design of jobs

8/3/2019 Design of Jobs

1/16


2/16

S.Mishra/SHRM/21.10.08

Design of Work Systems


3/16


Design of Work Systems

Job Specialization

Creates jobs with very narrow task (activity)assignments.

Resulted in high efficiency, quickly achieved job

competency, low training costs, but also createdmonotonous jobs.

Job Enlargement

An increase in task variety in an attempt to relieveboredom.

Job Rotation Employees are moved across different specialized

positions.


4/16


Design of Work Systems(contd) Job Enrichment

Increasing the amount of responsibility forquality and productivity that employees havefor their own work.

Vertical Loading

Is the reassignment of job responsibilityformerly delegated to the supervisor to theemployee.


5/16


Job Characteristic Model was developed by Hackman & Oldham.These characteristics are:

o Skill Variety:The extent to which the work requires several differentactivities for successful completion

o Task Identity: The extent to which the job includes a wholeidentifiable unit of work that is carried out from start to finish & thatresults in a visible outcome

o Task Significance: The impact the job has on other people

o Autonomy:The extent ofindividual freedom& discretion in the work &its scheduling

o Feedback: The amount of information received about how well or howpoorly one has performed


6/16



7/16


What Workers Need

Changing demographics and life styles

Worker needs vary by age, gender, race, religion,physical abilities, sexual orientation, and marital andfamily status.

Employee needs for work/life balance Workers are less committed to organizations today

but also suffer from burnout and lower performance.

Employee needs representation (voice)

Workers want to be involved in work-related issues

and expect the organization to listen to theirconcerns.

Employee concerns about safety in the workplace

Workers want a safe, hazard-free workingenvironment.


8/16


How Jobs Interface withOther Jobs Types of Task Interdependence

Pooled Interdependence

Individual employees work independently of each otherin performing tasks but utilize coordination of theiractivities.

Sequential Interdependence

The work in process flows from one individual toanother, where one individual depends on the timelycompletion of quality work for another coworker.

Reciprocal Interdependence

Workflow is not linear as in sequential interdependencebut random. Work flow responds to immediate situationand employees have joint and shared responsibilities forthe work.


9/16


Redesign of Work Systems

Current and future work systems are morebroadly defined and more closely related tostrategic choices made by management.

Workers are becoming more involved in thedesign and reengineering of their jobs.

Cross-function teams are strategicallybeneficial, but also create challenges ineffectively managing their activities.


10/16


Understanding Change

The pressure to change is constant.

Barriers to change:

Change involves disrupting the status quo and may be metwith resistance by both employees and managers.

Change comes with costs and the reallocation of resources.

Employees will resist change if they do not perceive a needto change work systems or see no benefits from change.

There is risk and uncertainty and no guarantee of increasedresults (performance, efficiency, or morale) in change

Poor coordination and communication can undermine changeinitiatives.


11/16


Managing Change

How to overcome resistance to change:

Promote and implement change so that it providesbenefits to those impacted by the change.

Involve employees in the change process so thattheir commitment to the change process facilitatesimplementation of the change process.

Change is facilitated by open, two-way

communication. Begin early before change decisionshave yet been made. Reduce apprehension, dispelrumors, increase trust and acceptance of change bykeeping employees informed and asking for theirinput.


12/16

Types of Teams

Special-

Purpose Team

Self-Directed

Team

Virtual

Team

-Consisting of members who spanfunc. & org. boundaries to

examine complex issues-QWL (Quality of Work Life)

Program Teams at Ford & GM

-Responsible for producing anEntire product, component & an

Ongoing service-use of these teams at Boeing to

reduce engineering problems

-that relies oninteractive

technology towork togetherwhen separatedby physicaldistance


13/16


Advantages Disadvantages

Improved productivity

Increased employee

involvement More widespread employee

learning

Greater employee ownership

of problems

Requires employees to be

group oriented

Not appropriate for most workin organizations

Can be overused

Difficult to measure team

performance

Individual compensation

interferes with team concept


14/16


Reading 6.1: Restructuring Teamsfor Re-engineered Organizations

U.S. and Japanese Culture Differences

Individualism versus Collectivism

Conflict and Conformity

Power and Authority

Time Orientation

Cultural and Demographic Homogeneity


15/16


Reading 6.2:HRM Outsourcing: TheMake or Buy Decision

Five competitive forces drivingorganizations to outsource HRactivities:

Downsizing Rapid growth or decline

Globalization

Increased competition Restructuring


16/16


Reading 6.2:HRM Outsourcing:The Make or Buy Decision

Operational Rationales for Outsourcing:

Size of the HR function in the organization. Small firmslack resources and large firms gain economies of scale.

Specialized HR expertise and objectivity; also reduced

liability and risk for the employer through the use ofoutside specialists in legally sensitive HR areas.

Innovations and economies of scale in HRIS technologyused by outside vendors that simplify transactions andreduce HR costs.

Time-sensitive issues that are better handled byoutsourcing.

Temporary or cyclical increases in HR needs.

design of jobs

Documents