Chapter 4?: Strategic Human Resource Management Job Design and Competencies

foundational and job-specific

2 classifications of competencies:

functional/technical competencies and leadership competencies

2 classifications of job-specific competencies:

segmentation less specificity time frame

3 apsects that distinguishes human capital planning as a workforce planning methodology

staffing levels skills or capabilities mix of both

3 types of gaps according to Bechet

traditional workforce planning workforce analytics forecasting and scenario modeling strategic workforce planning human capital planning

5 approaches in workforce planning according to Young

self-report observation interview document review questionnaire and surveys

5 methods in gathering data for job analysis:

workforce planning

a process in which an organization attempts to estimate the demand for labour and evaluate the size, nature and sources of the supply which will be required to meet the demand (Reily)

competency validation

a selected sample of the organization validate the draft competency models in terms of importance to job performance usually done by administering a survey

job analysis

a systematic process for collecting and analyzing information about a job

practical and process benefits

according to Reily, the benefits of workforce planning can be classified into 2:

Strategic Job Analysis

addresses the potential problem in job analysis that data can become stale in the light of changes in organizational strategy by ensuring that the data stay relevant for the entire organization

task

an action or action sewuence grouped through time designed to contribute a specified end result to the accomplishment of an objective and for which functional levels and orientation can be reliably assigned

knowledge

an organized body of information, usually of a factual or procedural nature, that, when applied, makes the successful performance of a job action possible

foundational competencies

apply to all jobs/roles in an organization, and are commonly known as core competencies

forecasting and scenario modeling

based on multiple assumptions about the future and each assumption would often have its own implication on staffing

strategic

being ... means that information about jobs are continuously gathered for the future and tasks and KSAs are revised in the light of future changes

job simplification

breaking down a job into simple task; initial approach used to make efficiency goals

organization structure

clarify how many jobs (and the level of each job) report to the position

horizontal job enlargement

combines two or more simplified jobs

human capital planning

concerned with the bigger picture; has specific aspectd that distinguishes it as a workforce planning methodology

feedback

considered a motivating factor

tasks or work activity knowledge, skills, and abilities needed for the job levels of job performance workplace characteristicd

data usually collected when analyzing jobs (4):

job description

documentation of the process of job analysis

document review

documents that the organization keeps that could shed light on the job being analyzed

task significance

elicited when the employee sees that one's job had an impact on other people

strategic workforce planning

emphasizes that workforce planning be actually embedded in the strategic planning process of the organization

traditional job description

emphasizes the duties to be performed in a job; more short-sighted as it only focuses on the task at hand

self-report

entails asking the job incumbent to come up with his/her own job description

traditional workforce planning

essence is on analyzing the supply/demand gap and creating a plan to address future staffing needs

statistics

exact numerical and financial scope of certain job activities

technical feasibility economic feasibility behavioral feasibility

factors that need to be considered when designing jobs (3)

observation

gathered by directly observing the job being performed, or to capture on video the job being performed

workforce planning

getting the right number of people with thr right competencies in the right jobs at the right time (Sinclair)

signature and date

indicate that the job holder agrees to its content

constraints

indicate the authority or decision-making limits of the position

process benefits

indirect benefits

research

internal documents such as jib descriptions and performance appraisal forms can suggest competencies to be included in the model

job rotation

involve having employees move to perform different tasks

segmentation

involves classifying job roles according to their importance ti the business, and then matching these segments with specific workforce actions

job enrichment (vertical job enlargement)

involves giving employees more complicated work

autonomous work groups

involves having a team of employees work on interdependent tasks that complete a whole product or service

job rotation horizontal job enlargement job enrichment (vertical job enlargement) autonomous work groups

job design approaches (4):

principal accountabilities or responsibilities

key activities that are required from the job

staffing ratios

numerical relationships between work volumes or output and the number of staff required to do that work or produce that output

human resource planning succession planning building bench strength stratiegic staffing

