The Disadvantages of Job Analysis

The previous posting talked about the advantages of job analysis, now let’s discuss the disadvantages of job analysis:

1.            Subjective matters: it is a challenging job for a job analyst to avoid personal biasness when observing a target employee. The feelings of likes and dislikes may interfere with the job analyst when collecting genuine and accurate data.

2.            Lengthy projects: the most frustrating part when a job analyst doing his job is this requires lots of time: this is time consuming to collect the data needed.

3.            Require lots of human efforts: with so many people involved, there’s no wonder that doing job analysis is quite troublesome. The process involves lots of human efforts.

4.            Source of Data is Extremely Small: Because of small sample size, the source of collecting data is extremely small. Therefore, information collected from few individuals needs to be standardized.

5.       Unqualified Job Analyst: the skilled and qualified job analyst is a must. He/she needs to master the appropriate skills to conduct the process. Training for a job analyst has to be completed in order to get authentic data.

6.          Mental Abilities Cannot be Directly Observed: Last but not the least, mental abilities such as intellect, emotional characteristics, knowledge, aptitude, psychic and endurance are intangible things that cannot be observed or measured directly. People act differently in different situations. Therefore, general standards cannot be set for mental abilities.

Though job analysis also has disadvantages, the advantages prove to be superior to the advantages. It is also a fact that job analysis is beneficial to the success of an organization.

Interview Method

I know some job analysts who enjoy having interview method as a technique in collecting data. They said that the responses from the employees are valuable information. And they also said that if conducted properly, interview method could be a great technique. Agree? Read on to know more about this method.

Job analysts interview an employee so that he or she will explain the procedure, required skills, working conditions, problems faced, threats and fear while working, etc.

During the interview, a trained job analyst is able to explore more so he is able to grasp the information. It takes good chemistry between the job analyst and the employee. The job analyst has to create such condition that the employee is not going to think that he is being interrogated. The job analyst also has to make sure that the interview is not going to affect the employee's career.

Focus Group Discussion

The question is how we can be sure that employee is going to answer honestly? Well, it is a good idea to interview more than one employees by putting some employees in one room and the job analyst acts as a moderator to throw some questions and see how the employees response.

It is also important that the interview should be carefully designed. The job analyst has to prepare the list of questions related to the information need. Having an impromptu interview in some cases is a waste of time. The job analyst could lose the track and unable to make good use of the employees. 

Interview Plan

Following is some steps that are useful in planning an interview:

Observation Method

Oxford dictionary defines observation (noun) as the action or process of closely observing or monitoring something or someone. The keywords of this definition are closely observing or monitoring. 

The idea of observation method in job analysis absolutely has the same meaning as Oxford Dictionary defines. When a job analyst observes an employee as the research subject, the job analyst has to monitor, watch, and record the behaviors of research subject without any direct contact.  

The data recorded includes:

1.      all the employee’s performed and non-performed tasks,

2.      fulfilled and un-fulfilled responsibilities and duties, methods, ways and skills applied by the employee to perform various duties;

3.      mental or emotional ability/skills to handle the challenges, risks, and conditions.

Before you decide whether to apply this method, take a look at the followings advantages and disadvantages of observation method.

Advantages:

1.      First-hand information: With Direct Observation, the trained job analyst can obtain first-hand knowledge and information about the job being analyzed. Without any delays, the job analyst could find out anything that happens to the employee. 

2.      Simple to use: No need further tools to collect data. Just you and your equipments to write/record the information. 

3.      Verifies data from other sources: To clarify the existing data regarding the responsibilities, skills, scopes, etc toward the research subject. To confirm what the employee does against the existing information.

4.      Useful for manual and psycho-motor tasks: Observation method is beneficial for jobs that involve manual and psycho-motor tasks such as:

a.         Machine Operator

b.         Construction Worker

c.          Police Officer/Patrol Officer

d.         Flight Attendant

e.         Bus Driver

f.           Housekeeper/Janitor

g.         Skilled Crafts Worker

While the disadvantages are: 

1.      Time consuming: The job analyst could only observe when the employee is available to work. And the duration of observing merely depends on the schedule of the employee.

2.       May bias employee’s performance: When he is informed that a job analyst will come to observe, the employee will normally prepared all the best he can. He is trying to impress the job analyst, he will do things that he regularly does not. Well, this kind of behavior might happen although there are employees who are not bothered by the presence of a job analyst.

