Job Analysis and Job Descriptions

Job Observation

Job observation can supplement the job questionnaire and be valuable for manufacturing and other service-related and operative jobs. It can be very valuable to observe highly repetitive jobs as well.

Job observation is important for identifying the work environment for jobs with hazard risks. Supplementing job observation with the ERI Occupational Assessor can be extremely helpful in managing job safety and the work environment. Some companies will supplement their job descriptions with the ERI Occupational Assessor report.

Job Questionnaires

Job questionnaires come in many formats. It can be helpful, though, to have the job questionnaire in a similar format as the job description. When the data is captured in the job description format, the job description is actually easier to document.

Example - Job Questionnaire

A job questionnaire is valuable when conducting a job analysis interview. It can also be supplemented with secondary sources.

PAQ Questionnaire

Occasionally, there may be a need for a highly detailed job analysis questionnaire such as the Position Analysis Questionnaire (PAQ). These types of questionnaires may be useful, for example, when needing to analyze highly labor-intensive jobs where safety and following specific procedures are critical.

The PAQ is a structured job-analysis questionnaire containing 194 items called job elements. These elements are worker-oriented and divided into six sections.

Additional information may be obtained about the Position Analysis Questionnaire.