INTRODUCTION
Substantial industrial competition, dynamic process of internationalization and globalization and fast-tracking of technological innovations – these are just few of the factors that affect the global workplace and human capital and labor. With such phenomenon affecting every organization, there is a need to identify the most suitable human resource solution in order to cope up with such emerging effects – beneficial or destructive – not only to the immediate human resources but to the organization in general. Overcoming human resource troubles necessitate proper application of basic human resource management principles and practices. As early as possible, anything that affects the general job composition should be specified and clarified so as to avoid future employment difficulties. This is one of the most fundamental and foremost idea behind job analysis, that is, accumulating information that will be used as control mechanisms against HRM problems particularly on employees’ need and its effects in organizational productivity and performance. According to Chang and Kleiner (2002, p73), “job analysis is a systematic process of obtaining valid job information to aid management in decision-making.” The idea of job analysis generally refers to the process of collecting information that will be used by the management in relation to HR functions from selection, classification, training, compensation, and other given HR functions. It also reflects on job descriptions, person specifications, job design, etc. Lawler (1994) affirms that job analysis provides the foundation for practically all HR functions. With this thought, human resource technology is grounded in the idea of individuals holding jobs (Lawler, 1994). Then, the question is – why job analysis may or may not be an important factor in order to satisfy individual employee needs and for achieving the organization’s strategic business objectives.
DISCUSSION
Job analysis is purposive. This alone can justify the reason why job analysis is an important factor in satisfying individual employee needs as well as useful facilitator in achieving the organization’s strategic business goals. As established, job analysis is the foundation of all HRM activities that are needed for a productive functioning of an organization. With the identified uses, job analysis is important among variety of purposes in support to human resources and strategic planning (Singer, 2002; Landy & Vasey, 1991). Using the case or recruitment and selection to explain further, because effective recruitment and selection practices are based on some form of job analysis (Gatewood & Feild, 1994), job analysis per se is the initial stage of acquiring a competent and competitive workforce through identifying specific attributes suited for a particular position. Basically, HRM’s first responsibility is attracting a quality workforce using a process (Hornsby & Kuratsko, 2005). This is the recruitment and selection of employee where companies expect to hire the best people to occupy the position. According to David (2003), recruiting is part of the over-all management function of staffing and is a major role player in ensuring that company strategies would be implemented. Spencer (2004) also emphasized that staffing requires both the process of attracting and selecting prospective personnel’s capabilities and competencies with the company position. This principle is the first step in the process of staff development. Recruitment and selection is also considered as the most critical step because staffing mismanagement can lead to a waste of company time, resources and finances (Spencer, 2004). Then, job analysis on this part plays a particular importance in assessing the qualifications of potential members of the workforce particularly in reference to knowledge, skills, and abilities (KSAs). KSAs include job-related information and the necessary human abilities to perform certain job activities (Nelson, 1997). The importance of valid KSAs cannot be overstated, as the relationship between them and individual performance in the organization is well-established (Davis, 1995; Gatewood & Feild, 1994; Sanchez & Fraser, 1994). More so, job analysis is a distinct yet complementing mechanism that directs management on who to hire from the array of applicants to occupy that specified job position. The main steps in job analysis occur before and during or even after these initial human resource functions. These steps, according to Chang and Kleiner (2002) include: identifying and isolating of component tasks in a job; examining how tasks are performed; identifying the main areas of responsibility; noting the prevailing working conditions in respect of the physical, social and financial aspects of the job; and identifying the personal demands which job makes on an individual incumbent. Applying the steps in job analysis in the most effective way possible is tantamount to stronger and more competent and competitive workforce. Within organizations, competencies reside and are recognized all the way through the workplace. Because an employee regardless of position is expected to work for a certain job activity, job analysis is the measurement of tasks and/or worker attributes for a given job (Nelson, 1997). The process of analyzing job is of similar importance to a potential employee.
Job analysis is a basic requirement for developing valid selection procedures according to both professional and legal (Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, 1979) testing guidelines. For example, the value for structuring interviews was recognized by McMurry (1947). Job analysis is not expected to enhance reliability, but there might be a weak positive relationship if it limits the domain in the interview. Conway, Jako and Goodman (1995) meta-analysis showed a low positive relationship between job analysis and reliability, which they interpreted as an indirect effect. This study proved that job analysis on some cases is not important especially in the assessment of reliability in interview selection. Job analysis is expected to influence all three types of validity. Other relevant studies identified inaccuracies in job analysis (e.g. Morgeson & Campion, 1997). This is same as true when Johnson (2000) illustrated “when a job analysis is conducted for multiple jobs using the same questionnaire, there may be a large number of “does not apply” ratings if the jobs are quite heterogeneous” (p276). Job analysis should enhance job-relatedness, partly because it allows the interviewer to obtain job-related samples of applicant behavior (Dipboye & Gaugler, 1993). Job analysis should enhance the amount of job information brought into the interview, thus decreasing deficiency. Similarly, by focusing the interview on job-related content, it should reduce contamination. Without a job analysis to provide a common frame of reference, interviewers might base the interview on idiosyncratic beliefs about job requirements (Dipboye, 1994).
