What is job analysis?
Job analysis is the methodical process of compiling all relevant data on a particular job, such as skill requirements, roles, duties, and procedures, to produce a reliable job description. The job analysis also provides a summary of the physical, emotional, and related human traits needed to carry out the job successfully.
A crucial step in choosing the best applicant is conducting a job analysis. An employer can choose compensation and benefits, manage performance, and more with the assistance of a job analysis. Knowing exactly what is expected of them will aid the staff members.
Job analysis aids in the organization’s understanding of the duties that must be carried out by each job and the qualifications that each employee must meet to accomplish their duties. The organization gains a better understanding of the abilities needed for each job as well as the training required to impart those abilities to new hires who wish to fill that position. Additionally, it aids in the organization’s understanding of the shortcomings of the organization’s current job descriptions and the advantages of a new job description under consideration.
What are the 5 steps in job analysis?
Performing a job analysis is no small undertaking. It starts with getting real-time insight into a position and ends with a more coherent and aligned company:
1. Gather Data
First, you must take the time to understand the ins and outs of the role. Depending on which information-gathering approach you want to take, book your meetings or build your surveys to send out to current and former workers who held or hold that position, as well as the managers involved.
Here are a few questions and topics you should uncover in your fact-finding mission:
- What are the skills, knowledge, and expertise required to perform the job well?
- Is it an entry-level, intermediate, or senior position?
- How are workers within this role considered for promotion?
- What’s included in the onboarding and training process?
- How can an employee in this job advance in the company?
- What training programs can someone in this role benefit from?
- How is an employee’s performance measured?
- What machinery and equipment are used in the role?
- What skills or certifications are required to perform this role correctly and safely?
- What are the working conditions for someone in this role? How does that impact the employee?
- Who else does an employee in this role interact with?
- How and by whom will they be supervised?
- How does this role impact the company’s finances and budgeting?
2. Review Inefficiencies
Most jobs aren’t analyzed frequently enough to keep up with technological advancements, changing responsibilities, and team developments. Review the current job description with a worker or manager to determine how the role has changed:
- Do they no longer complete certain tasks?
- Have they taken on new tasks and responsibilities?
- Have the programs or tools they use changed?
- Are there skill gaps that need to be addressed?
- How can the workload, processes, or employee experience be improved?
3. Research Industry Standards
Similar roles can be found across companies and industries, and while yours will be unique, you can always learn a little something from the other guy. Review multiple job descriptions similar to the one you’re analyzing to see what other companies include and how you can improve it to attract talent.
TIP: Search on Google, LinkedIn, Glassdoor, recruiting websites, and competitors’ careers pages to compile multiple sources.
4. Draft The Description
Based on the information you’ve gathered, you should now be able to draft the ideal job description. Here’s what it should cover:
What To Include and Why It Matters
a) Outcomes
Outline the expectations you have for the worker who takes on this role. This can be set goals and objectives within a period or how the role fits into the company’s overall mission.
b) Skills, Training, And Competencies
What tasks, responsibilities, tools, programs, or industries should someone in this role have experience in? Are there a certain number of years of experience that would give them the expertise desired?
c) Behavioral And Cultural Alignment
The best candidate should possess the right set of skills for the job, but they should also share similar values with your company and have a personality type that aligns with the role. Do they need to be autonomous or a natural leader? Should they be data-oriented, or are you looking for someone with a creative spirit?
d) Salary Bands
If your company boasts a transparent and accountable workplace culture, you should openly share salary bands and pay expectations. To set a salary band, consider the skills and training required for the role, the responsibilities involved, your competitors’ salaries, and your company’s established salary brackets for other comparable roles.
5. Formalization
Once you’ve completed your job analysis and corresponding description, review them with a worker and manager familiar with the role. After approval, formalize the documents according to your company’s established processes and make the information easily accessible for those that need it.