3.      Small sample size: The data collected is simply from the employee being observed. The job analyst cannot hope to get lots of data if he only has limited numbers of research subjects.

4.      Requires skilled observer: Every job analyst has his/her own way of observing the employee. Different job analyst think and interpret the findings in different ways. Who can guarantee that every job analyst has the same capabilities? 

5.      Validity & reliability may be problematic: This is related to point number two, it may bias employee’s performance. The presence of a job analyst may affect the employee causing the employee to change and alter their normal work behavior. It is important for the job analysts to be unobtrusive in their observations. The employees may alter their work behavior if they know they are being observed. 

6.      Not useful for jobs consisting of mostly mental tasks: This is related to the advantages number 4. It is easy to observe jobs that require physical activities. We can match the behaviors with the written and guided instructions. However, how can analyze jobs that demand critical thinking? It’s quite difficult then.

Well, I myself have an interesting experience with this observation method. This experience is not about my job as a job analyst instead as the employee being observed. 

I used to work as an English Teacher and regularly teachers are observed by the supervisor to maintain their teaching quality. As a rookie, being observed was not totally fun. Having your own boss watching you was not comfortable at all. We, the teachers, have nick names for those supervisors. We call them “The Fault Finders”.

Yes, they always try to find our faults. The most annoying part is when they pointed our mistakes. In order to avoid being humiliated by the supervisor, I always prepared my best right before I was being observed. I prepared more exercises, more games, and better lesson plan to students. Slowly the “Fault Finders” found my mistakes lesser and lesser :).

As time passed by I learn that the presence of a supervisor in my class is not bad at all. Instead their coming to my class is so valuable in telling me what I should do and what I shouldn’t do. The result? I improve my teaching skills. So, do you think this observation method is beneficial?

Some common definitions of quality

I’m sure you have your own definition of what quality is. It is interesting to know why people have different opinion when it comes to defining quality. The followings are the answer: why people differ in defining quality.

1.      Conformance to specifications measures how well the product or service meets the targets and tolerances determined by its designers. The wait for hotel room service may be specified as 20 minutes, but there may be an acceptable delay of an additional 10 minutes. Also, consider the amount of light delivered by a 60 watt light bulb. If the bulb delivers 50 watts it does not conform to specifications. As these examples illustrate, conformance to specification is directly measurable, though it may not be directly related to the consumer’s idea of quality.

2.      Fitness for use focuses on how well the product performs its intended function or use. For example, a Mercedes Benz and a Jeep Cherokee both meet a fitness for use definition if one considers transportation as the intended function. However, if the definition becomes more specific and assumes that the intended use is for transportation on mountain roads and carrying fishing gear, the Jeep Cherokee has a greater fitness for use. You can also see that fitness for use is a user-based definition in that it is intended to meet the needs of a specific user group.

3.      Value for price paid is a definition of quality that consumers often use for product or service usefulness. This is the only definition that combines economics with consumer criteria; it assumes that the definition of quality is price sensitive. For example, suppose that you wish to sign up for a personal finance seminar and discover that the same class is being taught at two different colleges at significantly different tuition rates. If you take the less expensive seminar, you will feel that you have received greater value for the price.

4.      Support services provided are often how the quality of a product or service is judged. Quality does not apply only to the product or service itself; it also applies to the people, processes, and organizational environment associated with it. For example, the quality of a university is judged not only by the quality of staff and course offerings, but also by the efficiency and accuracy of processing paperwork.

5.      Psychological criterion is a subjective definition that focuses on the judgmental evaluation of what constitutes product or service quality. Different factors contribute to the evaluation, such as the atmosphere of the environment or the perceived prestige of the product. For example, a hospital patient may receive average health care, but a very friendly staff may leave the impression of high quality. Similarly, we commonly associate certain products with excellence because of their reputation; Rolex watches and Mercedes-Benz automobiles are examples.

Seeing the definitions mentioned above, it is understood then why we have different opinion in defining quality. The more we discuss about quality the more we know its importance in our business. After all, quality drives productivity. It is not an easy thing to do to produce quality, we need to plan, study, and work hard. Just like what William A. Foster’s famous quotation on quality.