Explain Job Analysis, Meaning, and Definition!

Learn and Study, Explain Job Analysis, Meaning, and Definition!

When we refer to Job Analysis, we simply mean a purposeful, systematic process for collecting information on the important work-related aspects of a job. In simple terms, job analysis may be understood as a process of collecting information about a job. Also Learned, The Steps of Manpower Planning with Features! Explain Job Analysis, Meaning, and Definition!

The process of job analysis results in two sets of data:

A) Job Description,

B) Job Specification.

As mentioned earlier Job Analysis is classified into two parts, Let us now discuss these two important parts:

(A) Job Description:

This is a very vital document which is usually explanatory in nature. It consists of both organizational as well as functional information. It provides information as to the scope of activities, the position of the job and the responsibilities. It gives the employees a very clear picture of what is required of him to meet the goals of his job.

(B) Job Specification:

Job Specification converts the job description to qualifications that are required for, in performing the job. This is usually a statement which consists of qualification, characteristics, traits etc, for an employee to possess to perform his duties.

Some possible aspects of work-related information to be collected might include the following:

1) Work Activities – What a worker does, how, why, and when these activities are conducted.

2) Tools and Equipment used in performing work activities.

3) The context of the work environment, such as work schedule or physical working conditions.

4) Requirements of personnel performing the job, such as knowledge, skills, abilities (KSA) or other personal characteristics ( like physical characteristics, interests or personality).

Job analysis (also known as work analysis) is a family of procedures to identify the content of a job in terms of activities involved and attributes or job requirements needed to perform the activities. Job analysis provides information to organizations which help to determine which employees are best fit for specific jobs. Through job analysis, the analyst needs to understand what the important tasks of the job are, how they are carried out, and the necessary human qualities needed to complete the job successfully.

#Job Analysis – Definition:

Job Analysis may be defined as the process of studying jobs in order to gather, analyze, synthesize and report information about job requirements. Note in this definition that job analysis is an overall process as opposed to a specific method or technique.

Job analysis refers to the process of collecting information about a job. In other words, it refers to the anatomy of the job. Job analysis is performed upon ongoing jobs only. It contains job contents. For example, what are the duties of a supervisor, grade II, what minimal knowledge, skills, and abilities are necessary to be able to adequately perform this job? How do the requirements for a supervisor, grade II, compare with those for a supervisor, grade I? These are the questions that job analysis answers.

Let us consider a few important definitions of job analysis.

According to Jones and Deco, this “Job analysis is the process of getting information about jobs: especially, what the worker does; how he gets it done; why he does it; skill, education, and training required; relationship to other jobs, physical demands; environmental conditions”.

Edwin B. Flippo has defined job analysis as the process of studying and collecting information relating to the operations and responsibilities of a specific job. The immediate products of this analysis are job descriptions and job specifications”.

In the opinion of Herbert G. Hereman III, et. al., “A job is a collection of tasks that can be performed by a single employee to contribute to the production of some product or service provided by the organization. Each job has certain ability requirements (as well as certain rewards) associated with it. Job analysis is the process used to identify these requirements”. Now, job analysis can be defined as an assessment that describes jobs and the behaviors necessary to perform them.

Before going into these two sets let us talk about a few definitions of Job Analysis.

Job Analysis is a method of collecting and studying the information related to a particular job. It includes the operations and tasks of a specific job.
Another meaning of Job analysis is a complete examination of activities in a job. It can be considered a technical procedure that can be used to classify the duties and responsibilities of a job.
It can also be defined as a group of tasks which can be performed by a lone employee towards the production of some services or products of an organization.