Job analysis, particularly on the aspect of person specifications is used for recruitment, selection and other HR activities in the future (Marky & Johnson, 2003, p144-145). In staffing, job analysis will constantly facilitate the attribution of KSAs and other characteristics that are deemed fundamental to the overall nature of the job and its manner of performance. Quoting the same related reason of Nelson (1997), the importance of job analysis as a tool for systematic accumulation of data is predetermined. Another reasonable argument can be made is “that job analysis would be more important in the boundaryless organization, where work activities are created and evolve more quickly, than in more traditionally structured organizations, where jobs are static for longer time periods” (Nelson, 1997 p40). Although job analysis approaches or methods are equal, they are capable of examining both diverse and changing occupations. The significance of job analysis and derived KSAs for the purpose of valid selection practices has been well-established (Gatewood & Feild, 1994). To summarize the importance of job analysis to recruitment and selection, it emphasizes on the principle that what work needs to be done (i.e. tasks and duties) requires what kind of people that is needed to do that work possessing the key qualifications (KSAs or competencies). This specification caters to the need of employees to get hold of necessary qualities required by the job while on the case of management; it refers to the need of hiring the best person to do the job – with maximum results expected.
RECOMMENDATIONS
Job analysis is also important in the process of achieving organization’s strategic business objectives for the sole reason that having a good HRM function during the preliminary stages, wherein the best employees are hired, is equivalent to risk-free and successful organization and performance. Provided that job analysis is the foundation of all HRM activities, it is then apt to suppose that when jobs are well-defined and specified and people who are needed for those jobs are correctly hired, then the achievement of organization’s strategic business objective is within reach. With the constant aim of developing human workforce through effective HRM practice, the objective of any organization will be realized. As Macky and Johnson (2003) state, job analysis “reduces to words the things that people do in work” (p141). Job analysis works upon recommendation for the hiring and selection of new employees. An established selection process along with criteria to be able to fully and fairly assess its applicants composed job application. Thus, the recommendation would be in line to the integration of the existing culture and the possible actions applicable to the given company.
In connection with the above example, recruiting and selecting of employee in the basis of job analysis is a far more simple activity than in previous times when HRM staff could rely on recommendations from current employees or a “help wanted” sign in front of the business (Sims, 2002). Thus, an accurate recruitment and selection is important in all levels of the organization because it influences all organizational processes as well as its future. Companies need to be able to understand that recruitment and selection is a crucial part to success. The magnitude of an organization’s staffing methods is determined through HR planning which uses information from job analyses significantly. Therefore, there is a need to maintain a trusted job analysis interview process that is relevant to the current changes in the job market. The reliability and validity of selection interview, for instance, must be free from bias and discrimination.
Further, the manager’s outlook in job analysis that is directed to the achievement of organizational goals is to help the supervisor in establishing policy, for example in staff selection such as detailed planning and recruitment preparation. HR managers must be keen on details obtained in job analysis. The apparent, detailed and exclusive definition of job responsibility of every employee, for instance, is necessary. This could be done by identifying the duties and responsibilities of the worker as early in the period of staffing. Moreover, the principle of job analysis clearly recognizes recruitment and selection as interdependent, non-separate, continuous process which should be given adequate and immediate follow-up action (Spencer, 2004). In this aspect, Nelson (1997, p41) suggested that “managers may more effectively attract, select, and retain qualified workers by looking for broad sets of KSAs that may encompass several “jobs,” and personality traits reflective of the organization's culture (e.g., O'Reilly et al., 1991; Devanna & Tichy, 1990)”. To address employee needs and achieve organization’s strategic business objectives, job analysis must be perfected and exemplified at the beginning stages of any HRM activities. It is generally recommended that the resulting factors on job analysis must be reviewed by organizations in order to evaluate their appropriateness for their intended use, and that necessary changes proceed based on balanced considerations.
CONCLUSION
In conclusion, job analysis is simply referred as the process of studying a job (Baruch & Lessem, 1995, p3). It is, without ay doubt, an important factor in addressing employee need and in achieving organization’s strategic business objectives. With the identified uses, job analysis is important among variety of purposes in support to human resources and strategic planning due to its purposive benefits. It may be in any activities, strategic management or HR planning and other related organizational processes; the given importance of job analysis will result to better facilitation of the overall corporate functions particularly on human labor. In reference to staffing, job analysis plays a particular importance in assessing the qualifications of potential members of the workforce particularly in their competencies. All in all, job analysis and its specific attributes play a crucial role in the organization. Failure to confirm with predetermined principles can result to losses and even failure for the whole organization encumbering its way to ladder of organizational success. Thus, it is generally recommended that the resulting factors on job analysis must be reviewed by organizations in order to evaluate their appropriateness for their intended use, and that necessary changes proceed based on balanced considerations.
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