A recent survey by the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) found that 70% of HR professionals think unclear job roles cause confusion and inefficiency at work. The report concluded that if everyone in a company understood what their job role is about, it would lead to greater employee satisfaction and retention.
According to Mara Marino, vice president of compensation consulting at Salary.com, job analysis is a systematic process used to fully determine the duties and requirements of a job. This means analyzing job requirements, responsibilities, tasks and workflows of an individual role. Once this is done, HR professionals can understand which skills and qualifications are necessary to perform the job effectively.
A job analysis requires HR practitioners to conduct interviews and make observations.
“This enables them to gain a comprehensive picture of what the job requirements demand from employees in a role,” Marino said. “By conducting a thorough job analysis, you can find and hire the best candidates to fill the role in question.”
Rather than just doing it once or twice, Marino said a job analysis should be done for every role in an organization. Conducting a regular job analysis can:
Marino also said an effective analysis includes a thorough review of the job description. She suggests gathering information through interviews, questionnaires or observation of employees doing the job.
“The final report should give anyone who reads it a comprehensive understanding of the job requirements and responsibilities.” Marino said. “Employers can then use this job analysis for purposes such as recruiting, training and performance management.”
To learn more about conducting an effective job analysis, check out this guide from Salary.com.
