By selecting a motivational approach over an efficiency approach to job design there may be

Job Design is a primary function of HRM, as with the absence of it there will be no jobs to acquire, allocate, and maintain human resources in an organization. The principle task that an organization is focused at, has to be divided into individual tasks called jobs. Jobs are basic building blocks of an organization. Job design, according to Opatha (2009) refers to the creation of jobs which individuals in the organization have to perform. Davis (1966, as in Armstrong, 2006), defines job design as the specification of the contents, methods, and relationships of jobs in order to satisfy technological and organizational requirements as well as the social and personal requirements of the job holder. A job is an organizational unit of work that is composed of three main components, tasks, duties, and responsibilities. A task is a series of distinctly identifiable series of motions and a duty is a collection of tasks. For an example, considering the job of a university lecturer, one of the major duties associated with it is, research supervision. It involves the tasks of talking to the student and explaining about undertaking research, while clarifying the doubts and grey areas of the student. A responsibility refers to the obligation of performing the entrusted tasks and duties up to the expected standards.  

Job Design is believed to be an HRM function as well as an Operations Management task. As such the HR Manager of the organization needs the support of the relevant line managers, work study and method study engineers in doing the task. Jobs once designed may need to be re-designed to suit the various changes that take place within the environment and the organization, on a regular basis.

Importance of Job Design

Job Design (JD) directly affects organizational success as jobs are the fundamental building blocks of an organization. Improper design of them would hamper the effectiveness, efficiency, and productivity of the organization. The way JD is done has a direct impact on the individual who performs the job. According to Werther and Davis (1989, as in Opatha , 2009) poorly designed jobs may lead to lower productivity, high employee turnover, absenteeism, complaints, sabotage, unionization, resignation, and other problems. According to an article available on Scribd.com, in an organization where jobs are designed for maximum efficiency without any consideration of human needs, poor Quality of Work Life (QWL) is evident.

Techniques of Job Design

The techniques identified in Opatha (2009) which could be used for designing and re-designing jobs in an organization are included within four main approaches by Schumman (2011).

1) Mechanistic Approach: This is a scientific method focusing on task specialization, skill simplification, and repetition.

2) Behavioral/ Motivational Approach: This includes job enlargement, job enrichment, job rotation, professional technique, and group technique

3) Biological Approach - Ergonomics

4) Perceptual Motor Approach

Below is a brief description of each of the techniques that an organization could adopt for Job Design.

A) Scientific Technique: This is a technique derived from the scientific management school of thought, focusing on maximizing organizational productivity through employee efficiency. Under this technique, a job is comprised of a limited number of distinct duties, creating a more specialized job. The method focuses on gaining advantage through specialization. Specialized jobs have a shorter job cycle. Specialization creates advantages and disadvantages to both the organizations as well as the job holders. As the speed of work is increased and time for learning the job is minimized, the quantity and the quality of output increase through specialization. Snell, Bohlander, and Vohra (2011) refer to this technique as 'Industrial Engineering' since, it adopts a lot of engineering concepts in analyzing work methods and establishing time standards. Though it could be easily adopted, it is generally believed that this technique is not appropriate for jobs with a longer job cycle.

B) Job Enlargement: Job enlargement refers to increasing the scope (content, variety, and amount) of a job by including related new duties in addition to the current duties. This is alternatively referred to as horizontal loading. Kilbridge (1960) identifies job enlargement as the expansion of job content to include a wider variety of tasks, to increase the worker’s freedom of pace, responsibility of checking quality, and discretion of method.

C) Job Enrichment: This refers to increasing the authority and responsibility for planning and controlling the job or rather increasing the job depth. Accordingly, a job comprises of planning, performing the job, and controlling the job. Job enrichment is a vertical loading, by giving the person a legitimate right as well as a responsibility for performance. Job enrichment provides advantages such as making the work enjoyable and interesting, resulting in job satisfaction. Though it provides opportunities to job holders for growth, management-hub.com identifies that there are limitations in job enrichment due to the negative attitudes of workers, management, and the unions.

D) Job Rotation: Opatha (2009) defines job rotation as shifting an employee from one job to another within a certain period of time without limiting the employee to do a particular job only. This is some sort of a transfer as well as a technique of training. Eriksson and Ortega (2002) state that organizations adopt job rotation with the purpose of generating employee learning, employer learning, and employee motivation. Though it makes people multi-skilled generalists, it disturbs specialization.

E) Professional Technique:  Designing jobs according to accepted professional norms and standards is identified as the professional technique. Generally the jobs of university academics, lawyers, doctors, and accountants etc. are designed using this technique as it is believed that they are competent enough to perform all the duties of the profession successfully by themselves.

F) Group Technique/ Team Contemporary Approach/ Team Working Method: While the techniques so far discussed focused on designing jobs for the individuals, the group technique is directed at designing jobs to be performed by a group collectively. Here, all the team members are responsible for the final outcome of the work task. However this approach could cause problems in giving performance based rewards in organizations. This approach has lead to the creation of self managed work teams which is a modern day trend in the work set up.

G) Ergonomics: Snell et al. (2011) define ergonomics as an interdisciplinary approach to job designing by designing equipment and systems that can be easily and efficiently used by human beings. It is important to have a working environment suitable depending on the nature of the job. However ergonomic job design is an approach that could be largely seen in manufacturing factory setups to ensure productivity as well as the health of the employees.

H) Perceptual-Motor Technique: This technique focuses on matching tasks and duties of the job with human mental abilities and limitations (Opatha, 2009). While ergonomics approach focuses on human physical capabilities, this focuses on human cognitive capabilities as stated by Schumman (2011). Though this method reduces errors and accidents, it is said that it lowers motivation and job satisfaction.

Elements of Job Design

These are qualities or features to be considered and included in designing a particular job. Opatha (2009) identifies them as belonging to two categories, namely, efficiency elements and behavioral elements. Efficiency elements include division of labor, standardization, and specialization. Behavioral elements include skill variety, task identity, task significance, autonomy, and feedback. Apostolou (2000) states, studies of organizations indicate that behavioral elements of job design frequently show falling absenteeism, higher productivity, and better quality of output as a result of greater sense of involvement and decision making. Efficiency elements focus on productivity, which is an employer need while behavioral elements focus on the psychological state of the job holder. According to Hackman et al. (n.d), behavioral scientists have found three psychological states that are critical in determining the satisfaction and motivation of a job, which are experienced meaningfulness of work, experienced responsibility, and knowledge of results. Hackman and Oldham have come out with the Job Characteristics Model (JCM) which create the presence of psychological states in the job holder’s mind leading to satisfaction and motivation. According to Opatha (2009), it is the duty of the organizational management to design jobs in such a manner that the job will be both productive and satisfying. It requires striking a balance between the efficiency elements and the behavioral elements.

What is the motivational approach to job design?

The motivational approach focuses on increasing the motivational aspects of jobs to enhance employees' motivation, satisfaction, and effectiveness. Next, the mechanistic approach focuses on human resource efficiency as the major component of efficient outcomes, such as improved staffing and low training costs.