Job DesignJob Design

By: Amy MedicaBy: Amy Medica

What Will Be CoveredWhat Will Be Covered

• The topicThe topic• The toolsThe tools• BrainstormingBrainstorming• Inner workingsInner workings• How it worksHow it works• A real world exampleA real world example• An exerciseAn exercise• SummarySummary

What is Job Design?What is Job Design?

• By using a variety of tools and By using a variety of tools and techniques we try to find the best way to techniques we try to find the best way to keep employees satisfied while keep employees satisfied while maintaining as high as possible maintaining as high as possible productivity, monetary or otherwise.productivity, monetary or otherwise.

Job DesignJob Design

• What is the goal of Job design?What is the goal of Job design?• The goal is job satisfaction, it is the key The goal is job satisfaction, it is the key

to successful job design. Everything is to successful job design. Everything is contingent upon job satisfaction.contingent upon job satisfaction.

The Topic The Topic

• We will engineer a job design by using We will engineer a job design by using previous work experiences. previous work experiences.

• We will briefly discuss the resistance to We will briefly discuss the resistance to change. And discuss a few of the pros change. And discuss a few of the pros and cons of our actions.and cons of our actions.

The ToolsThe Tools

• Job enlargementJob enlargement• Job rotationJob rotation• Job enrichmentJob enrichment• Skill varietySkill variety

The Tools cont’The Tools cont’

• Task varietyTask variety• Task significanceTask significance• CompensationCompensation• Autonomy: level of freedomAutonomy: level of freedom• Feedback: lucid communication on Feedback: lucid communication on

performanceperformance

Brainstorming ExerciseBrainstorming Exercise

• Break up into groups of three to Break up into groups of three to five people.five people.– Designate a note taker.Designate a note taker.– Choose one person to speak for the group.Choose one person to speak for the group.

Brainstorming cont’Brainstorming cont’

• Discuss your past jobs, specifically Discuss your past jobs, specifically those that you did not like.those that you did not like.– Choose one job from the entire group Choose one job from the entire group

that was or is most disliked.that was or is most disliked.– That job is going to be the focal point That job is going to be the focal point

of your brainstorming session.of your brainstorming session.

Brainstorming cont’Brainstorming cont’

• Use your imagination…Use your imagination…– Why did you dislike this job?Why did you dislike this job?– What were some of the negative effects of What were some of the negative effects of

working in an unsatisfying job?working in an unsatisfying job?• i.e. absenteeism, tardiness, sub-par-productivity, i.e. absenteeism, tardiness, sub-par-productivity,

depression, sore back, etc…depression, sore back, etc…

– Did other employees feel the same way you Did other employees feel the same way you did?did?

Brainstorming cont’Brainstorming cont’

– How do you think your performance as well How do you think your performance as well as those around you affected the company?as those around you affected the company?

– What did you like about this job?What did you like about this job?• Keep this in mind for later.Keep this in mind for later.

– Narrow down your dislikes to list of four.Narrow down your dislikes to list of four.

Brainstorming cont’Brainstorming cont’

• Solutions to your dissatisfaction…Solutions to your dissatisfaction…– Brainstorm on some ideas that would Brainstorm on some ideas that would

improve this job?improve this job?– Let your imagination flow; do not Let your imagination flow; do not

censor your ideas, creativity is key.censor your ideas, creativity is key.

Brainstorming cont’Brainstorming cont’

• Narrow down your ideas.Narrow down your ideas.– Discard the ideas that you all agree Discard the ideas that you all agree

are not usable; use your best are not usable; use your best judgment.judgment.

– Choose four ideas from these.Choose four ideas from these.

• Compare your four solutions to Compare your four solutions to your four dislikes.your four dislikes.– Did you discover four solutions?Did you discover four solutions?

Brainstorming cont’Brainstorming cont’

• Implementing your solutions, the pros Implementing your solutions, the pros and cons…and cons…– Discuss amongst yourselves how you are Discuss amongst yourselves how you are

going to implement these changes.going to implement these changes.– Do you think you can design a satisfying job Do you think you can design a satisfying job

with this new information?with this new information?– Will the employees accept your new idea?Will the employees accept your new idea?– What are some of the monetary and mental What are some of the monetary and mental

difficulties of implementation?difficulties of implementation?• i.e. Learning curves will initially slow down i.e. Learning curves will initially slow down

production. production.

Brainstorming cont’Brainstorming cont’

• Keep in mind your solutions as we Keep in mind your solutions as we go through the rest of the go through the rest of the presentation.presentation.– At the end of the session we will At the end of the session we will

compare your solutions with some of compare your solutions with some of the Job Design topics that follow.the Job Design topics that follow.

Nuts and BoltsNuts and Bolts

• Job enlargement involves adding Job enlargement involves adding more tasks(variety), ideally the more tasks(variety), ideally the worker could do all the tasks worker could do all the tasks involved. This keeps thing involved. This keeps thing interesting.interesting.

• Job rotation is exactly that. It Job rotation is exactly that. It requires skill variety. requires skill variety.

Nuts and Bolts cont’Nuts and Bolts cont’

• Job enrichment gives the employee Job enrichment gives the employee more responsibility, thus creating a more responsibility, thus creating a greater level of freedom or autonomy. greater level of freedom or autonomy.

