Human Resource Management
Chapter: 02. HRP and Job Analysis
Human Resource Planning
Human Resource Planning is the combination of two terms such as Human Resource and Planning.
It is the process of planning about human resources. The process of determining of organization’s
human needs is called Human Resource Planning. The process by which an organization ensures
that it has the right number and kind of people in the right places at the right time who are capable
of performing their assign job efficiently and effectively.
Linking Organizational Strategy to Human Resource Planning
To ensure that appropriate personnel are available to meet the requirements set during the strategic
planning process, human resource managers engage in employment planning. The purpose of this
planning effort is to determine what HRM requirements exist for current and future supplies and
demands for workers. For example, if a company has set as one of its goals to expand its production
capabilities over the next five years, such action will require that skilled employees be available
to handle the jobs. After this assessment, employment planning matches the supplies and demands
for labor, supporting the people component.
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1. Assessing current Human Resources
Assessing current human resources begins by developing a profile of organizations current
employees. This is an internal analysis that includes information about the workers and the skills
they currently possess. From a planning viewpoint, this input is valuable in determining what skills
are currently available in the organization. The profile of the human resource inventory serves as
a guide for supporting new organizational pursuits or in altering the organization’s strategic
direction. This report also has value in other HRM activities, such as selection individuals
for training and development, promotion, and transfers.
2. Determining the Demand for Labor
Once an assessment of the organization’s current human resources situation has been made and
the future direction of the organizations has been considered, a projection of future human
resource needs can be developed.
3. Estimating the Future Supply of Labor
Estimating changes in internal supply requires the HR to look at those factors that can either
increase or decrease its employee base. An increase in the supply of any units’ human
resources can come from a combination of four sources, new hires, contingent workers, transfers
in, or individuals returning from leaves. Decreases in the internal supply can come about through
retirements, dismissals, transfers out of the unit, layoffs, voluntary quits, sabbaticals, prolonged
illnesses or deaths. HRM manager should consider these increases and decreases to estimate the
future supply of labor.
4. Estimated Changes in Future Supply
There are some factors outside the organization that influence the supply of available workers. We
should review these changes outside the organization to estimate changes in the future supply.
5. Matching the Demand and Supply of Labor
The objective of human resource planning is to bring together the forecasts of future demand for
workers and the supply for human resources, both current and future. The result of this effort is to.
Pinpoint shortages both in number and in kind, to highlight areas where over staffing may exist.
Objectives of Human Resource Planning
1. Consistency of action 6. Opportunity to locate talents and skilled person
2. Continuity of action 7. Eliminating all types of wastage
3. Achieving the target 8. Optimum utilization of human resource
4. Career growth and development 9. Coordinating different personal programs
5. Minimization of cost 10. Development of confidence
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Factors affecting in HRP
1. Organizational growth cycle and planning 6. Type and quality of forecasting information
2. Environmental uncertainties 7. Strategy of the organization
3. Level or nature of outsourcing
4. Time horizons
5. Nature of jobs being field
Human Resource Information System
A human resource information system (HRIS) is a systematic procedure for collecting, storing,
maintaining, retrieving, and validating data needed by an organization about its human resources.
The HRIS is usually a part of the organization’s larger management information system (MIS).
The HRIS need not to be complex or even computerized.
Steps in Implementing an HRIS
1. Inception of data 8. Tailoring the system
2. Feasibility study 9. Collecting the data
3. Selecting a project team 10. Testing the system
4. Defining the requirements 11. Starting up
5. Vendor analysis 12. Running in parallel
6. Package contract negotiation 13. Maintenance
7. Training 14. Evaluation
Job Analysis
Job analysis is the process of collecting job related information. Such information helps in the
preparation of job description and job specification. The process of fixing up minimum
requirements, duties & responsibilities and wages or value of the job is known as job analysis.
Job analysis is the combination of three terms:
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1. Job Specification
The capabilities that the job-holder should possess form part of job specification. Education,
experience, training, judgement, skills, communication and the like are a part of job specification.
In short, minimum requirement of the job is called job specification. Job specification is also
known as employee specifications, a job specification is a written statement of educational
qualifications, specific qualities, level of experience, physical, emotional, technical and
communication skills required to perform a job, responsibilities involved in a job and other unusual
sensory demands. It also includes general health, mental health, intelligence, aptitude, memory,
judgment, leadership skills, emotional ability, adaptability, flexibility, values and ethics, manners
and creativity, etc.
2. Job Description
Job description involves- tasks and responsibilities tagged on to a job, job tittle, duties, machine,
tools and equipment, working conditions and hazards form part of job description. In short, duties
and responsibilities of the job is known as job description. Job description includes basic job-
related data that is useful to advertise a specific job and attract a pool of talent. It includes
information such as job title, job location, reporting to and of employees, job summary, nature and
objectives of a job, tasks and duties to be performed, working conditions, machines, tools and
equipment to be used by a prospective worker and hazards involved in it.
3. Job Evaluation
The job evaluation process starts with defining objectives of evaluation and ends with establishing
wage and salary differentials. In short, fixing up the minimum worth or value of the job is called
job evaluation. Job Evaluation is a systematic process of determining the worth of one job in
relation to another job in the organization. During job evaluation, the relative worth of various jobs
are assessed so that wages can be paid depending upon the worth of the job. To improve the
performance and maintain the high level of efficiency in work, employee should be compensated
with wages and salaries depending upon the job he/she is performing.
