Job Analysis and Job Descriptions

WHAT IS JOB ANALYSIS

Job Analysis is the determination and reporting of all pertinent information about a particular job. It identifies why a job exists, but it also identifies the knowledge, skills, abilities, and work environment of a job.

In this process, jobs were defined as groupings of work tasks.

Job analysis needs to be factual, concise, and precise.

History of Job Analysis

Job analysis as a management technique was developed in the early 1900s. It became an important guidance technique for industrial management. Morris Simon Viteles was an influential researcher and writer in the field of industrial and organizational psychology. He was educated at the University of Pennsylvania and received his doctorate in Psychology in 1921. His academic career began when he established the world's first vocational guidance center at the University of Pennsylvania, under the supervision of his doctoratel professor. In 1922, Viteles was one of the first to use job analysis to select employees for positions at a company. He developed job specifications and diagnostic tests of job competency that were designed for the auditing division of a street railway company. He also authored several books in the field of industrial and organizational psychology.

At that time, job design was for relatively narrow, detailed, specific, repetitive, and task focused jobs. But over time, the hierarchical organization structure has shifted toward a flatter organization structure supporting broader job designs. Broadly defined roles provide a flexible platform for moving people throughout an organization. Broader job responsibilities also provide more meaningful career opportunities.

Temporary job rotations, expanding career ladders, international assignments, acting assignments, developmental assignments, and business travel assignments have also created opportunities for job enrichment.

Employee engagement and development can be increased through a variety of work assignments and locations and can provide new, interesting challenges and experiences. In many instances, horizontal or lateral opportunities are valued as much as vertical promotions.

With artificial intelligence and robotics influencing the jobs of tomorrow, we are seeing increased emphasis in skill adaptation and retraining to ensure today’s workforce fills the jobs of tomorrow.

Most companies today continue to use job analysis in the design and development of their job descriptions and documentation. High-performing companies, challenging labor markets, broadly defined roles, and the rapid influx of robotics and artificial intelligence require continual adaptation to the organizational needs of the future.

Department of Labor

The United States Department of Labor (DOL) led the development of the traditional approach to job documentation. The DOL encouraged job analysis by helping employers to implement their own programs.

The DOL has also published two guides on job analysis:

• The Guide for Analyzing Jobs (1942)
• 1972 Handbook for Analyzing Jobs, revised 1991¹

These publications form the foundation of the definitions and principles used in job analyses and were used in the development of the Dictionary of Occupational Titles (DOT).

Dictionary of Occupational Titles (DOT) and O*NET

In 1965, the DOL published the Dictionary of Occupational Titles (DOT)². The DOT provided the basis for many job descriptions still in use today as it contains 12,761 occupational titles. The modern DOT was first published in 1977 and last updated in 1991, so many of its positions and descriptions are considered outdated and incomplete. The DOL introduced O*NET as the official replacement for the DOT, but its descriptions are still too generic to suit many of the requirements in total rewards today.

The DOT doesn’t take into account many of today's jobs, especially in high-tech fields.

ERI's Occupational Assessor (eDOT)

To fill the void, ERI offers the Occupational Assessor (eDOT). It is an extensive database of job descriptions for more than 28,000 job titles.

The eDOT updates the DOT by:

• adding thousands of new jobs
• eliminating outdated jobs
• refreshing old descriptions
• checking the crosswalk of classification codes

The eDOT is available as an online software subscription that allows users to:

• reference the job description database containing thousands of job titles and descriptions
• conduct state and federal FLSA analysis for difficult-to-classify employees
• utilize the extensive database for assistance with disability analysis, reasonable accommodation, OSHA, worker’s compensation, and working conditions.
• find jobs for employees based on their personal interests, past work history and any physical, cognitive, or emotional limitations
• review estimations of the number of these jobs within one's area, region, or state
• generate ERI's unique lists of employers within one's commuting radius and employers that have been pre-screened to most likely have the identified alternative positions within their staffing
• cross reference up to 15 different job codes, including O*NET, SOC, OES and DOT
• review job-availability regional and national statistics

(For more information, see ERIDLC course 58: Comparing the DOT, O*NET and eDOT.)

Q: Who uses eDOT?

A: This job analysis tool is designed for: