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Approaches to Job Design
Job design is the first building block of organizational Structure; it means defining an individual’s responsibilities at work. Job design involves defining areas of decision-making responsibility, identifying goals and expectations, and establishing appropriate indicators of success.
These are the approaches to job design given below:
- Job Specialization
- Job Characteristics Model (JCM)
- Work Teams
- Job Rotation
- Job Enlargement
- Job Enrichment
Job Specialization
Job specialization is the first and the most important tool of all. Job specialization is similar to the concept of ‘division of labor. Job specialization means; breaking down the entire job or task into smaller parts and dividing them accordingly.
Job Characteristics Model (JCM)
The job characteristics model (JCM) is also an effective tool for designing jobs; where job design is conducted considering both the employees’ preferences and the required work system.
The approach suggests that job design should be done by considering five core dimensions; skill variety, task identity, task significance, autonomy, and feedback.
Work Teams
Work teams are very useful for doing comprehensive and difficult jobs which require expertise from various departments or faculty or the organization.
Job Rotation
As the name suggests; job rotation is systematically moving employees from one task to another. However, in practice; job rotation created more problems than solving them, like; employees’ satisfaction and motivation diminishes. It is now used as a training system.
Job Enlargement
Job enlargement involves increasing the total number of tasks workers are assigned and perform. It also gives employees motivation as it gives them bigger chance to participate in the organization’s operations.
It has some shortcomings too; more tasks mean more salary payments so more cost, and overdoing it could lead to employees’ dissatisfaction.
Job Enrichment
It is similar to job enlargement but with a more comprehensive approach. Job enrichment includes increasing the number of tasks and the portion of control over these tasks. Here managers have to give authority along with the responsibility of the jobs.
What are approaches to job design?
The following are the approaches to job design:
1. Job Specialization
2. Job Characteristics Model (JCM)
3. Work Teams
4. Job Rotation
5. Job Enlargement
6. Job Enrichment.
