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WORK DESIGN AND STRUCTURE
Learning Objectives
LO 4-1 Analyze an organization’s structure and work-flow
process, identifying the output, activities, and inputs in
the production of a product or service.
LO 4-2 Understand the importance of job analysis in strategic
human resource management.
LO 4-3 Choose the right job analysis technique for a variety of
human resource activities.
LO 4-4 Identify the tasks performed and the skills required in
a given job.
LO 4-5 Understand the different approaches to job design.
LO 4-6 Comprehend the trade-offs among the various
approaches to designing jobs.
Introduction
No “one best way” to design jobs and structure
organizations.
Organizations need to create a fit between environment,
competitive strategy, and philosophy and its jobs and
organizational design.
Failing to design effective organizations and jobs has
important implications for competitiveness.
Work-Flow Analysis and Organization Structure
Work-Flow Design
• Important in understanding how to bundle tasks into
discrete jobs
Organization Structure
• Need to understand how jobs at different levels relate
Work-Flow Analysis
• A means to understand all tasks required to produce
high-quality products, and the skills necessary to perform
those tasks
Figure 4.1 Developing a Work–Unit Activity Analysis
•
Must decided whether to produce whole output or
just parts
Analyzing work processes
• Determine how output is generated (operating
procedures)
• Team-based job design
• Efficiency experts can improve work-flow processes
• Lean production
Employee Motivation
This job may look tedious or possibly even uninteresting.
Considering how to engage employees in seeing the benefits
of their work outside of the lab is an important way to
motivate them through their day.
Work-Flow Analysis
• Analyzing work inputs
• Raw materials
• Just-in-time inventory
• Equipment
• Technology improves human operators
• Human skills
Organization Structure
• Dimensions of structure
• Centralization
• Departmentalization
• Structural configurations
• Functional structure
• High levels of centralization
• Very efficient with little redundancy
• Divisional structure
• Low levels of centralization
• More flexible and innovative
• Not efficient
The Functional Structure
Divisional Structure: Product Structure
Divisional Structure: Geographic Structure
Divisional Structure: Client Structure
What is the Span of Control?
Ø The number of people who report to one manager in a
hierarchy
Ø The more people under the control of one manager – the
wider the span of control
Ø Less means a narrower span of control
Work-Flow Analysis
• Analyzing work outputs
• Can be a product or service
• Must also specify standards for quantity or quality
of outputs
• Can create challenges for how to efficiently
process inputs to generate outputs
Organization Structure
• Variations in an organization’s structure
• Keep subunits small
• Divisional structures more flexible and innovative
but not very efficient
• May not make decisions in best interests of
the company
• In functional structures, there can be a disconnect
between perceived needs of front-line workers and
management
• Little opportunity for self-cannibalization or
rogue units
• Most appropriate in stable, predictable
environments
• “Middle-of-the-road” approach
•
Structure and the nature of jobs
• Jobs in functional structures need to be narrow and
highly specialized.
• Managers of divisional structures often need to be
more experienced or high in cognitive ability
relative to managers of functional structures.
Table 4.2 Overall Dimensions of the Position Analysis
Questionnaire
Decision/communication/general responsibilities
Clerical/related activities
Technical/related activities
Service/related activities
Job Analysis
The Importance of Job Analysis
• Work redesign
• Human resource planning
• Selection
• Training and development
• Performance appraisal
• Career planning
• Job evaluation
The Importance of Job Analysis to Line Managers
• Must have detailed information about all jobs in work
group to understand work-flow process
• Need to understand the job requirements to make
intelligent hiring decisions
• Are responsible for ensuring each individual is
performing satisfactorily
• Must ensure work is being done safely
Job Analysis Information
• Nature of information
• Job descriptions
• Tasks, duties, and responsibilities (TDRs)
• Need effective balance between breadth and
specificity
• Job specifications
• Knowledge, skills, abilities, and other
characteristics (KSAOs)
• Not directly observable
• Sources of job analysis information
• Subject-matter experts
• Job incumbent
• Supervisors
• Social networks
• Other sources: customers, external job analysts
Job Analysis
Job Analysis Methods
• Position Analysis Questionnaire (PAQ)
• Information input
• Mental processes
• Work output
• Relationships with other persons
• Job context
• Other characteristics
Regular day schedule versus other work schedules
Routine/repetitive work activities
Environmental awareness
General physical activities
Supervising/coordinating other personnel
Public/customer/related contact activities
Unpleasant/hazardous/demanding environment
Nontypical work schedules
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Job Analysis
Job Analysis Methods
• The Occupational Information Network (O*NET)
• Uses a common language that generalizes across
jobs to describe abilities, work styles, work
activities, and work context required for various
occupations
• Criticized for being poorly coordinated and
redundant and laced with jargon that is difficult for
nonspecialists to understand
• Accurately describes literacy requirements for jobs
Dynamic Elements of Job Analysis
• Jobs change and evolve over time
• Job analysis process must also detect changes in
nature of jobs
• “Jobs” being replaced by “gigs”
• Workers act as private contractors
Job Design
• Process of defining how work will be performed and
tasks required in a given job
• Job redesign
• Changing tasks or way work is performed in existing
job
• Four basic approaches
1. Mechanistic Approach
• Identify simplest way to structure work to maximize
efficiency
• Scientific management
• Workers are trained in the “one best way” to
do job, then selected on their ability to do the
job
• Monetary incentives
• Reduces need for high-ability individuals
2. Motivational Approach
• Focuses on psychological and motivational
potential of a job
• Attitudinal variables are most important
• Job Characteristics Model
• Skill variety
• Task identity
• Autonomy
• Feedback
• Task significance
• Job gentrification
Job Characteristics Model
Core Job
Characteristics
Critical
Psychological
States
Skill variety
Task identity
Task significance
Meaningfulness
Autonomy
Responsibility
General
satisfaction
Feedback
from job
Knowledge
of results
Work
effectiveness
Outcomes
Work
motivation
Growth
satisfaction
Individual
differences
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3.
4.
Biological Approach
• Goal is to minimize physical strain by structuring the
physical work environment around how the body
works
• Also called ergonomics
• Applied to redesigning equipment for jobs that are
physically demanding
• Sitting or standing for long periods can be
damaging
• Has positive psychological effects by providing
climate that values safety and health
Perceptual-Motor Approach
• Design jobs that don’t exceed people’s mental
capabilities and limitations
• Based on least capable worker
• Information overload can detract from
performance
• Absence presence results when interacting
with multiple media
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