© 2013 by nelson education1 chapter 4 job analysis and competency models

© 2013 by Nelson Education 1

AP/HRM 3470

June 15, 2015

Chapter 4Job Analysis and Competency Models


How do you analyze and document the core KSAO’s for each position in your organization? –

AND then use this information to ensure that recruitment and selection programs support the entire business plan?

The Big Question


Work analysis: any systematic gathering, documenting, and analyzing of information about the content of work performed

Job analysis: the process of collecting information about jobs “by any method for any purpose”: eg. Text p. 110-111

What is Work and Job Analysis?


Two products of job analysis:

Job description: a written description of what job occupants are required to do; how they are supposed to do it; and the rationale for any required job procedures: eg. Text p. 113 CIBC

Job specification: the knowledge, skills, abilities, and other attributes or competences that are needed by a job incumbent to perform well on the job

Work and Job Analysis – Key Terms


Employment decisions must be based on job-related information: A good job analysis ensures that accurate information on skill, effort, responsibility, and working conditions is specified, reducing the likelihood of job analysis impediments to equitable employment access for all Canadians.

Job Analysis and Employment Law – A Reprise


Job analysis: a legally acceptable way of determining job-relatedness: provides objective evidence of the skills and abilities required for effective performance on the job, involved in the selection of the candidates.

Job Analysis and Employment Law – A Reprise…cont


Job Analysis Methods

Three criteria in choosing a method:1. Goal of job analysis includes the description

of observable work behaviours and analysis of their products

2. Results of a job analysis should describe the work behaviour, not the personal characteristics of the individual

3. Any job analysis must produce outcomes that are verifiable and replicable


KSAOs: the knowledge, skills, abilities, and other attributes necessary for a new incumbent to do well on the job

◦ Also referred to as a job, employment, or worker specifications

KSAOs


National Occupational Classification System:

systematically describes occupations in the Canadian labour market based on extensive occupational research

◦ A NOC profile presents both a description and specification of the job or occupation

◦ SEE: www5.hrsdc.gc.ca/NOC-CNP/app/index.aspx

◦ Explore this site!

National Occupational Classification (NOC) System


All job analysis methods fall into either of two:

Work-oriented job analysis: techniques that emphasize work outcomes and descriptions of tasks performed to accomplish those outcomes

Worker-oriented job analysis: techniques that emphasize general aspects of jobs; describes perceptual, interpersonal, sensory, cognitive, and physical activities

Work- and Worker-Oriented Job Analysis


Interviews Direct Observation Self-Monitoring Data Rating Task Statements and KSAOs

NB: Survey of Work-Oriented Job Analysis Methods


Survey of Work-Oriented Job Analysis Methods (cont)

Structured Job Analysis Questionnaires and Inventories

Task Inventories Functional Job Analysis Critical Incident Technique


Interview: involves questioning individuals, small groups, and/or supervisors; designed to ask all interviewees the same job-related questions

Most common technique used May be structured or unstructured Should be well planned and carefully

conducted

Interviews


Recruitment and Selection Notebook 4.1 - text p. 121

Guidelines for a Job Analysis Interview

1. Announce the job analysis well ahead of the interview date

2. Participation in interviews should be voluntary, and job incumbents should be interviewed only with the permission of their supervisors

3. Interviews should be conducted in a private location free from the trappings of status


Recruitment and Selection Notebook 4.1(cont)

4. Open the interview by establishing rapport and explaining the purpose of the interview

5. Ask open-ended questions, using language that is easy to understand, and allow ample time for the employee’s responses

6. Guide the session without being authoritative or overbearing

7. Explain that records of the interviews will identify them only by confidential codes


Direct observation: a job analyst watches employees as they carry out their job activities (or job shadowing)

◦ This method is most useful when the job analysis involves easily observable activities

Direct Observation


Self-monitoring: a job analyst may ask incumbents to monitor their own work behaviour

◦ Advantages: Less time consuming and less expensive Can be used when the conditions of work do not

easily facilitate direct observation by another person

Can provide information on otherwise unobservable cognitive and intellectual processes involved in the job

Self-Monitoring


Knowledge: a body of information, usually of a factual or procedural nature, that makes for successful performance of a task

Skill: an individual’s level of proficiency or competency in performing a specific task. Level of competency is typically expressed in numerical terms.

Employee Specifications for a Job


Ability: a more general, enduring trait or capability an individual possesses at the time he first begins to perform a task.

Other Attributes: includes personality traits and other individual characteristics that are integral to job performance.

