Job Design Is Defined As Organizing Tasks Commerce Essay Example

(O'Leary-Kelly et al).

, 1994 ) The concept of effective work has also been applied to teams. Team effectiveness has two components: process, and goal attainment ( Jones et al. , 1983 ; Nadler, 1977 ) .

Classical Method

Traditional methods primarily based on the concept that there should be some divisions of labor and it can be found mostly only in the flexible organizations and this leads to the method with the aim of achieving job expansion, job enrichment, job rotations.

Human Relations Approach

Kurt Lewin observed the relationship between job holder and outcome of the work environment and introduced a new model called Human Relations Approach. He defined a group as a dynamic system of interactions between individuals and initiated comprehensive laboratory studies with the aim of investigating communications network, leadership behavior, unity of the group and a behavioral model within the group ( Lewin1948 ) The results showed that the members were taking interest in decision making and leadership skills are greatly improved.

The Socio-technical System Approach was introduced by Davis and Taylor in 1972. Their survey combines group behaviour and engineering, with a particular emphasis on the integration of technology and societal science thinking (Staehe, 1973). This theory, developed by the Tavistock Institute of F.E Emery, E.Trist, and A.K Rice in London in the early 1950s, is based on specified production techniques but emphasizes the freedom in the societal system that emerges (Groskurth and Volper, 1973).

The term "job design" refers to finding suitable measures for organizing work tasks based on the individual assigned to carry out the task (Gablers Wirtschftslexiteon, 1987). This includes traditional methods of

job design, such as work groups. The main factor in job design is aligning the organization's purpose with its objectives. Job design encompasses not only the design of specific tasks but also activities carried out in the organization, technology used in production processes, changes in internal and external environment concerns about team roles, activities, and tasks.

Armstrong (2006, pg. 328) states that job design is affected by various factors, such as the implementation of new technologies within the organization and employees' capacity to adapt to them. These factors encompass the notion of intrinsic motivation, which posits that individuals are more motivated and exert greater effort when provided with adequate support for accomplishing their objectives.

The construction industry involves three main elements: planning, executing, and controlling. Employees tend to feel a sense of authority when they are responsible for planning and control tasks. The job characteristics model explains the connection between job dimensions, job experience, and expected psychological and behavioral outcomes. Intrinsic motivation is achieved through feedback, utilization of abilities, and self-discipline. To support our analysis of job design, we have chosen to utilize Maslow's hierarchy of needs theory.

Abraham Maslow developed this theory in 1943, which is based on the idea that everyone is motivated by various demands (Mullins J. Laurie, 2007). Maslow's theory is still widely used as a tool for understanding human motivation, direction planning, and personal development within organizations. According to Armstrong (2006), job design has two purposes: firstly, to meet organizational needs and increase productivity, and secondly, to satisfy employees in terms of achieving goals in the workplace and experiencing self-fulfillment. In the past, most jobs were simply based on routine machine-controlled tasks, and

although some still exist today, there have been many changes. Social aspects and a more physiological approach in organizations have replaced the old approach. Maslow's theory is an example of how this new approach has influenced job design.

In his theoretical account, even if he did not intend to utilize his theory based on the work situation, it had a significant impact on management approach to motivation and the design of work organization and it still remains up to date. Maslow's theory describes five phases in his theory of need model:

• Physiological needs - air, food, drink, etc.
• Safety needs - security, order, law, stability, etc.
• Social Needs - work group, family, affection, relationship, etc.
• Self-Esteem Needs - self-worth, achievement, independence, status, etc.
• Self-Actualization Needs - realizing personal potential, self-fulfillment, etc.( Harding Sue and Long Trevor, 2006, pg.125 )

According to the diagram above, the physiological need is the first step to be satisfied for a person to progress in subsequent levels. Maslow's theory agrees that no individual who aims to succeed in their lives or career can achieve their goals without addressing their basic needs. Like other models, Maslow's theory is not a perfect tool for understanding the complexity of modern life and its changes; however, it provides a comprehensive understanding of human behavior and definitely supports organizations in terms of human resource management and job design.If a company focuses on the importance of employee motivation in the work environment, it has a greater chance of success compared to other companies.

Examples of Job Design

MARKS ; A ; SPENCER - To provide better

service and information on wellness to customers, M;A;S has developed 1,500 Healthy Eating Assistants to assist and promote healthier choices. They have also implemented the same initiative for their employees. The University of Sheffield also follows the principles of good practice in job design. These guidelines apply to all staff and have been developed in consultation with campus unions.

