Job Analysis and Performance Measurement in Industrial Psychology

Job Analysis

Definition and Approaches

Job analysis is the process of defining a job in terms of its tasks or duties, and the knowledge or skills required to perform them. There are two main approaches to job analysis:

• Job-oriented approaches: These approaches describe the various tasks that are performed in a job.
• Worker-oriented approaches: These approaches examine the broad human behaviors involved in work activities.

KSAOs

KSAOs (knowledge, skills, abilities, and other characteristics) are the attributes required for successful job performance.

Outcomes of Job Analysis

• Job description: A statement of what jobholders do, how they do it, and why.
• Job specifications: A delineation of the KSAOs necessary to perform a job.

Importance of Job Analysis

Job analysis is the foundation for many areas of Industrial Psychology (IP) for two main reasons:

1. It is essential for the success of human resource functions.
2. An increase in workplace-related laws has made job analysis a crucial defense against accusations of unfair practices.

Job Classification

Jobs can be categorized in terms of job families based on their similarities.

Criterion Development and Performance Appraisal

Criteria

Organizations need clear goals, objectives, and criteria to evaluate employees. These criteria should be derived from job analysis.

• Ultimate criterion: A theoretical construct encompassing all aspects of performance that define success at work.
• Actual criterion: The best real-world approximation of the ultimate criterion, designed to overlap with it as much as possible.

Criterion Issues

• Criterion deficiency: When dimensions of the ultimate criterion are not captured by the actual criterion.
• Criterion contamination: When the actual criterion measures aspects that are not part of the ultimate criterion. This can include random measurement error and bias.

Characteristics of Effective Criteria

• Relevance: The measure accurately represents job performance.
• Reliability: The measure produces consistent results when used for the same employees at close time intervals.
• Sensitivity: The measure consistently differentiates performance levels among employees.
• Practicality: The measure is efficient to administer and does not create excessive paperwork.
• Fairness: The measure does not systematically favor one group over another (e.g., men over women).

Dynamic Criteria

Dynamic criteria reflect performance levels that change over time. The validity of performance measurement can decline over time.

Types of Performance Criteria

Objective Criteria

Performance measures based on quantifiable data, such as:

• Absence
• Lateness
• Turnover
• Accidents
• Grievances
• Productivity
• Counterproductive behaviors

Subjective Criteria

Performance measures based on the judgment or evaluations of others, such as supervisor ratings.

Contextual Criteria

Contextual criteria, also known as Organizational Citizenship Behaviors (OCBs), are activities that contribute to the broader organizational environment, including:

• Helping colleagues
• Supporting organizational goals
• Going above and beyond assigned duties

Counterproductive Work Behaviors (CWBs)

CWBs are behaviors that harm or intend to harm an organization, its employees, or its stakeholders.

360-Degree Feedback

360-degree feedback involves gathering performance evaluations from multiple sources, including supervisors, peers, subordinates, and even customers, to provide a comprehensive assessment of an employee's performance.