Job evaluation

– Some people think job analysis and job evaluation are pretty much the same thing. Do you think that is true? If you think they are different, what makes the two different? Do they overlap at all? If so, how?

Even though job analysis and job evaluation are connected they are not the same. Job analysis is a procedure in which the responsibilities, activities, essential knowledge skills and activities of the job is described and under what conditions the job can be performed. Job analysis helps to understand what tasks are important and how they are carried out. Job evaluation is performed after job analysis.Job evaluation assess the worth and the value of jobs within an organization by comparing jobs against other jobs in organization. This process is usually done in early stages in to determine the compensation package. These two processes are connected, Job analysis helps to determine the appropriate compensation for a job.

– Who do you think should be involved in the analysis and evaluation of jobs? How often should we have to do them?

The job analysis and evaluation may be conducted by Managers, supervisors, HR employees and employees in that job position.  The best individual to describe, analyze and evaluate the job is the HR department. Without them the information would not be complete. Managers and supervisors are also essential in this process since they know exactly what is happening on the work floor and they oversee the jobs. They can help to determine what skill/ abilities are required to perform the job and how much the job is valued. Employee who are currently performing the job can give firsthand experience, what the duties are in the job and how much he believes the job is worth. Through this managers and employees will get a basic understanding how the process works and get appreciation for how their compensation is impacted. Even though these processes are time consuming I believe job analysis and evaluation should be done at least every 18 months. Things are changing rapidly. In order to improve the organization job analysis and evaluation needs to be up to date to make sure the correct employees are hired.

– There are different kinds of evaluations mentioned in the Part II reading. Why do we need different methods of job analysis and job evaluation? 

Job evaluation and analysis are broad areas, it is hard to determine the compensation and the skills/ duties using just one approach. Every method has its own strength and weaknesses and provides different insights. For example, there are different ways to describe a job. A trough analysis and evaluation make sure correct employees are hired and compensation package will match the job. This will benefit the organization.

– The Powerpoint/Panopto references paying for skills versus paying for activities. Which is better?

It depends on the organization and the job. Some jobs don’t require a specific skill that you can measure, so it’s hard to pay by skill. For example, baristas they perform different activities, you can’t pay them on the skill of making coffee.

On the other hand, some jobs do require specific skills and knowledge which you can measure. For example, a physicianPaying for skills definitely benefits the organization. The employee can perform multiple tasks if it is needed. It also increases the quality of and productivity of the organization through better use of human resources.