A survey released Dec. 11, 2014, by the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) and ACT found that a majority of employers use the data collected through job analysis activities to improve or focus their recruiting efforts.
“Considering that many HR professionals say they are having trouble finding qualified candidates for open positions at the moment, an accurate job description becomes even more important as an element of the recruiting process,” according to a written summary of the poll’s results.
A majority (73 percent) of respondents whose organizations conduct job analysis activities reported that they use the information gathered for their organization’s recruitment efforts. In addition, 72 percent said they use the analysis data for organizational performance standards, while 69 percent reported that the information is used for compensation planning.
ACT commissioned and collaborated with SHRM to conduct the survey and gather data about processes for examining and analyzing the impact particular jobs have on an organization.
Survey respondents listed the leading methods for analyzing jobs as interviews (50 percent), observation (33 percent) and structured questionnaires (27 percent). Nearly half (44 percent) of the respondents whose organizations conduct job analysis activities reported that their employers use analysis tools that were specifically designed for their organizations, and slightly more than a quarter (26 percent) said their companies utilize Internet-based job analysis tools.
When asked what types of information their organizations collected during job analysis activities, survey participants responded that the most common types of information collected were knowledge (96 percent), skills (95 percent), abilities (92 percent) and task statements (90 percent).
The poll summary also concluded that “with proper analysis of jobs at all levels of organizations, HR professionals will also have a more effective performance management process. Clearly knowing the responsibilities that come with certain jobs allows for ease of measurement on annual evaluations, periodic reviews, goal attainment and other forms of performance management.”
Bill Leonard is a senior writer for SHRM.
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