Importance of Job Analysis
1. Specifying the minimum requirement
2. To know the potential candidates about duties and responsibilities
3. To fix up the compensation
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4. To reduce turnover
5. Maintaining the organization’s discipline
6. To minimize the cost of training
7. Retaining trained and expert employee
8. Minimizing the wastage of resources
9. Getting optimum productivity
10. Selecting the most suitable candidate
Steps of Job Analysis
1. Defining the Objectives: The foremost step in the process of job analysis is defining the
objective of the job analysis. The objective could be either of the following:
Redesign the job description
Revise the compensation program
Change the organization structure
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Redesign the job in a particular department. Once the objective is selected, it should be
well communicated to the top management because with its support only, the changes can
be made in the organization.
2. Preparing the job Analysis: After setting an objective, the kind of jobs that are to be analyzed
are selected, whether the clerical jobs, managerial jobs, division specific job, etc. Also, the
members who are included in the analysis and the methods to be used are identified. At this stage,
the complete review of the existing job description is done to have a fair insight of the duties,
responsibilities, organization chart, working conditions, hazards, etc. that exist in a particular set
of jobs.
3. Performing the Job Analysis: The next stage in the process of job analysis is to perform or
begin with the job analysis. Here, the sufficient time should be allotted for collecting the job details
from the employees. The information from the employees can be collected through questionnaires,
interviews, or through an observation method. Once the information gets collected it needs to be
sorted on the basis of its nature, division, and department.
4. Designing Job Descriptions and Job Specifications: At this stage, the job analyst prepares a
draft of the job description and the specifications. After sorting of the information, the changes
that need to be made in the jobs is identified and is written on paper. Once the draft gets prepared,
it is circulated to the managers, supervisors, and the employees.
5. Control Job Descriptions and Job Specifications: This is the last step in the process of job
analysis wherein the job descriptions, and the specifications are timely checked and modified
according to the changing needs of the organization.
The job analysis results in the job description and the job specification. The Job description
comprises of job duties, the level of responsibilities, working conditions, etc. and whereas the job
specification tells about the skills, education, background, qualification, training, and
communication skills required to perform a specific job.
Methods of Job Analysis
1. Observation
A job analyst observes an employee and records all his performed and non-performed task,
fulfilled and un-fulfilled responsibilities and duties, methods, ways and skills used by him or her
to perform various duties and his or her mental or emotional ability to handle challenges and risks.
However, it seems one of the easiest methods to analyze a specific job but truth is that it is the
most difficult one. (Data are gathered by watching employees’ work)
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2. Individual interview
In this method, an employee is interviewed so that he or she comes up with their own working
styles, problems faced by them, use of particular skills and techniques while performing their job
and insecurities and fears about their careers. This method helps interviewer know what exactly
an employee thinks about his or her own job and responsibilities involved in it. It involves analysis
of job by employee himself. In order to generate honest and true feedback or collect genuine data,
questions asked during the interview should be carefully decided. And to avoid errors, it is always
good to interview more than one individual to get a pool of responses. Then it can be generalized
and used for the whole group. (Face to face conversation)
3. Questionnaire
Another commonly used job analysis method is getting the questionnaires filled from employees,
their superiors and managers. However, this method also suffers from personal biasness. A great
care should be takes while framing questions for different grades of employees. (A structured form
of questions designed to collect information)
4. Diary
The diary method requires incumbents to record their daily activities. Under this method the
employees are asked to record day-to-day activities in a diary. This serves as a good source of
information but lot of time is required to maintain the correct information on the part of the
employee. This is the most time consuming of the job analysis methods and may extend over long
periods of time- all adding to its cost. (Maintaining a diary system to record day to day activities
of employees)
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Employee Turnover
When employees leave from the organization and have to be replaced is called employee turnover.
That means the number or percentage of workers who leave an organization and are replaced by
new employees.
Reasons of Employee Turnover
1. Compensation and responsibilities
2. Mismatch between expectation and reality
3. Mismatch between the job requirement and capabilities
4. Organizations terms and condition is not good
5. Poor working environment
6. Ambitious employee and better opportunity
7. Career paths, growth, and development are not specified
Job Design
The arrangement or rearrangement of duties and responsibilities for a specific position is known
as job design. It involves conscious effort to organize task, duties and responsibilities into a unit
of work to achieve certain objective. Job design in HRM can be understood as the process through
which the job process is defined, the work of the group is organized, which involves structuring
the workplace on the basis of the job analysis. An HR manager should have a keen interest in the
design and specification of individual jobs within the organization.
Techniques or Approaches of Job Design
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1. Job Rotation
Job rotation is the lateral shift of the job role or positions, it happens between the job levels, and it
cannot be mistakenly considered a promotion. As it does not help the person to move up the ladder
of his/her career. It is done on a temporary basis where employees are moved back to their previous
job after a stipulated time (Sequential movement of employees from one job to another job)
2. Job Simplification
It is the process where a few tasks are removed from the job to make the job more focused on the
main job. The aim behind this method is to initiate improved work methods that can maximize the
output along with minimizing expenses and costs.
3. Job Enlargement
Job enlargement as the name suggests is about adding more responsibilities or activities in the
same job to the employee. This means that employees will do different activities in the job that
eliminates the boredom that the employee was going through, and it also eliminated the
monotonous work of the employee. (Horizontal expansion of job duties and responsibilities)
4. Job Enrichment
This is the method where the motivators are added to the existing job. Like adding skill variety,
extra tasks, giving feedback, meaning to the job, and increasing autonomy. Through this method,
the job is made more meaningful for the employee. (Vertical expansion of job duties and
responsibilities)
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