Principles of Good Practice in Job Design

All managers responsible for staff management, job design, and work assignments should be familiar with and adhere to the following principles: When hiring staff, the duties and requirements of a job should be clear to everyone, and specific job specifications should be used. Job descriptions should be developed in collaboration with staff to ensure that duties and responsibilities are clearly communicated. Clear lines of responsibility should be established for staff and managers, and management structures should be in place.

The process for assigning work and specific responsibilities and duties should be fair and will be established and communicated widely. Job design and work assignment will be based on meeting the goals and objectives of the department and the university, taking into account individual skills, experience, preferences, and overall aspirations. Directors and heads of departments will be accessible to staff, with individual discussions forming a central part of job design.

Staff Responsibilities

All staff members are responsible for: Addressing any concerns regarding job design and the allocation of responsibilities and duties with the relevant director or their Head of Department. Updating and improving their expertise and knowledge, recognizing that they rely on these for their continued effectiveness.

Advantages

Job design can enhance motivation and commitment by involving individuals in planning how their

jobs are performed. This can include tasks at a higher level, tasks at the same level but with more variety, and tasks that are rotated among employees to prevent repetition.

Furthermore, restructuring jobs can often change the hierarchy of an organization as employees take on more individual responsibility, resulting in a decrease in the number of management positions. Additionally, Job Design offers various benefits in both the short and long term. For example, providing feedback on performance at any stage of employment to assess performance against the job description. It also provides opportunities for problem-solving and individual development. The provision of clear goals that offer some level of challenge and adequate resources (e.g., training, information equipment, and materials) are also included.

)Article AnalysisSo if we critically analyze this subject we should state that the aim of an organization is only achieved when we combine our efforts to construct high-profile standards to plan any occupation. By looking at its aims, advantages, why it is used, when it is used, how it is prepared, and by whom it is prepared, we come to know that these all play an important role in human resource job design responsibility.

Performance Appraisal

Whatever exists, exists in some amount and can, therefore, be measured'' (Dunnette; 1966). Performance appraisal is a process that provides an analysis of a person's overall capabilities and potential, allowing informed decisions to be made for specific purposes. "An important part of the process is assessment whereby data on an individual's past and current work behavior and performance are collected and reviewed". Performance appraisal brings a lot of positive impacts to the organization as well as to the employees. Currently, new &

innovative assessment methods are used to overcome the traditional inefficiencies in performance appraisal.

One challenge faced by supervisors during public presentation assessments is the use of appraisals for distributing wages. However, new methods such as multi-source feedback provide transparency for both employees and employers. While traditional methods primarily focused on using money as a motivator, many organizations now consider employee needs and organizational growth, including continuous career development planning, as valuable rewards. According to Edward Thorndike's reinforcement theory, behavior that is followed by positive effects is likely to be repeated (Ref: http://d.scribd.com/docs/2m8t52jy26z9iy9lbzz.pdf).

Public presentation assessment is typically conducted after understanding the nature of the occupation, with the goal of obtaining accurate and timely results. This process ensures that employees are on track and working towards achieving their objectives. Providing feedback is crucial for staff to progress and improve. "Progressive discipline refers to employers' efforts to help poorly performing employees improve through verbal and written performance warnings" (Falcone, 2001).

The ongoing act of disciplinary procedure is the public presentation assessment. Employers and directors must consistently review employee performances to maintain an effective performance assessment system. If employees' hard work goes unnoticed, their motivation will decrease, while if employees' inefficiencies are not acknowledged, they will continue to work inefficiently, which is a drawback. Consequently, the company will fail to achieve its objectives.

According to Kaplan and Norton (1992), regardless of whether a company's staff is performing poorly or excellently, it is crucial for the company to have an understanding of how they are perceived by the public. To effectively manage performance, both quantitative and qualitative measures are necessary.

Performance appraisal involves two distinguishable intents: observation ; judgement. It serves 2 intents:

rating of performance ; development of it. It is also apparent that this process could produce a negative impact in the employees, if it is not implemented in the equal form and following the company vision. "The utility of performance appraisals is determined by how people understand the functions, utility, and process of reviewing performance and how they act on their different understandings." (Bacal 2003) Performance outcomes ; standards are divided into two sectors

• Input based standards to be personal traits, competencies and skills that an employee brings to a company job.
• Output based standards are concerned with individual performance objective or goals to be met by the employee.

