EOM-07_Job Design and Work Schedules

7/30/2019 EOM-07_Job Design and Work Schedules

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CHAPTER 5

Job Design andWork Schedules



5-2

Learning Objectives

1 Identify the major dimensions of job design.

2 Describe job enrichment, including the jobcharacteristics model.

3 Describe job involvement, enlargement, and rotation.

4 Explain how workers use job crafting to modify their jobs.

5 Illustrate how ergonomic factors can be part of jobdesign.

6 Summarize the various modified work schedules.



5-3

1. Major Dimensions Of Job Design

a. Job design: The process of laying out job

responsibilities and duties and describinghow they are to be performed.



5-4

b. Major Dimensions Of Job Design

i. Task Characteristics

Work-scheduling autonomy

Decision-making autonomy

Work-methods autonomy

Task variety

Task significance Task identity

Feedback from the job

ii. Knowledge Characteristics

Job complexity

Information processing

Problem solving

Skill variety

Specialization

i. Social Characteristics

Social support

Initiated interdependence

Received interdependence

Interaction outside

organization Feedback from others

ii. Contextual

Characteristics Ergonomics

Physical demands

Work conditions

Equipment use



5-5

c. Job Specialization and Job Design

A major consideration in job design is howspecialized the jobholder must be.

Job specialization is the degree to which a jobholder performs only a limited number of tasks.

High occupational-level versus first occupational-level specialists

A generalized job requires the handling of many different tasks.

Top-level versus first occupational-level generalist

Advantages and Disadvantages of JobSpecialization

Automation and Job Specialization



5-6

d. Job Description and Job Design

Before choosing a job design, managersand human resource professionalsdevelop a job description.

The job description is a written

statement of the key features of a joband the activities required to perform iteffectively.


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2. Job Enrichment And The JobCharacteristics Model

Job enrichment is an approach to includingmore challenge and responsibility in jobs to makethem more appealing to most employees.

At its best, job enrichment gives workers a senseof ownership, responsibility, and accountability fortheir work.

The general approach to enriching a job is to buildinto it more planning and decision making,controlling, and responsibility.



Characteristics and Consequencesof an Enriched Job

Characteristics1. Direct feedback

2. Client relationships

3. New learning

4. Control over method

5. Control over scheduling

6. Unique experience

7. Control over resources

8. Direct communicationauthority

9. Personal accountability

Increased jobsatisfaction andproductivity

Consequences



Job Characteristics Model: a method of job enrichment thatfocuses on the task and interpersonal dimensions of a job

Strength of employee growth

need

Core JobCharacteristics

CriticalPsychological

StatesOutcomes

Experiencedmeaningfulness of work

Experiencedresponsibility forwork outcomes

Knowledge of actual results of work activities

Skill variety

Task identity Task significance

Autonomy

Feedback from job

High internalwork motivation

High general jobsatisfaction

High “growth”satisfaction

Low turnover andabsenteeism

High-quality work performance



3. Job Involvement, Enlargement, andRotation

Three less complicated procedures which can be used toimprove the motivational aspects of job design.

Job Rotation Temporary switching of job assignments

Job 1 Job 2 Job 3 Job 4

Job Enlargement Increasing the number and variety of

tasks within a job

6 tasks10

tasks

Job I nvolvement Degree to which individuals identify

psychologically with their work



How Involved Are You?



4. Job Crafting And Job Design

Job crafting refers to the physical and mental changesindividuals make in the task or relationship aspects of their job. The most frequent purpose of crafting is tomake the job more meaningful or enriched.

Three common types of job crafting include

i. the number and types of job tasks,

ii. the interactions with others on the job,

iii. one’s view of the job.



Job embeddedness

Job embeddedness refers to the array of forcesattaching people to their jobs.

Three dimensions are included in job

embeddedness. First are links —the formal or informal connections to

people in the organization or community.

Second is sacrifice, the perceived cost of material or

psychological benefits you would forfeit if you left the job.

Third is fit, compatibility, or comfort with theorganizational environment and the external

environment.



5. Ergonomics And Job Design

A key principle of job design is that the job should be laid outto decrease the chances that it will physically harm theincumbent.

Ergonomics is the science of fitting the worker to the job.Ergonomics seeks to minimize the physical demands onworkers and optimize system performance, and therefore hasconsiderable relevance to job design.

Typical problems:

Musculoskeletal Disorders Including Carpal Tunnel Syndrome

Back Problems

Noise Problems



Ergonomics (cont.)

Three principles of ergonomics are recommendedwhen designing jobs:

Workers should be able to adopt several different posturesthat are safe and comfortable.

Workers who exert muscular force should be encouraged touse the largest muscle groups (such as using the legs andbody to help lift a box rather than only the arms).

Whenever possible, workers should be able to perform

regular work activities in the middle range of jointmovement



Steps Involved in the Ergonomic Design of Jobs

• Analyze each job with an eye towardpossible hazards on the job.

• Install equipment that minimizesawkward hand and body movements.

• Encourage workers to take frequent breaks;rotate jobs so repetitive movements are reduced.

•Use voice recognition systems to substitute for keyboardingwhere feasible, especially for repetitive functions.

• Find ways to use both hands equally. Use the mouse less

and key commands more.



6. Modified Work Schedules

Any formal departure from the traditional

hours of work, excluding shift work andstaggered work hours.

Modified work schedules potentially increase job satisfaction and motivation and attract

workers who prefer to avoid a traditionalschedule.

Modified work schedules are popular with thephysically disabled because the rigors of commuting may decrease.

Many single parents need flexible hours to copewith childcare.

Flexible working hours are popular with manyemployees, and working at home continues to gainpopularity with a subset of the workforce.



Types of Modified Work Schedules

Flexibleworking

hours

Alternativeworkplace andtelecommuting

Compressedwork week

Sharingoffice space

and hoteling

Job sharing

Part-time andtemporary

work



A Typical Flexible-Working-Hours Schedule


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Homework for group presentation

Prepare for a 15 minute grouppresentation on Case Problem 7-A: “The Sub Shop Blues” , page 260:

Describe shortly the case problem

Answer all questions in the case problem

Email your files to the lecturer

EOM-07_Job Design and Work Schedules

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