Industrial and organizational psychology/Module 4

Job Analysis and Performance

Module 4.1 - Basic Model of Performance

Some definitions to go over...

• Performance: Actions/behaviors
• Effectiveness: Analyzing performance results
• Productivity: Effectiveness [output]: Cost of reaching and maintaining said effectiveness [input]

Campbell's Model of Job Performance consists of 3 direct determination factors for job performance:

1. Declarative knowledge (DK)
2. Procedural knowledge & skills (PKS)
3. Inner motivation (M)

DK & PKS are tied to ability/personality/interests/education/training/experience.

There are 8 basic performance components (see slide 7), 3 which are essential for a job:

1. Core task proficiency
2. Demonstrated effort
3. Maintenance of personal discipline

Criterion Deficiency & Contamination

• Ultimate criterion: the ideal measure of all relevant aspects relating to job performance.
• 'Actual criterion: Measure of job performance obtained.

The difference between the two comes down to imperfections in the measurement. Criterion deficiency is when the actual criterion does not have the information that behavior 1 is trying to measure. Criterion contamination is when the actual criterion includes info NOT RELATED to what behavior 1 is trying to measure (it's irrelevant/needless).

Module 4.2 - Extensions of the Basic Performance Model

Task performance (doing what is expected of you) vs. organizational citizenship behavior (going beyond the call of duty). The latter is split into altruism (behavior towards individuals or groups within the organization) or generalized compliance (behavior bigger than the organization).

Task performance's requirements are different from job to job. Contextual performance is common to most jobs, and the individual differences are related to personality (and not abilities and knowledge). The activity description is NOT part of the job description.

Types of Performance Measures

1. Objective performance measures = quantitative count of the results of work.
2. Judgmental measures = evaluate an individual's quality of work.
3. Personnel measures = Usually kept in personnel file.

Adaptive performances are beneficial because of how dynamic work can be. This includes technology, corporate restructuring, and working in differing cultures. This falls into 8 measures:

1. Handling emergencies
2. Handling stress
3. Solving problems
4. Dealing with uncertainty
5. Learning work objectives, tools, and procedures.
6. Demonstrate interpersonal adaptability
7. Demonstrate cultural adaptability
8. Demonstrate physically oriented adaptability

Expert performances are exhibited by experienced personnel (at least 10 years, avg of 4 hours/day). Deliberate practice are individualized training on certain tasks by an experienced mentor.

Poor behavior by employees, such as dishonesty, absenteeism, and sabotage, constrain performance.

Module 4.3 - Job Analysis: Properties & Practices

Job Analysis: The process which determines the "essence" of a collection of tasks falling within scope of a particular job title. Job Analysis information can be used for performance assessments, training, recruiting, and for determining bonuses/promotions.

In 1922, job psychographics were used in job analysis to determine the mental skills needed for a job.

There are two types of Job Analysis:

1. Task-oriented job analysis: Statement of actual tasks + what is to be done with these tasks.
2. Worker-oriented job analysis: Assess the workers' skills and capacity, and design a way for these skills to be put to the test and successfully complete a task.

KSAOs: Knowledge (collection of facts and information concerning a particular domain), skill, ability, and other characteristics (interests, persona).

The Role: Job Analysis --> Assess KSAOs --> Develop an assortment of assessment devices

Concerns?

• Contaminate job analysis in order to impress people with the 'difficulty of the job'.
• Provide answers for questions/concerns that shouldn't be posed.
• Carelessness

Steps?

1. Observing
2. Interviewing [through a supervisor]
3. Incidents/write-ups or work diaries
4. Surveys
5. Performance on the job

Summary

More info gathered from a number of sources, the better the job analyst can understand the job. Most job analyses include considerations of personality demands & work context.

Module 4.4: Job Analysis - UPDATE! (slide 31)

• Electronic performance monitoring: Cost-effective, provides good worklogs. This is essentialy the, "This call may be monitored for quality control purposes".
• Cognitive-task analysis: A method for breaking down a job/task performance into specific units that can be measured based off mental processes and knowledge content. Can include the think-aloud protocol - an approach that looks at the thought processes of experts who achieve high levels of performance. Can be time consuming, so you have to see if noticeable performance problems are wroth the costs.

• Personality-Related Position Requirements Form (PPRF): Task is to identify personality predictors of job performance. Used to supplement job analysis.

• Occupational Information Network (O*NET): An electronic medium so changes can be made almost immediately.

So what is competency modeling? Characteristics wanted by all individuals and jobs within an organization. It connects individuals with organizational viability & profitability. It serves as an extension of job analysis logic, NOT as a replacement.

Module 4.5 - Job Evaluation, Comparable Worth, & the Law

• Job Evaluation - Make internal pay decisions by comparing job titles to one another and determining their relative merit. Compensable factors include skills, responsibility, effort, and working conditions.
• Equal Pay Act of 1963: Equal pay for equal work

Comparable worth is the belief that people who are performing jobs of comparable worth to an organization should recieve comparable pay. It is concerned with the social value of fairness.

Job Analysis and Employment Litigation

Competent job analysis does NOT guarantee validity, but the absence of credible job analysis could be harmful.