Job analysis: Matching the right people with the right roles

It’s likely that most of us have conducted a job analysis – whether at a formal or informal level – at some point during our working lives. The manager who decides to split one job into two roles; the recruitment consultant who develops a job description for a vacant post; the employee who examines their particular job’s tasks and responsibilities to apply for a pay increase or structure a performance appraisal.

Due to its broad application, knowing how to undertake effective job analysis is a key skill for those in senior human resources leadership roles – and can help to guide the direction of wider business decisions and strategy.

What is job analysis?

Functional job analysis (FJA) is a method used to identify the required knowledge, skills and expertise to:

• perform job assignments
• outline criteria and job specifications for recruitment, selection and promotion
• identify training needs and set objectives for development programmes
• compile intel to set and measure job performance standards and management
• support the framework and determination of pay scales and classification levels
• guide workforce and workflow planning
• risk assessment
• employee/labour relations.

As a process, FJA examines a specific job to: determine the responsibilities and work activities it involves; its importance in relation to other jobs; the qualifications and competencies necessary to perform the job; and the working conditions under which the job is conducted. An integral aspect of job analysis is that it is the job itself – and not any individual doing the job – that is examined. The job analysis process is not solely the purview of those in human resource management. It can be conducted by a range of individuals, including employees themselves, their managers, or organisational development or HR professionals.

Individuals can use analyses to strategically identify what is going on in the sector, as well as gaining valuable insights into their own businesses and how people are working across different jobs.

What is involved in job analysis?

To conduct a traditional job analysis, it is necessary to collect information on the various characteristics that differentiate jobs. Contributing factors may include:

• required knowledge, skills and abilities (KSAs)
• specific tasks, activities and behaviours of the role
• whether the role involves providing or receiving supervision
• internal and external interaction with others
• financial budgeting and financial impact
• performance standards
• work environment and working conditions (including machines and equipment necessary for the role).

Organisations may also cluster jobs within related functions. For example, identifying the: job family – jobs that are broadly similar; job duties – group tasks and responsibilities associated with the role; and job task – a more specific statement of what the job holder does and a classification of the tasks.

A wealth of resources exists to support this stage of job analysis. O*NET (Occupational Information Network) is a database containing information on hundreds of standardised, occupation-specific descriptors, sponsored by the U.S. Department of Labor’s Employment and Training Administration. It identifies various similarities across jobs, such as tasks or worker requirements, and is used to group jobs for specific human resource management (HRM) purposes – in what could otherwise be an extremely time-consuming task.

How to conduct a job analysis

Thomas, a leading talent assessment platform provider, recommend using a structured, sequential approach to maximise the amount of information gathered:

1.       Get information about the position
2.       Evaluate the importance of each task
3.       Research the industry
4.       Revise job descriptions
5.       Use data to make important changes
6.       Define salary bands.

In terms of data gathering, there are a number of methodologies available:

• Questionnaires. Individuals with knowledge of the role – such as those in managerial roles or previous/existing employees – can complete questionnaires, such as a Position Analysis Questionnaire (PAQ). Questions can be randomised and completed blindly by department; the idea is to get a better idea about the role, its responsibilities, and the competencies required to undertake it successfully.
• Interviews. A useful methodology is speaking with job incumbents – the individuals who hold the posts. As subject matter experts, they can provide details of their work experiences and job-related tasks to build an accurate picture of the role. Prepare for the interview by thinking about specific tasks and a breakdown of duties carried out by the individual.
• Observation. In the role of job analyst, you could observe employees completing their jobs and take notes of the work type and the skills required for it. This can be particularly helpful when analysing physical processes and product outcomes.
• Surveys. Surveys can be another useful source of data – while also being relatively anonymous. This approach works best when highly structured. For example, enabling employees to use a scale to answer questions.
• Work logs. Whether for five or 30 days, asking employees to keep a work log of various job elements can help pinpoint patterns and areas of repetition. The log could also be time-focused if such job analysis data is beneficial.

The job analysis methods will vary, depending on their relative importance and depending on the aims of the process.

Employee performance and Critical Incident Technique 

Critical Incident Technique (CIT), also known as Critical Incident Method, sits at the intersection of applied psychology and personnel management. It aims to define the skills, abilities, knowledge and competencies complicit in the requirements of the job. It can be useful for creating job descriptions and person specifications for new jobs – ensuring that those who apply are the right job fit – as well as supporting performance appraisals and performance management.

CIT is a process of collecting, observing and analysing human behaviour at specific events where an employee performs well and circumstances where they could have performed better. During CIT, an observer keeps a close eye on any incidents, critical human behaviour, and skills used by an employee in the workplace. A detailed report then follows, which can be used to develop psychological principles, tackle practical issues and support job design.

Understand human resources within a business, leadership and management context

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