Why is job analysis important as far as the company and the employees are concerned?

Job Analysis is a process to identify and determine in detail the particular job duties and requirements and the relative importance of these duties for a given job. Job Analysis is a process where judgements are made about data collected on a job.

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Purpose of Job Analysis
Methods of Job Analysis
What Aspects of a Job Are Analyzed?
Determine the Exempt/Non-Exempt and Managerial/Professional or Office/Service Status
Why is job analysis important for both managers and employees?
Why is it important to conduct a job analysis and how does it impact the job description?
Why job analysis is important for job recruitment and selection?

The Job; not the person An important concept of Job Analysis is that the analysis is conducted of the Job, not the person. While Job Analysis data may be collected from incumbents through interviews or questionnaires, the product of the analysis is a description or specifications of the job, not a description of the person.

Purpose of Job Analysis

The purpose of Job Analysis is to establish and document the 'job relatedness' of employment procedures such as training, selection, compensation, and performance appraisal.

Determining Training Needs

Job Analysis can be used in training/"needs assessment" to identify or develop

training content
assessment tests to measure effectiveness of training
equipment to be used in delivering the training
methods of training (i.e., small group, computer-based, video, classroom...)

Compensation

Job Analysis can be used in compensation to identify or determine:

skill levels
compensable job factors
work environment (e.g., hazards; attention; physical effort)
responsibilities (e.g., fiscal; supervisory)
required level of education (indirectly related to salary level)

Selection Procedures

Job Analysis can be used in selection procedures to identify or develop:

job duties that should be included in advertisements of vacant positions;
appropriate salary level for the position to help determine what salary should be offered to a candidate;
minimum requirements (education and/or experience) for screening applicants;
interview questions;
selection tests/instruments (e.g., written tests; oral tests; job simulations);
applicant appraisal/evaluation forms;
orientation materials for applicants/new hires

Performance Review

Job Analysis can be used in performance review to identify or develop:

goals and objectives
performance standards
evaluation criteria
length of probationary periods
duties to be evaluated

Methods of Job Analysis

Several methods exist that may be used individually or in combination. These include:

review of job classification systems
incumbent interviews
supervisor interviews
expert panels
structured questionnaires
task inventories
check lists
open-ended questionnaires
observation
incumbent work logs

A typical method of Job Analysis would be to give the incumbent a simple questionnaire to identify job duties, responsibilities, equipment used, work relationships, and work environment. The completed questionnaire would then be used to assist the Job Analyst who would then conduct an interview of the incumbent(s). A draft of the identified job duties, responsibilities, equipment, relationships, and work environment would be reviewed with the supervisor for accuracy. The Job Analyst would then prepare a job description and/or job specifications.

The method that you may use in Job Analysis will depend on practical concerns such as type of job, number of jobs, number of incumbents, and location of jobs.

What Aspects of a Job Are Analyzed?

Job Analysis should collect information on the following areas:

Duties and Tasks The basic unit of a job is the performance of specific tasks and duties. Information to be collected about these items may include: frequency, duration, effort, skill, complexity, equipment, standards, etc.
Environment This may have a significant impact on the physical requirements to be able to perform a job. The work environment may include unpleasant conditions such as offensive odors and temperature extremes. There may also be definite risks to the incumbent such as noxious fumes, radioactive substances, hostile and aggressive people, and dangerous explosives.
Tools and Equipment Some duties and tasks are performed using specific equipment and tools. Equipment may include protective clothing. These items need to be specified in a Job Analysis.
Relationships Supervision given and received. Relationships with internal or external people.
Requirements The knowledges, skills, and abilities (KSA's) required to perform the job. While an incumbent may have higher KSA's than those required for the job, a Job Analysis typically only states the minimum requirements to perform the job.

Job analysis is the process of gathering and analyzing information about the content and the human requirements of jobs, as well as, the context in which jobs are performed. This process is used to determine placement of jobs. Under NU Values the decision-making in this area is shared by units and Human Resources. Specific internal approval processes will be determined by the unit's organizational leadership.

Job analysis defines the organization of jobs within a job family. It allows units to identify paths of job progression for employees interested in improving their opportunities for career advancement and increasing compensation.

A relative value is placed on the differing factors described in the Zone Placement Matrix. All new and existing positions will be assigned to a job family and zone using the job analysis process. This process is designed to place positions into families and zones based upon assigned duties, qualifications and competencies as measured by the five criteria found in the Zone Placement Matrix.

Organizational unit leaders are encouraged to consult with Human Resources for guidance at any step in the job analysis process.

Determine the Exempt/Non-Exempt and Managerial/Professional or Office/Service Status

The exempt/nonexempt and Managerial/Professional-Office/Service status of each job will be assigned by Human Resources. Exempt-nonexempt status is based upon an interpretation of the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) as it relates to the duties and responsibilities of each job. Managerial/Professional or Office/Service status correlates closely with exempt/nonexempt and impacts some benefits of the job.

1. Writing the Job Description
2. Determine the Job Family
3. Determine Job Zone
4. Determine Title

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Why is job analysis important for both managers and employees?

Job Analysis plays an important role in recruitment and selection, job evaluation, job designing, deciding compensation and benefits packages, performance appraisal, analyzing training and development needs, assessing the worth of a job and increasing personnel as well as organizational productivity.

Why is it important to conduct a job analysis and how does it impact the job description?

A job analysis enables better human resource decisions. For example, a thorough job analysis will lead to a better job description, which leads to a better hiring decision and higher on-the-job performance as a consequence.

Why job analysis is important for job recruitment and selection?

A job analysis helps you capture job-relevant responsibilities and critical competencies for success so you can determine appropriate selection tools and develop sound rationale for your selection process — everything from the job descriptions you post to the application, assessments, and interview questions you ...