MANAGING HUMAN RESOURCES, HRM, JOB ‎ANALYSIS, JOB DESCRIPTION, JOB ‎SPECIFICATIONS, JOB ANALYSIS PROCESS, HR ‎PLANNING, JOB ANALYSIS METHODS, HRM, ‎HUMAN RESOURCE MANAGEMENT, MANAGING ‎HUMAN RESOURCES, BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION, ‎MANAGEMENT SCIENCE, EDUCATION AND ‎LEARNING, MBA, BBA,‎

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JOB ANALYSIS
A job analysis is a systematic exploration of the activities within a job. It is a technical procedure used
to define a job’s duties, responsibilities, and accountabilities. This analysis “involves the identification
and description of what is happening on the job accurately and precisely identifying the required
tasks, the knowledge, and the skills necessary for performing them, and the conditions under which
they must be performed.
Kumar (2011) has compiled some important definitions of job-analysis, these are as under:
- Harry L. Wylie. "Job analysis deals with the anatomy of the job.....This is the complete study
of the job embodying every known and determinable factor, including the duties and
responsibilities involved in its performance; the conditions under which performance is
carried on; the nature of the task; the qualifications required in the worker; and the conditions
of employment such as pay, hours, opportunities and privileges".
- In the words of Dale Yoder, "A Job is a collection of duties, tasks and responsibilities which
are assigned to an individual and which is different from other assignment".
- According to Michael J. Jucius, "Job analysis refers to the process of studying the operations,
duties and organisational aspects of jobs in order to derive specification or, as they are called
by some job description".
- In the words of Edwin B. Flippo, "Job analysis is the process of studying and collecting
information relating to the operations and responsibilities of a specific job."
- According to Blum, "A job analysis is an accurate study of the various components of a job. It
is concerned not only with an analysis of the duties and conditions of work, but also with the
individual qualifications of the worker."
- According to John A Shubin "Job analysis is the methodical compilation and study of work
data in order to define and characterise each occupation in such a manner as to distinguish it
from all others."
- In the words of Scott, Clothier and Spriegel, "Job analysis is the process of critically
evaluating the operations, duties and relationship of the job."
Job analysis is a procedure through which determines the duties and responsibilities, nature of the jobs
and finally to decide qualifications, skills and knowledge to be required for an employee to perform
particular job. Job analysis helps to understand what tasks are important and how they are carried on.
Job analysis forms basis for later HR activities such as developing effective training program,
selection of employees, setting up of performance standards and assessment of employees
(performance appraisal) and employee remuneration system or compensation plan.
So, Job Analysis is a process of studying and collecting information relating to operations and
responsibilities of a specific job. The immediate products of this analysis are ‘Job Description’ and
‘Job Specifications’.
JOB ANALYSIS PROCESS

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Job analysis is as useful is not so easy to make. In fact, it involves a process. Though there is no fool-
proof process of making job analysis, following are the main steps involved in job analysis:
 Organisational Job Analysis: Job analysis begins with obtaining pertinent information about
a job’. This is required to know the makeup of a job, its relation to other jobs, and its
contribution to performance of the organisation. Such information can be had by dividing
background information in various forms such as organisation charts i.e., how the particular
job is related to other jobs; class specifications i.e., the general requirement of the job family;
job description i.e., starting point to build the revised job description, and flow charts i.e.,
flow of activities involved in a particular job.
 Selecting Representative Jobs for Analysis: Analyzing all jobs of an organisation is both
costly and time consuming. Therefore, only a representative sample of jobs is selected for the
purpose of detailed analysis.
 Collection of Data for Job Analysis: In this step, job data features of the job and required
qualifications of the employee are collected. Data can be collected either through
questionnaire, observation or interviews. However, due care should be taken to select and use
the method of data collection that is the most reliable in the given situation of the job.
 Preparing Job Description: The job information collected in the above ways is now used to
prepare a job description. Job description is a written statement that describes the tasks, duties
and responsibilities that need to be discharged for effective job performance.
 Preparing Job Specification: The last step involved in job analysis is to prepare job
specification on the basis of collected information. This is a written statement that specifies
the personal qualities, traits, skills, qualification, aptitude etc. required to effectively perform
a job. (Byars & Rue, 2004)
JOB ANALYSIS METHODS
Figure 2.1 Job Analysis
in Perspective

