Chapter 6

Jobs & the Design of Work

Job Compared to Work

Job - a set of specified work and task activities that engage an individual in an organization

Work – mental or physical activity that has productive results

Meaning of Work - the way a person interprets and understands the value of work as part of life

A - value comes from performance; accountabilityis important

B - provides personal

affect & identity

C - profit accrues to others by work performance

D - physical activity directed by others and performed in a workplace

E - generally unpleasant physically & mentally

strenuous activity

F - activity constrainedto specific time periods;no positive affect through its performance

SixPatterns of Work

TraditionalApproaches to

Job Design

ScientificManagement

JobCharacteristics

Theory

Job Enlargement/Job Rotation

JobEnrichment

Emphasizes work simplification (standardization and the narrow, explicit specification of task activities for workers)

+ Allows diverse groupsto work together+ Leads to production efficiency and higher profits

- Undervalues the humancapacity for thought andingenuity

ScientificManagement

Job Enlargement - a method of job design that increases the number of activities in a job to overcome the boredom of overspecialized work

Job Rotation - a variation of job enlargement in which workers are exposed to a variety of specialized jobs over time

Cross-Training - a variation of job enlargement in which workers are trained in different specialized tasks or activities

Job Enlargement/Job Rotation

Job Enrichment - designing or redesigning jobs by incorporating motivational factors into them

JobEnrichment

Emphasis is on recognition,

responsibility, and advancement opportunity

Job Characteristics Model - a framework for understanding person-job fit

through the interaction of core job dimensions with critical psychological states within a person

Job Diagnostic Survey (JDS) - the survey instrument designed to measure the elements in the Job Characteristics Model

JobCharacteristics

Theory

Job Characteristics Model

Skill varietyTask identityTask significance

Autonomy

Feedback

Core jobdimensions

Experienced work’smeaningfulnessExperienced responsibilityfor work’s outcomes Knowledge of workactivities’ results

Criticalpsychological

states

High internalwork motivationHigh-qualitywork performanceHigh satisfaction with the workLow absenteeismand turnover

Personal andwork outcomes

Employee growth,need,

strength J.R. Hackman and G.R. Oldham, “The Relationship Among Core Job Dimensions, theCritical Psychological States, and On-the-Job Outcomes,” The Job Diagnostic Survey: AnInstrument for the Diagnosis of Jobs and the Evaluation of Job Redesign Projects, 1974.Reprinted by permission of Greg R. Oldham.

MPS =

Skill variety

Task identity

Task significance

x [Autonomy] x [Feedback] 3

+ +

Five Core Job Characteristics

Motivating Potential Score

Social Information Processing (SIP) model

SIP Model - a model that suggests that the important job factors depend in part on what others tell a person about the job

Four premises:1) people provide cue to understanding the work environment2) people help us judge our jobs

3) people tell us how they see our jobs4) people’s positive & negative feedback help us understand our feelings about our jobs

No one approach can solve all performance problems caused by poorly designed jobs

Interdisciplinary Approach

Motivational

Perceptual/motor

Biological

Mechanistic

Motivational Approach

Mechanistic Approach

Outcomes of Various Job Design Approaches

+ +

Decreased training timeHigher utilization levelsLower error likelihood Less mental overloadLower stress levels

Higher job satisfactionHigher motivation

Greater job involvementHigher job performance

Lower absenteeism

Lower job satisfaction Lower motivation

Higher absenteeism

Increased training timeLower personnel utilization

Greater chance of errorsGreater chance of mental

overload and stress

- -

Outcomes of Various Job Design ApproachesLess physical effort

Less physical fatigueFewer health complaints Fewer medical incidents

Lower absenteeismHigher job satisfaction

Lower error likelihoodLower accident likelihood

Less mental stressDecreased training timeHigher utilization levels

Higher financial costs because of changes

in equipment orjob environment

Lower job satisfaction Lower motivation

Biological Approach

Perceptual Motor Approach

+

-+

-

Assignment#2

Power and Influence in the Workplace . What is Power? Sources of Power? Information and Power? Types of Influence ?