Employee Specifications for a Jobcont


All tasks are not equal Some are performed more frequently Some are more important Some require a degree of difficulty to

perform Thus see Table 4.1 text p. 127

Rating Task Statements and KSAOs


Require workers and other SMEs to respond to written questions about their jobs

Respondents are asked to make judgments (e.g., activities, tasks, tools, equipment, working conditions)

Structured Job Analysis Questionnaires and

Inventories


Work-oriented surveys: break down jobs into their component tasks

Inventory: comprises task statements that are objectively based descriptions of what gets done on a job

Tasks: worker activities that result in an outcome that serves some specified purpose

Task Inventories


Functional job analysis: defines task statements as verbal descriptions of activities that workers do; it is what gets done on the job to facilitate recruitment, selection, and compensation

Functional Job Analysis


Critical incident technique: highlights examples of effective and ineffective work behaviours

◦ Related to superior or inferior performance

◦ Generates behaviourally focused descriptions of work activities

Critical Incident Technique


Position Analysis Questionnaire (PAQ): : structured job analysis questionnaire that focuses on the general behaviours that make up a job.

Common-Metric Questionnaire (CMQ): : structured, off-the-shelf job analysis questionnaire that captures important context variables.

Worker-Oriented Job Analysis Methods


Work Profiling System (WPS): a job analysis method that consists of three versions applicable to managerial, service, and technical occupations.

Threshold Traits Analysis System: designed to identify worker traits that are relevant to the target job. This method assumes that work behaviours encompass the position functions, the worker traits and the resulting job performance.

Worker-Oriented Job Analysis Methods continued


Fleishman Job Analysis Survey (F-JAS): developed as a system for identifying employee characteristics that influence job performance. It assumes that job tasks differ with respect to the abilities required to perform them successfully, and that all jobs can be classified according to ability requirements.

Job Element Method (JEM): attempts to distinguish between superior and inferior workers on the basis of job-related abilities.



Cognitive Task Analysis (CTA): the term is used in relation to a class of methods that are similar on their approach to understanding the cognitive processes used by experts to complete tasks



See Recruitment and Selection Notebook 4.2 text p. 135

See Notebook 4.3, text p. 139: Assessing the Legal Defensibility of a Job Analysis

Criteria for Choosing a Job Analysis Method


Competencies: groups of related behaviours that are needed for successful job performance in an organization; measurable attributes that distinguish outstanding performers from others

Part II: The Role of Competencies in Recruitment

and Selection


• Competencies contain three elements: 1. KSAOs that underlie effective and successful job performance

2. KSAOs must be observable or measurable

3. KSAOs must distinguish between superior and other performers

Competencies in Recruitment and Selection


Competency model: a collection of competencies that are relevant to performance in a particular job, job family, or functional area

◦ Usually developed as a three-tiered competency framework based on an organization’s strategy and vision

Competency Model


Core competencies: characteristics that every member of an organization, regardless of position, function, job, or level of responsibility within the organization, is expected to possess.

Functional competencies: characteristics shared by different positions within an organization. Only those members of an organization in these positions are expected to possess these competencies.

Job-specific competencies: characteristics that apply only to specific positions within the organization. Only those people in the position are expected to possess these competencies.

Three-tiered Competency Framework


Competency profile: a set of proficiency ratings related to a function, job, or employee

Competency Profile


Steps in Developing a Competency-Based Management Framework

1. Obtain executive-level support, including sufficient human and financial resources

2. Review the organization’s mission, vision, and values statements

3. Adopt a competency definition that meets the needs of the organization

Recruitment and Selection Notebook 4.4


Recruitment and Selection Notebook 4.4 (cont)

4. Determine the HR functions for which competencies will be used

5. Determine the architecture of the competency model

6. Develop the competency dictionary, including proficiency levels that have been quantified – see p. 144

7. Define the profiling methodology- based on quantified scales for proficiency

8. Identify reliable and valid assessment strategies to determine employee competency profiles – Notebook 4.5


Recruitment and Selection Notebook 4.4 (continued)

9. Document all steps in the development and implementation of the system

10.Evaluate the system on an ongoing basis to ensure that the competency profiles continue to predict successful job performance

Consider the example of the generic ‘Great Eight’ framework:


Summary

An understanding of job analysis and its relevance to employee recruitment and selection is crucial

There are several job analysis methodologies; make sure you are familiar with the most effective

Competency-based models are increasing in importance as they prove defensible and reliable


1. What makes job analysis so crucial to effective recruitment and selection?

2. Would you want to to fly in an airplane if the pilot was selected on the basis of core competencies?

Discussion Questions

© 2013 by nelson education1 chapter 4 job analysis and competency models

Documents

job analysis data

goal of job analysis

job description

job responsibilities

job occupants

job incumbent

reprisea good job analysis

repriseconta good job