Job design has been created to set specific work activities and delegate them to the employees. Staff hiring, appraisal and remuneration are based on these quality of work delegated as per the job design. This however has to be catered for staff satisfaction as well. Various sets of job design are simultaneously created specifically to assist in reaching the organization’s short and long term objectives and goals. It is a vital part that contributes to the success, failure and smooth running of everyday business. Having the right talent in pivotal roles at the right time is of strategic importance, making a difference to revenues, innovation and organisation effectiveness (Chris Ashton, 2005).
According to Michael Armstrong, “Deciding on the content of a job starts from work requirements because that is why the job exists. (Armstrong, 2012)” Thus it goes without saying that Job design is the trickle of management response to work design inside the organizational design. There are a few factors that affect the job design according to Armstrong and they are explained as follows.
1. The characteristics of job:
The characteristic of job directly influences the design. The characteristic mentioned here implies various smaller jobs that have to be done to achieve a bigger task. For example an accountant has to reconcile various sub account before producing monthly reports. Similarly the depth of the job also affects the job design. Job depth means the amount of level of authority that a job holds. Higher management people have greater depth meaning they have more authority over other employees and accountable too. The amount of relationship in job between co staffs also affects the job design.
2. The characteristics of task structure
The task structure also influences the job design. In a manufacturing industry there are production line and one staff may have to do one particular work let us say fitting tyres in the car. He does not have much authority for taking decisions. But another person who has to head the production line will have to see whether everything is going smoothly and all employees are working well. This gives him more tasks and authority as well.
3. Intrinsic Motivation
If the task structure is more challenging, innovative and enjoyable with authority to do the work at their own discretion, then they are more motivated to work with enthusiasm. If not then they will be leisure at work and be counterproductive for the organization. This is the intrinsic motivation that also shapes the job design.
4. Job Characteristics Model
This model was catered by Greg R. Oldham and J. Richard Hackman in 1974. They proposed that five core job characteristics should prompt three critical psychological states in employees which would further the outcome of the work. The five job characteristics are
Skill Variety: This talks about how workers will be more motivated to work if they are challenged into using several skill and abilities instead of one monotonous repetitive work.
Task Identity: The work output should be visible and the worker would experience more responsible if they were involved in the overall process of the work rather than just their part.
Task Significance: If the job influences other people’s lives for the better there is more significance to work and workers get job satisfaction a source of intrinsic motivation.
Autonomy: The authority and discretion to take decision and affect work output helps the worker feel accountable for their success and failure and strive to work better.
Feedback: Proper and timely feedback is vital for the staff to understand what they did right and what can be improved. Unbiased and constructive feedback informs the staff on how the work can be improved.
The psychological state that is contributed by the above mentioned factors are experiencing meaningfulness at work, experienced responsibilities for outcome at work and knowledge of results of work activities.
5. Implications of group activities
There are various different groups inside an organization. Humans have the nature to come together into groups and form formal and informal groups inside the organization and this influences the worker. Thus job design has to be aware of the interrelation and include these factors while designing job.
A lot of through has to be given to job design. Staff motivation, purpose of work, organization’s shared vision all are supported if the job is designed well and will eventually aid in the sustainability and growth.
References
Armstrong, M. (2012). Armstrong’s handbook of human resource management practices. London: Kogan Page.
Chris Ashton, L. M. (2005). Managing Talent for Competitive Advantage. Startegic HR Review, 4, No 5, pp 28-31.
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Job design has been created to set specific work activities and delegate them to the employees. Staff hiring, appraisal and remuneration are based on these quality of work delegated as per the job design. This however has to be catered for staff satisfaction as well. Various sets of job design are simultaneously created specifically to assist in reaching the organization’s short and long term objectives and goals. It is a vital part that contributes to the success, failure and smooth running of everyday business. Having the right talent in pivotal roles at the right time is of strategic importance, making a difference to revenues, innovation and organisation effectiveness (Chris Ashton, 2005).
According to Michael Armstrong, “Deciding on the content of a job starts from work requirements because that is why the job exists. (Armstrong, 2012)” Thus it goes without saying that Job design is the trickle of management response to work design inside the organizational design. There are a few factors that affect the job design according to Armstrong and they are explained as follows.
1. The characteristics of job:
The characteristic of job directly influences the design. The characteristic mentioned here implies various smaller jobs that have to be done to achieve a bigger task. For example an accountant has to reconcile various sub account before producing monthly reports. Similarly the depth of the job also affects the job design. Job depth means the amount of level of authority that a job holds. Higher management people have greater depth meaning they have more authority over other employees and accountable too. The amount of relationship in job between co staffs also affects the job design.
2. The characteristics of task structure
The task structure also influences the job design. In a manufacturing industry there are production line and one staff may have to do one particular work let us say fitting tyres in the car. He does not have much authority for taking decisions. But another person who has to head the production line will have to see whether everything is going smoothly and all employees are working well. This gives him more tasks and authority as well.
3. Intrinsic Motivation
If the task structure is more challenging, innovative and enjoyable with authority to do the work at their own discretion, then they are more motivated to work with enthusiasm. If not then they will be leisure at work and be counterproductive for the organization. This is the intrinsic motivation that also shapes the job design.
4. Job Characteristics Model
This model was catered by Greg R. Oldham and J. Richard Hackman in 1974. They proposed that five core job characteristics should prompt three critical psychological states in employees which would further the outcome of the work. The five job characteristics are
Skill Variety: This talks about how workers will be more motivated to work if they are challenged into using several skill and abilities instead of one monotonous repetitive work.
Task Identity: The work output should be visible and the worker would experience more responsible if they were involved in the overall process of the work rather than just their part.
Task Significance: If the job influences other people’s lives for the better there is more significance to work and workers get job satisfaction a source of intrinsic motivation.
Autonomy: The authority and discretion to take decision and affect work output helps the worker feel accountable for their success and failure and strive to work better.
Feedback: Proper and timely feedback is vital for the staff to understand what they did right and what can be improved. Unbiased and constructive feedback informs the staff on how the work can be improved.
The psychological state that is contributed by the above mentioned factors are experiencing meaningfulness at work, experienced responsibilities for outcome at work and knowledge of results of work activities.
5. Implications of group activities
There are various different groups inside an organization. Humans have the nature to come together into groups and form formal and informal groups inside the organization and this influences the worker. Thus job design has to be aware of the interrelation and include these factors while designing job.
A lot of through has to be given to job design. Staff motivation, purpose of work, organization’s shared vision all are supported if the job is designed well and will eventually aid in the sustainability and growth.
References
Armstrong, M. (2012). Armstrong’s handbook of human resource management practices. London: Kogan Page.
Chris Ashton, L. M. (2005). Managing Talent for Competitive Advantage. Startegic HR Review, 4, No 5, pp 28-31.