360 degree feedback It is a multi rater appraisal and questionnaire is common to conduct this assessment.

The effectiveness of the one to one method may not be high in certain cases, as the assessment is done by various people. Feedback can come from supervisors (90 Degree Appraisal), subordinates (180 Degree), and peers and clients (the full 360 Degree assessment). The 360 degree method usually includes the following criteria:

• Leadership
• Team participation and people management
• Self-appraisal
• Communication
• Vision
• Organizational skills
• Decision making
• Expertise
• Drive
• Adaptability

The success of the 360 degree feedback depends on several factors, including

good communication and training to ensure that bureaucracy is not reflected in the method. The menu, presented in the form, mainly relates to events experienced by the employee.

• Performance-related pay is a new way to reward employees, with fixed salaries becoming less common. Some companies offer a base salary along with a percentage of additional pay that is awarded based on performance. The John Lewis Partnership is a well-known example of an organization that implements performance-related pay.

They implement a strategy where employees are compensated based on the company's earnings. Essentially, employees are viewed as partners of the company, each with a stake in its success. This approach has been proven successful in recognizing employees' contributions according to the company's performance. Rather than being referred to as employees, they are acknowledged as company partners. This strategy serves as a means of rewarding employees and fosters a sense of motivation to work harder in order to achieve higher pay and benefits. The overarching goal is to encourage employees to prioritize the company's success and actively contribute towards meeting objectives.

'Partners should find personal satisfaction in being members of a co-owned venture wherein they have meaningful, secure, and fulfilling employment and confidence in the way the Partnership conducts its business.
Aims
Creating an evaluation system that accurately represents employee performance is a challenging task. Performance appraisal systems are not universal or easily transferred from one company to another; their design and implementation must be customized to fit employee and organizational characteristics and qualities. This method always serves as an effective means of communication between the employee and the supervisor during performance evaluations. Performance management

is a process aimed at improving organizational, team, and individual performance, which is owned and driven by line managers' (Dransfeild, 2000).

This procedure is important for the supervisor or manager to evaluate the performance of their subordinate and make improvements, provide training for any lacking skills, and promote continued good work. Performance assessment allows employees to understand their role in the organization. It is based on the equation: Desired performance - actual performance = need for action. Performance evaluations and assessments can inspire employees to work harder by highlighting areas for improvement and recognizing achievements. It is crucial for the process to ensure that employees comprehend how their individual job performance impacts the overall company performance.

This direct linkage helps to facilitate teamwork and shared responsibility. The team works towards shared objectives that reflect the goals of the organization, with a clear understanding and awareness of each member's roles and responsibilities.

Efficient Implementation of Performance Appraisal

Organizational and Employee Goals

To establish an effective performance appraisal system, one of the initial steps is to have a clear objective for the organization. This objective is then translated into departmental objectives, which are further broken down into individual objectives that align with the employee's personal performance targets. This way, employees are aware of the standards by which their performance will be evaluated. This process includes providing job descriptions, clarifying job roles and responsibilities, and explaining how their work contributes to the organizational goals. It is crucial that the process ensures that employees understand how their individual job performance impacts the overall company performance.

The direct linkage between squad work and shared duty promotes

a team effort that is driven by common goals and a clear understanding of each member's role (Kellogg, 1975, p. 22).

Training Raters

One important aspect of creating an effective performance system is providing training for the individuals responsible for evaluating others. This training should begin by equipping managers with a systematic approach to effectively manage people. It should also focus on skills related to managing, motivating, and assessing employee performance.

The performance assessment is just one part of the overall process, so directors must understand its importance within the larger context. Therefore, preparation should begin with the senior managers who will be responsible for implementing the program and providing training for lower-level supervisors. Once these senior managers have accepted and embraced the system, it is important to provide skill training for junior managers and supervisors. This specific training should include, at minimum, the following aspect:

Maintaining records

Another crucial element for ensuring the effective use of a performance assessment strategy is the accurate and careful maintenance of employee performance records.

They carefully establish guidelines for employee behavior that may be difficult to identify through typical incident-based supervision (Crane, 1991). Records are always useful for evaluating an employee's performance, as both good and bad records assist managers in making important decisions regarding promotion or demotion.

