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Job analysis is the procedure for gathering information for the purpose of determining what skills are needed to perform a specific job. The completed job analysis is then used to write a job description (a list of what the job entails). HR and management then use the job description as a tool to determine if a job applicant can perform the job.
Scope
Job analysis is usually performed by the HR department or by an outside consultant. Consultants are often used because they are unbiased and can concentrate all their efforts on the job analysis task.
Regulatory citations
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Key definitions
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Summary of requirements
Job analysis methods. How is the information needed for the job analysis collected? Some of the most common job analysis methods include:
- Observation. Works best when the job consists of observable physical activities (i.e., assembly-line worker, teacher). Doesn’t work when the job consists of mostly mental activity (i.e., computer engineer, writer). Also, workers may alter their behavior because they are being watched.
- Interviewing (the employee currently performing the job and that employee’s supervisor). A time-consuming way to gather information. However, it works for jobs that don’t have observable physical activities or interact closely with other jobs. The interviewer must be skilled in performing the interview or important information with be lost.
- Questionnaire. An inexpensive way to have employees describe their job-related duties. The questionnaire can be either structured or unstructured. The most important aspect of using this method is that employees understand what you are asking. The questions need to be tested on a small group of employees before being given to the majority of the workers.
One of the most important reasons to do a job analysis is to determine what the essential functions of a job are. Essential job functions are considered the duties of the job that are necessary to complete it. For example, if the job analysis determines that one of the duties of the job is to remove 40 individual boxes of bearings from one large carton, this would be considered an essential job function. The job couldn’t be done unless that function was performed. Another example of an essential job function would be the ability to type 100 words per minute on a computer keyboard. If the employee only was able to type 80 words per minute the job couldn’t be done as needed.
The concept of essential functions is an important one under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). In order to be qualified under the Act, the employee must be able to perform the essential functions, with or without accommodations. Essential functions need not be moved to others as an accommodation.
Benefits of job analysis. Job analysis serves many purposes. The first and foremost is to develop a job description and a job specification (a list stating the “human” requirements needed to perform the job) that can be used for recruiting and selecting employees.
Performance standards. After analyzing the job performance, standards can then be developed to help the employee perform the job at the required level. This, in turn, provides the organization with a way to appraise the employee’s performance.
Training requirements. The job description shows the skills and activities needed to perform the job. HR can take that information and develop the necessary training program for the employee.
Legal protection. Understanding what the essential job functions are and how that relates to the job analysis is important in staying in compliance with the Americans with Disability Act. The job analysis (and the related job description) can also be used as justification for termination if an employee is hired and it turns out he or she can’t perform the job.