Job analysis remains a critical element for most Human Resource (HR) functions. According to Brannick et al. as cited in (Breaugh, 2017) “job analysis refers to a broad array of activities designed to discover and document the essential nature of work” (p. 12). According to Brough (2017), job analysis (referred by other authors as ‘work analysis’) is a process for understanding a job. The results of the job analysis are a job description and a list of job specifications. A job description is a statement of tasks, duties, responsibilities, or work environment that a position entails. Job specification defines a successful employee’s attributes, which include knowledge, skills, abilities, and other characteristics (KSAOs) (Breaugh, 2017). Therefore, a job analysis is a list of behaviors and skills required to do a job. The employer can thereafter use them for employee selection, training, and compensation.
Depending on the size and scope of the organization, there are several ways of gathering job information. In the restaurant industry, I work in, observation, interviews, or job analysis questionnaires are applicable (Woods et al., 2017). Interviewing current employees about the tasks they do and the frequency of doing them is another way of collecting job information. Supervisors may be requested to complete a questionnaire explaining job obligations. Employees can be observed as they work to understand employee attributes and the preferred work environment. Furthermore, an employer may also find helpful information about a job on the Internet.
Performance appraisal is done to assess employee performance in an organization. One method I would recommend for the restaurant industry is the graphic rating scales due to their popularity and simplicity (Maghsoodi et al., 2018). The method involves a scale with a list of performance indicators and performance grades, which illustrates the workers’ grades by the score, which defines each section’s performance level.
Preparation is critical for any performance review for the manager. They need to create a comprehensive plan to guide the meeting to ensure no issue is left unaddressed. During the meeting with an employee, the manager should discuss challenges and successes by addressing tasks which were well performed and those which need improvement. At this point, the manager can also discuss and seek an agreement for development and action ideas. At the end of the meeting, the employer may summarize what has been discussed.
References
Breaugh, J. A. (2017). The contribution of job analysis to recruitment. In Editors’ H. W. Goldstein, E. D. Pulakos, J. Passmore & C. Semedo (Eds.), The Wiley Blackwell Handbook of the Psychology of Recruitment, Selection and Employee Retention (pp. 12-28). John Wiley & Sons Ltd.
Maghsoodi, A. I., Abouhamzeh, G., Khalilzadeh, M., & Zavadskas, E. K. (2018). Ranking and selecting the best performance appraisal method using the MULTIMOORA approach integrated Shannon’s entropy. Frontiers of Business Research in China, 12(1). Web.
Woods, S. A., Hinton, D. P., Fraccaroli, F., & Sverke, M. (2017). What do people really do at work? Job analysis and design. In Editors’ N. Chmiel, F. Fraccaroli & M. Sverke (Eds.), An introduction to work and organizational psychology: An international perspective (pp. 1-24). John Wiley & Sons Ltd.