• Compensation doesn’t play as large of a Compensation doesn’t play as large of a part in job satisfaction as we might part in job satisfaction as we might think, but it does play a part. We want think, but it does play a part. We want to be paid fairly, whether it is profit to be paid fairly, whether it is profit sharing, salary, commission, or piece sharing, salary, commission, or piece rate.rate.

How It WorksHow It Works

• Plain and simplePlain and simple– A happy employee is a productive A happy employee is a productive

employee, satisfaction equals production.employee, satisfaction equals production.

• It works byIt works by– Balancing the organization’s goal(s) with the Balancing the organization’s goal(s) with the

employees wants and needs, thereby employees wants and needs, thereby designing a job that creates job satisfaction, designing a job that creates job satisfaction, which should increase production which should increase production (companies goal) and satisfy the employee.(companies goal) and satisfy the employee.

A Real World ExampleA Real World Example

• Visioneering LLC is a new computer Visioneering LLC is a new computer animation company with three animation company with three employees. Each employee knows his employees. Each employee knows his or her specific job, however, they have or her specific job, however, they have been running into a few problems. been running into a few problems.

Visioneering LLCVisioneering LLC

• The problemThe problem– They all speak a different computer language, the They all speak a different computer language, the

language of their software. language of their software. – Each employee is trained to use a particular piece of Each employee is trained to use a particular piece of

software. Jason knows how to do computer modeling software. Jason knows how to do computer modeling using 3D studio. Ted knows how to use adobe using 3D studio. Ted knows how to use adobe premier. Christa knows a little of both, but most of premier. Christa knows a little of both, but most of her time is spent running the business. her time is spent running the business.

– Lack of concise communication stalls the work Lack of concise communication stalls the work process. process.

Visioneering LLCVisioneering LLC

• The solution The solution – Have everyone trained on all the software, job Have everyone trained on all the software, job

enlargement. enlargement.

• What changed?What changed?– The first noticeable change wasn’t clearer The first noticeable change wasn’t clearer

communication, although that was solved. What communication, although that was solved. What really took them by surprise was how much quicker really took them by surprise was how much quicker they could get a project done.they could get a project done.

– They now had more immediate access to information. They now had more immediate access to information.

Visioneering LLCVisioneering LLC

– If Jason couldn’t figure out how to do something with If Jason couldn’t figure out how to do something with the software he could easily ask Christa or Ted; the software he could easily ask Christa or Ted; between the three of them they rarely had to take between the three of them they rarely had to take the time to search reference books, or the internet, the time to search reference books, or the internet, which takes considerable amounts of time.which takes considerable amounts of time.

– If a project needed more computer animation they If a project needed more computer animation they could all work on it.could all work on it.

– This balanced the work load, and kept one person This balanced the work load, and kept one person from feeling like they are doing all the work.from feeling like they are doing all the work.

Visioneering LLCVisioneering LLC

• Now they each have a greater Now they each have a greater appreciation for what the others do, job appreciation for what the others do, job enrichment.enrichment.

• Collaboration has helped move from one Collaboration has helped move from one part of a project to another with greater part of a project to another with greater efficiency.efficiency.

• Due to their greater efficiency they no Due to their greater efficiency they no longer have as much stress about longer have as much stress about deadlines.deadlines.

An ExerciseAn Exercise

• Find one thing in your life that you wish you Find one thing in your life that you wish you could do better or more often then apply one or could do better or more often then apply one or two of the job design tools to it.two of the job design tools to it.

• For example, Sarah likes the idea of being able For example, Sarah likes the idea of being able to play the guitar. She has tried teaching to play the guitar. She has tried teaching herself in the past, now her guitar has become herself in the past, now her guitar has become a dust collecting device.a dust collecting device.

• A few things she didn’t have in the past were A few things she didn’t have in the past were variety, feedback, and enrichment. variety, feedback, and enrichment.

ExerciseExercise

• A few simple changes and she was A few simple changes and she was on her way again.on her way again.– First, she joined with a few friends First, she joined with a few friends

who play the guitar; They get together who play the guitar; They get together every Thursday evening.every Thursday evening.

– Second, her friends show her new Second, her friends show her new things to try; This variety keeps things things to try; This variety keeps things fresh and exciting.fresh and exciting.

ExerciseExercise– Third, she has more motivation to practice throughout the week Third, she has more motivation to practice throughout the week

because she wants to share her improvements with her friends. because she wants to share her improvements with her friends. – Fourth, their feedback as well as her feedback make learning the guitar Fourth, their feedback as well as her feedback make learning the guitar

that much more enriching, enrichment through praise and results.that much more enriching, enrichment through praise and results.

• Take this exercise home and put it to work; Try it for yourself.Take this exercise home and put it to work; Try it for yourself.

• What does it all get back to?What does it all get back to?– Employee satisfaction…Employee satisfaction…– Successful job design will take into account:Successful job design will take into account:

• Skill variety/job rotationSkill variety/job rotation• Task variety/job enlargementTask variety/job enlargement• Task significance/job enrichmentTask significance/job enrichment• Autonomy/job enrichment/freedomAutonomy/job enrichment/freedom• Feedback/cooperationFeedback/cooperation

SummarySummary

• How do these job design tools fit in How do these job design tools fit in with your brainstorming solutions?with your brainstorming solutions?

• Discuss…Discuss…