In order to do this correctly, you really should receive professional training in job analysis from an HR/Management Consultant or an Organizational Psychologist who has developed expertise in this important and critical aspect of HRM. Here are some important things to consider when analysing a job. These are derived from the principals of the Position Analysis Questionnaire (PAQ). You or your consultant may consider each of the following with or without the use of the PAQ however.
• The Position Analysis Questionnaire (PAQ) consists of 195 items • 8 items report on the type of compensation received by the employee • The remaining 187 relate directly to job activities or to the work environment
There are six main areas to the PAQ. It considers the job requirements in terms of the following:
1. Information Input Where and how the employee gets the information required to perform the work Interpreting what is sensed Using various sources of information Watching devices/materials Evaluating/judging what is sensed Being aware of environmental conditions Using various senses
2. Work Output The physical activities, tools and devices that are employed to perform the work Using machine/equipment General body movements Controlling machines/processes Skilled/technical activities Manual related activities Miscellaneous equipment Handling activities General physical coordination
3. Mental Processes Reasoning, planning, and decision-making activities that are involved in performing the work Making decisions Processing information
4. Job Context The physical and social in which the work is performed Stressful Environment Personally Demanding Environment Hazardous Situations
5. Relationships with others The relationships with individuals that are necessary to perform the job Communicating judgments Supervisor related activities Exchanging job related information Personal contact
6. Other Job Relationships These include: Non Typical V’s Daily Schedule Salary V’s Variable Basis Irregular V’s Regular Schedule Business Situation Job Demanding Events Unstructured V’s Structured Work Being Responsive to Changing Situations
Try to consider each of the above in terms of:
• Extent of use • Importance to job • Amount of time it is done for • Possibility of occurrence • Whether or not it actually applies to the job
See O*NET for occupational classifications and more resources for Job Analysis
