of employee engagement” (Armstrong, 2014, p. 74)
A job description can best be thought of as a blue print of the position in the organization. It outlines the essential duties and responsibilities that are expected of the employee and the basic purpose of the work the employee is expected to perform. It also defines accountability in an organization, which helps to prevent overlap of duties and assigns task responsibility.
If the HR management reflects the Job design in the context of personnel as a “cost” to the business, the organization will fail in the employee’s good motivation towards the organization. Job designs were used to minimize the time and motion and establishing the most efficient methods. So the management of the organization has to bowdlerize the budget to the business in Job design.
· Scientific management: Time and motion studies (The management could minimize the time and to maximize the work time, so less number of activities in less time)
· Fordism: Increased division of labor (Specializing the employee in one work, so minimum time taken for the job task)
A good Job description is not only as a valuable aid in the Job recruiting process, but also as an outline for reporting relationship and working conditions. A well-crafted Job description can also be used for;
Performance Management: Can use it to set measurable performance goals based on duties in the job description, and then coach employees to meet these goals as needed.
Training and employee development: Can use employee job descriptions, along with descriptions of possible job promotions, as incentives for employees to pursue classes, seminars and other career development activities.
Compensation: Job descriptions can be helpful in developing a standardized compensation program with minimums and maximums for each position.
Recognition and rewards: Can use the descriptions as a baseline for performance, and as a tool to encourage employee performance "above and beyond" the job description in order to receive recognition and rewards.
Discipline: When necessary, can use the job description to illustrate that an employee isn't adequately performing job functions.
Return-to-work programs: Can prepare for light or modified duty options to allow for a smoother transition from a employee' compensation injury or leave.
When it comes to job description, flexibility is the key. It may be wise to create more generic job descriptions that emphasize expectations and accountabilities, rather than specific tasks, thereby encouraging employees to focus on results rather than job duties. A more wide-ranging job description is also easier to maintain--it doesn't require modification with every minor change in duties.
References;
- Marie, G. and Brian, H.(2005) How to Write Job Descriptions Effectively, Management Research News, Vol. 28 Issue: 8, 48-54.
- Brannick, M. T., Levine, E. L. and Morgeson, F. P. (2007) Job and WorkAnalysis: Methods, Research and Applications for Human Resource Management. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publication
- Armstrong, M. (2014) Armstrong’s Handbook of Management and Leadership for HR. 4th edition. London.
Also have heard the theory of motivation, it was the study of “ultimate human goals’. It emphasized primacy of individual needs. And drew the attention to different ways in which cultures impact on the satisfaction of the needs.
ReplyDeleteI think most important in Job description is the importance of “Self-actualization” of workers at an individual level and Set goals for individuals. There by HR management can make best out of the worker.
Yeah adding more to your comment, the goals should be stretched, then it will lead to significant increase in workers’ performance. So with targets developed, if completion can jump up positions. Which will make the worker motivated towards the job tasks. And should link rewards to performance whenever possible.
DeleteWhen designing the job description, it needs to be carefully analyzed & assign tasks accordingly. Employee should feel that their contribution to the organization is vital & it is not duplicated.
ReplyDeleteAgree, then only the employee feel special and engage more towards the organization. When considering the hierarchy of the organization, along it all the employees are doing a vital tasks for the perfect output from the organization to fulfill the vision of the organization.
DeleteInteresting subject.
ReplyDeleteI believe in well defined JDs rather than generic ones that leave room for confusions, arguments and demotivation for employee and failure for organization.
The basics of JD writing includes a one to one chat with the position holder to understand the scope of the job that enables a JD that help both the employee and employer.
In this article most important discussion is I feel job description emphasizes expectation and accountability.
ReplyDeleteToday most of employees think to complete their duties within the office hours and end their day-to-day duties.
If the employees think about their job expectation and accountability about their job, it will benefit to increase employees productivity and it will enhance organisations growth as well as employees growth.
JD is an important part of the recruitment process. It describes characteristics of the vacant post, list of responsibilities of job, requirements and qualifications possessed by the candidate. The it is easy to find a right person to the right place. But most of organizations did not concern to prepare a well defined JDs and recruit candidates who did not match to the Job.
ReplyDelete