other HR terms synonymous to workforce planning:

interview

overcomes the weaknesses of both self-report and direct observation by allowing the analyst to explore the job in depth through probing questions

job identification reporting line organization structure main purpose of the job principal accountabilities or responsibilities performance measures/standards constraints statistics nature and scope contacts working conditions knowledge, skills, and experience competencies other information signature and date

parts of a job description (15):

leadership competencies

pertain to leadership and management behaviors

functional/technical competencies

pertain to technical knowledge and skills

competency framework

pertains to all the competency models, aligned in a manner that it would reflect the organization's mission and vision

other information

pertains to other important information unique to the position

workplace characteristics

pertains to the characteristics of the work environment that may have a bearing on job performance

knowledge, skills, and experience

pertains to the knowledge, skills, and experience required for the job holder to be able to perform the activities in the job successfully

contacts

pertains to the lines of communications of the job to other jobs within the organization and outside the organization

performance measures/standards

pertains to the targets and/or Key Results Areas of the position in the context of Performance Management

job identification

pertains to the title or name of the job, and the department or section to which the job belongs to

questionnaire and surveys

pre-determined lists and categories that ask about tasks and job requirements; enable the analyst to synthesize the data

Industrial Revolution

prompted the concern about how jobs are organized and managed where the goal was to make work more efficient

workforce analytics

quantitive analysis of the relationship between key business metrics and staffing-related variables that can supplement gap analysis used in traditional workforce planning

competencies

refer to clusters of knowledge, skills, and attitudes (KSAs) needed for the job

practical benefits

refer to direct and substantive effects of workforce planning

skill variety

refers to a job having different tasks that will tap the employee's different talents

task identity

refers to ensuring that the employee feels that he or she had a hand in the completion of work

nature and scope

refers to information that would describe the context of the job

economic feasibility

refers to the degree to which cost of the job is less than the value it adds to the organization

technical feasibility

refers to the degree to which individuals can physically and mentally do the job

behavioral feasibility

refers to the degree to which the job is intrinsically satisfying to the employee

levels of job performance

refers to the expected range of performance required for the job

competency model

refers to the group of competencies that pertains to a particular job

competencies

refers to the observable behaviors and skills necessary to be successful in the job

reporting line

refers to the position to which the job reports to

working conditions

refers to the working or physical environment where the work is performed

job-specific competencies

specific to a particular job or job family; can be further divided into two

main purpose of the job

state the primary purpose of the position; should highlight the results and activities of the job that would differentiate it from other jobs

interviews and/or focus group discussion with high performers research competency validation presentation

steps in developing competency models (4):

interviews and/or focus group discussion with high performers

stories or critical incidents on work performance are collected from high performers, and are analyzed for behaviors that would eventually form the competencies

results-oriented job description

stresses the expected contribution from the position; would describe how the job contributes to the mission of the organization

Hackman and Oldham's Job Characteristics Model

suggest that skill variety, task identity, task significance, autonomy, and feedback make a job more motivating

job design

the assignment of goals and tasks that are to be accomplished by employees

presentation

the competency models are transformed into media that would make it useful for employees

autonomy

the degree to which an employee can decide on matters relating to the job

ability

the present capacity to execute a job action, to perform a job function by applying an underlying knowledge base and the necessary skills simultaneously

strategic staffing

the process that organizations use to identify and address the staffing implications of their business strategies and plans

skill

the proficiency in the manual, verbal, or mental manipulation of people, ideas, or things

statistical regression and staffing ratios

tools that can be utilized while computing for staffing levels

job descriptions

used to explain to recruiters and applicants what a job entails and what are the job requirements; also used as criteria for selecting the most suitable applicant for a position

statistical regression

using historical data to predict the required staffing level given certain variables which the organization would deem critical

recruitment and selection training and development performance management and compensation organizational management and planning litigation protection

various human resources systems (5):