Meaning of Job Analysis

Job is the division of total work into different positions. It is a group of positions with corresponding duties. Job analysis is the process of collecting and studying job information. It is a detailed and systematic study of the job to know the job composition and nature and characteristics of the person to be hired for the job. It is a process of studying and collecting information about the job and skills needed to perform such a job.

Key Definitions

Defined By	Definition
Edwin Flippo	“Job analysis is the process of studying and collecting information relating to the operation and responsibilities of a specific job”
John Shubin	“Job analysis is a methodical compilation and study of the work data to define and characterize each occupation in such a manner as to distinguish it from all others’
Stone and Kendal	“Job analysis is a systematic procedure for securing and reporting information defining a specific job”

Job analysis is the analysis of what is to be done and what is required to do a job. Job analysis is done through data analysis. In short, job analysis is the process of studying tasks, duties and responsibilities in a job and the level of knowledge, skills and abilities required to perform the job.

Objectives of Job Analysis

Some key objectives of job analysis have been presented below:

1. Work Simplification: No employee likes complex work. Hence, job analysis tried to simplify the complexities of a job. This is done by work and process breakdowns. Such simplified wors are easy to conduct with better productivity of the employees.
2. Establishment of Work Standards: Job analysis helps in knowing tasks, duties, responsibilities and equipment of a job. This helps in setting a work standard for a job. Later, such set standards are used to measure and evaluate employee performance.
3. Improving the Safety of the Organization: Job analysis helps in categorizing jobs as simple, complex, hazardous, risky, decision-oriented and labor-oriented. Job analysis also helps in knowing the safety level required for these categories of jobs. Thus, it ensures improvement of organizational safety and ensures good working conditions in the organization.
4. Clarifies Job Need and Skills Needed: different types of jobs need different levels of knowledge, skills and experience. This is due to the nature, duties and responsibilities of a job. Job analysis clarifies what is needed to be done in a job and what actually is required to do the job efficiently.
5. Support Other HR Activities: Job and the people who do the job are the most crucial matter that human resource management has to deal with. That’s why the implication of job analysis is on other human resource activities too. It supports other HR activities like human resource planning, recruitment, selection, placement, training and development, compensation, performance appraisal, etc

Uses of Job Analysis

Job analysis is a detailed study of a job. It states what is to be done and what is required to do the job. Hence, it is very important for an organization. In such context, the uses of job analysis can be mentioned as under:

1. Human Resource Planning: Job analysis feeds necessary information about the contents and requirements of a job. The information supplied by job analysis can be used for human resource planning  It clarifies for which job what kind of manpower is required. This makes human resource planning easy, convenient and effective.  
2. Recruitment, Selection and Placement: Job analysis is useful in recruitment, selection and placement. Job analysis specifies skills, education, experience and attributes needed for a job, This is used in the recruitment and selection of an employee. It also guides in proper placement of right person at right time for right job with right skills. 
3. Training and Development: Job analysis is useful in the training and development of employees too. The deviation in skills and abilities specified in job specification and contained in an employee is diagnosed by training and development programs in the organization.
4. Job Evaluation: Job analysis measures the worthiness of a job. It is estimating how worthy is the employee for an organization based on financial, structural and psychological impact. Such determination of worthiness helps in setting pay levels. Higher the worthiness, higher the pay level and vice-versa. 
5. Performance Appraisal: Job analysis sets standards for the job. Such standards are used in performance appraisal. Such standards are compared against actual performance. After such a comparison, the performance of the employee is appraised.
6. Job Design and Re-Design: The design and re-design of a job require different information about the job. Mainly job duties, responsibilities, tasks, a skill needed etc. of a job are needed to either design or re-design a job. All such information is fetched by the job analysis.
7. Safety and Health: The working environment of any job should be safe and secure. Similarly, With recent pandemic of COVID-19 has proven health as a more crucial factor for a job than ever before. Job specification specifies the safety level in a working environment as well as the health status needed for a job.

Process of Job Analysis

Job analysis is a systematic process of studying a job. It studies all aspects of the job anatomically. Job analysis is conducted procedurally. The process of job analysis has been mentioned below:

Step 1: Plan and Organize Job Analysis

This is the first step in job analysis. It is concerned with planning and organizing job analysis. It is planning when, where and by whom the job analysis is to be conducted. It is identifying person, team and group for job analysis. It is also about organizing financial and other resources. Similarly, this step is also about determining the time horizon, work schedule and the overall framework of the job analysis.

Step 2: Define the Objective

Job analysis can be done for different objectives. A very large number of objectives undertaken in a job analysis require more time and resources. Hence, in this step, the objective of job analysis is determined. The objective of job analysis could be to study duties contained in a job, safety and health, skills needed etc. In precise, The aim for which the job analysis is being done is specifically determined and defined.

Step 3: Prioritize and Select the Sample Job

There is a number of jobs in an organization. All of them are not possible to be analyzed at a time. So priority should be given regarding the nature and department of a job. Out of these available jobs and set priority, the most objective fit job is selected as a sample. The selected sample job has proceeded for job analysis.

Step 4: Collection of Information

A job has different aspects and dimensions. All the information about such dimensions of the job is collected. Information of jobs such as tasks, duties and responsibilities, skills needed, supervision and monitoring, safety and health etc. of the job is collected and analyzed.