Measurement System

The use of an effective performance appraisal system relies heavily on the measuring or scaling system. Many companies assign ranks to their employees or managers, such as the top five or top three directors. Different rating systems help analyze the performance of various employees and are particularly important for identifying bias, especially when an organization aims to avoid real or perceived discrimination

based on race, gender, or age.

Procedure

A total of 30 questionnaires were randomly distributed to each department: ten to constables, ten to sergeants, and ten to staff sergeants.

Each questionnaire included a screen message signed by the researcher explaining the purpose of the survey and the fact that completion of the questionnaire was both anonymous and voluntary. Participants were asked to seal their completed questionnaires in the envelopes provided and to submit the sealed envelopes to the department's central mail service for further delivery to the researcher.

Result

The vast majority of participants (82.2 percent) reported that their evaluations are frequently or always based on the assessment of personal characteristics.

In contrast, only 53.2% indicated that work-related consequences frequently or ever serve as the basis of their assessments. Similarly, 49.4% reported that work-related behaviors are generally considered in the assessment process. Approximately half of the participants reported that work-related consequences and behaviors are either never or occasionally taken into account in their performance evaluations. The performance assessment system of British Telecom for its broadband department involves two call monitoring sessions conducted by team leaders for each team member. Each team typically consists of approximately 15 individuals.

Procedure

Each employee's call is monitored by one of the directors to maintain high standards. These performance assessments result in top performers receiving rewards such as fully paid time off.

This method of monitoring weekly public presentation is extremely important for maintaining the service standards of clients at a satisfactory level.

Keeping records

Another essential aspect of ensuring the effective implementation of a performance assessment strategy is to maintain accurate records of employee performance. "When carefully maintained, these records reveal patterns of

behavior that may not be evident through typical incident-based supervision" (Crane, 1991). The record keeping will assist managers in evaluating an employee's performance history for promotion or demotion.

The effectiveness of performance assessment

Managers and supervisors are responsible for both designing and conducting employee performance evaluations, typically once a year.

They establish the attitudes, actions, responsibilities, and skills for their employees during a specific period of time, which can be both motivating and engaging for the company's employees. "Often, the performance evaluation process is the only time you have for formal communication with your employees about their work." (Delpo, 2005) When the performance assessment is implemented following the necessary steps, it becomes a measure to determine the effectiveness of each company member. The time spent during the development of performance assessment is the most valuable time for a manager because it can prevent mistakes and therefore save time correcting them. "In every type of business and organization, evaluation is an important management tool."

According to Kressler (2003), performance assessment is highly significant for a company's efficiency, resource utilization, procedural direction, and overall accomplishment of goals. Mark Frendo, the catering director at Chelsea Health Club, utilizes Management by Objectives as a performance evaluation method. He states that since implementing this human resources tool, he has successfully achieved 87% of his goals. This is because employees feel that their jobs are important and contribute to overall objectives. Different companies have varying internal organizations, so while a particular method may succeed for one company, it may fail for another.

Performance assessment is a process that ultimately saves money and prevents future mistakes that could affect the overall purpose of the company. The Association

of Music Therpists (APMT), a charity organization in the UK, conducts a 360 degree assessment method. This method involves receiving feedback from executive commission members and providing performance-related rewards and job-based training based on that feedback. If the employee's performance is not successful, they are given an additional three-month period to effectively work towards achieving the goals.

Critical Analysis

Why do people believe there are no results in performance assessment? Is it considered a waste of time? This belief stems from the fact that "The theory and reasoning behind the policy is excellent but the execution and development of the process is sorely lacking" (Nieto, 2006.153). Additionally, some individuals feel that performance assessment can demotivate staff or yield inefficient results if there is an unsatisfactory relationship between the supervisor and the subordinate. In certain cases, performance assessment can produce negative outcomes due to fear and bias.

However, if effective methods are employed for performance evaluation, these issues can be resolved. To address these challenges and gain a more practical insight, organizations are adopting new and efficient approaches. Unilever, being one of the largest multinational companies, sets annual goals and carries out an annual performance review to determine promotions or future prospects.

Some organizations do not conduct formal performance assessments on an annual or semi-annual basis, but instead have annual meetings where goals are set and at the end of the year, a review is conducted to determine if the expected goals have been met. While performance assessment may seem like a time-consuming activity and may be seen as unnecessary when staff members become demotivated and planning takes time, it is still an important component in a job environment where

job design is properly planned and changes are made. The performance assessment in a job environment always examines past and future plans to promote good relationships between employees and management, encourage positive attitudes and behaviors, and promote career development.