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The basic methods by which HRM can determine job elements and the essential knowledge, skills,
and abilities for successful performance include the followings:
1. Observation Method: A job analyst watches employees directly or reviews films of workers
on the job. Although the observation method provides firsthand information, workers rarely
function most efficiently when they are being watched, and thus distortions in the job analysis
can occur. This method also requires that the entire range of activities be observable, which is
possible with some jobs, but impossible for many others—for example, most managerial jobs.
2. Individual Interview Method: This method assembles a team of job incumbents for
extensive individual interviews. The results of these interviews are combined into a single job
analysis. This method is effective for assessing what a job entails. Involving employees in the
job analysis is essential.
3. Group Interview Method: This method is similar to the individual interview method except
that job incumbents are interviewed simultaneously. Accuracy is increased in assessing jobs,
but group dynamics may hinder its effectiveness.
4. Structured Questionnaire Method: This method gives workers a specifically designed
questionnaire on which they check or rate items they perform in their job from a long list of
possible task items. This technique is excellent for gathering information about jobs.
However, exceptions to a job may be overlooked, and opportunity may be lacking to ask
follow-up questions or to clarify the information received.
5. Technical Conference Method: This method uses supervisors with extensive knowledge of
the job, frequently called subject matter experts. Specific job characteristics are obtained from
the experts. Although a good data-gathering method, it often overlooks the incumbent
workers’ perceptions about what they do on their job.
6. Diary Method: This method requires job incumbents to record their daily activities. This is
the most time consuming of the job analysis methods and may extend over long periods of
time—all adding to its cost.
These six methods are not mutually exclusive; nor is one method universally superior. Even obtaining
job information from incumbents can create a problem, especially if these individuals describe what
they think they should be doing rather than what they actually do. The best results, then, are usually
achieved with some combination of methods with information provided by individual employees,
their immediate supervisors, a professional analyst, or an unobtrusive source such as filmed
observations. Job analysis begins with a clear understanding of the job and its link to organizational
strategy. HR next determines the tasks necessary to successfully complete the job, then determines the
skills necessary to complete those tasks. Workers and supervisors need to be involved in the process.
(Mathis & Jackson, 2011)
USE OF JOB ANALYSIS INFORMATION
Job analysis is important because it supports just about all human resource management activities.
 Human Resource Planning (HRP): The numbers and types of personnel are determined by
the jobs, which need to be staffed. Job related information in the form of Job Analysis serves
this purpose or use.
 Recruitment & Selection: Recruitment precedes job analysis. It helps HR to locate places to
obtain employees. It also helps in better continuity and planning in staffing in the
organization. Also selecting a good candidate also requires detailed job information. Because
the objective of hiring is to match the right candidate for right job.

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 Training & Development: Training and development programs can be designed depending
upon job requirement and analysis. Selection of trainees is also facilitated by job analysis.
 Job Evaluation: Job evaluation means determination of relative worth of each job for the
purpose of establishing wage and salary credentials. This is possible with the help of job
description and specifications; i.e. Job Analysis.
 EEO Compliance: Job analysis is crucial for validating all major human resources
practices. For example, to comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act, employers
should know each job’s essential job functions- which in turn requires a job analysis.
 Remuneration: Job analysis also helps in determining wage and salary for all jobs.
 Performance Appraisal: Performance appraisal, assessments, rewards, promotions, is
facilitated by job analysis by way of fixing standards of job performance.
 Personnel Information: Job analysis is vital for building personnel information systems and
processes for improving administrative efficiency and providing decision support.
 Safety & Health: Job Analysis helps to uncover hazardous conditions and unhealthy
environmental factors so that corrective measures can be taken to minimize and avoid
possibility of human injury. (Mathis & Jackson, 2011)
REFERENCES
Byars, L., & Rue, L. W. (2004). Human Resource Management. 7th
ed. Boston: McGraw-Hill.
Dessler, G. (2017). Human resource management. 15th
Ed. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Education, Inc.
Kumar, R. (2011). Human Resource Management: Strategic Analysis Text and Cases. New Delhi: I.K. Int. Publishing
House.
Mathis, R. L., & Jackson, J. H. (2011). Human resource management. Mason: Cengage Learning.