Step 5: Prepare Job Description

From the collection and analysis of information about the job, a job description is prepared. This is a statement mentioning what is to be done and in which manner. This specifies all the tasks, duties and responsibilities of a job. This acts as a standard guideline to perform a job. It consists of job title, job location, job summary, duties and responsibilities, nature of supervision and equipment concerned with the job.

Step 6: Prepare Job Specification

This is the final step in job analysis. In this step, a statement stating all the minimum human qualities, qualifications and experience required for a job. It is a statement of knowledge, skills and abilities for a job. It contains details related to qualification, experience, skills, training, physical characteristics, emotional characteristics, psychological characteristics etc. required in an individual to do a particular job.

Job Description 

A job description is an important aspect or element of job analysis. This is prepared on the basis of information collected during job analysis. It is purely concerned with the job itself. The job description contains what the job includes. It describes all the duties and tasks to be performed as part of a job. It is a statement of what is to be done and how it is to be done aspect of a job. A job description is a statement of tasks, duties and responsibilities of a job.

What Are The Purpose of a job description ?

A job description is mainly prepared to know the tasks, duties and responsibilities of a job. It is a statement of what is to be done during a job. Along with this, a job description is prepared with following purposes:

1. Classification and grading of the job based on difficulty level, functional characteristics, organizational hierarchy, qualification required etc.
2. Placement and orientation based on tasks and duties contained in a job
3. Promotion and transfer decisions based on existing duties and future responsibilities
4. Developing work standards to be met during handling of the job
5. Counseling and clarifying employees about the job and how it should be done

Contents of Job Description

As mentioned earlier, a job description consists of the task, duties and responsibilities of a job. But these are not the only contents of the job description. The key contents of the job description are mentioned as below:

1. Job Title: The foremost content of a job description is a job title. It is the name of the job. It also states the group, level, grade and nature of the job.
2. Job Location: It specifies where the job is to be performed. It is concerned with geographical location, department, branch, unit etc. where the job is to be performed.
3. Job Summary: It summarizes the job as a whole.  It is short detail of what the job is all about. It briefly states roles and functions to be performed as part of a job.
4. Duties and Responsibilities: It specifies what duties and responsibilities are to be undertaken while performing the job. It is concerned with routine and non-routine activities to be done during the job.
5. Equipment: Different types of jobs need different types of equipment. The job description also clarifies which job needs what kind of equipment. This also helps in setting specifications to operate such equipment.
6. Nature of Supervision: The job description states the level of supervision for the job. It states who and by what means will supervise the job. It states the hierarchy, frequency and style of supervision of the job.
7. Working Condition: The general working condition of the job is also mentioned in the job description. This is concerned with safety, security, workflow, recognition, opportunities etc. and the general working environment in the organization. 

Job Specification  

This is another aspect of job analysis. This is related to the person who holds and performs the job. Job specification states qualities and qualifications required to perform the job. It is that outcome of job analysis that mentions the knowledge, skills and abilities required to perform a job. It specifies the psychological, personal, physical and social behavior characteristics of a person conducting the job.

What Are ThePurpose of Job Specification ?

As mentioned earlier, job specification states the level of knowledge, skills and abilities required for a job. But this is not only the reason to prepare job specifications. Along with this, job specification is prepared for the following purposes:

1. Personnel planning is supported as it mentions the quality and qualification need of a job
2. Performance appraisal is made easy as the good fit of knowledge, skills and abilities of an employee can be tested
3. The hiring procedure is simplified based on a job specification
4. Training and development is facilitated as skill deficiency can be identified based on the job specification and improvement over such deficiencies can be planned
5. Maintaining employee discipline as the employees’ behavior has to be as per the skills stated in a job specification

Contents of Job Specification

Job specification contains minimum human qualities, qualifications and experience required for a job. Moreover, the details of contents of the job specification have been presented as under:

1. Qualification: It is the minimum academic qualification required for a job. Any candidate having at least such qualification or more can only be considered eligible for the job. It could be special education like management, engineering, medicine, law, accountancy, science etc. of different levels like undergraduate, graduate, or post-graduate.
2. Age Limit: It refers to the age limit within which the person to do the job must be. It is the range of minimum to maximum age required to conduct a job. Such age limit exists in almost every type of job such as public service, banking, police, military etc.
3. Experience: Experience is the learning and longevity in a similar kind of job. It makes a person more competent and confident to handle any job; Experience is required for middle or top-level jobs. It is mentioned in job specifications so as to hire a highly skillful and expert person for a job.
4. Training: Training is building special proficiency in doing some work or task. Some jobs require special training in different aspects such as software, machine operation, behavior analysis, digital accounting, general administration etc. Job specification clarifies what kind of training is needed for the job.
5. Skills: This refers to the ability to use a computer, computing devices, special equipment etc. during a job. It also refers to oral, written and symbolic communication skills along with different language proficiencies. Job specification clearly states which of these skills are required and to what extent in a job.
6. Physical Characteristics: This refers to the physical attributes of an individual. General appearance, gender, height, weight, special physical marks etc. come under this. Such characteristics are even more crucial for jobs like police, air hostess, army etc.
7. Emotional and Psychological Characteristics: This is related to the emotional and psychological aspects of an individual. Ability to deal with situations, stress management, time management, attitude, positive thinking, influence etc. are also specified by job specification depending upon the nature of the job.