Deck 4: Designing and Analyzing Jobs 

Question 1

Bon Secours Health Care
Health care has used flexible work arrangements for years as managers try to provide round the clock care for patients. Recently it has become even more difficult as shortages in the health care workforce have required creativity to attract and keep people.
Bon Secours Richmond Health Systems uses a variety of flexible scheduling innovations for hardto- fill evening and weekend shifts at its hospitals. Employees can choose from compressed work weeks (four 10 hour shifts or three 12 hour shifts), weekends only with extra pay, four- or eight-hour shifts, and seven days on followed by seven days off.
Women make up 85% of the workforce, and flexible schedules work well for them. Depending on life stage, employees may make different choices. A new employee just out of college may prefer working full time with a rotating schedule, but workers with children may need a fixed schedule that doesn't rotate. Some employees with several children may want to work part time. Part time is made attractive by providing full benefits and employer-assisted housing for those scheduled for as little as 16 hours per week.
Bon Secours' flexible work arrangements are credited with lowering first year employee turnover rates from 50% to 10% in four years. The national benchmark average is 28%. Employee engagement scores have risen from 3.6 to 4.55 on a 5-point scale, and employees can read success stories in the employee newsletter that may provide solutions to any dilemmas they may have with regard to scheduling. In small lunches with the CEO, employees have confirmed that they value having more control over their time.
Eight-five percent of Bon Secours employees use a flexible schedule either formally or informally. Forty-five percent use a compressed work week and 10% job share. Twenty-five percent work a temporary or part-time work schedule, and 3% do telework. 67
QUESTIONS
1. How well could this level of flexible scheduling work in another industry? For example, consider scheduling in a steel mill.
2. Identify other potential flexible work ideas that Bon Secours might use.
3. Flexible scheduling is common in health care. What would be the likely result without flexible scheduling?

Answer 1

Flexibility in the Job helps employees enjoy the control of the job by changing or allowing them the when and where aspects of the work to be done. For example flexibility in job allowing worker to work from home, or telework using electronic, telecommunications or Internet. These arrangements helps in maintaining work life balance and even allow the organization to utilize the talent which cannot be accommodated for full time.
Such arrangements can be well utilized in many industries which have 24*7 work environment or with rare availability of skills needed. For a still mill set up where the manufacturing takes place 24*7 demanding presence of employees all the time, flexibility can be a good option as it allows the employees a better control over time. It also increases the morale and efficiency of the employee resulting in decreased attrition. Compensation can also be designed accordingly like giving some incentives for night shifts, weekend work etc.

Question 2

Describe how changes in the workforce have been impacting organizations, including organizations for which you have worked recently.

Answer 2

Work force diversity will have a large impact on any organization. This diversity could become an advantage or disadvantage based on the way it is managed. So the organizations are implementing different strategies as a part of diversity management to overcome the negative consequences.
The following are some of the impacts of diversity on organizations:
• The workforce will have different employees from different back grounds, which helps in solving a problem in more efficient ways
• Employees can get the right persons who are talented and can perform at the expected standards
• The organizations have to modify their structures, policies and work patterns
• The organization culture has to developed in such a way that it is consistent with all employees and is sustainable
• Apart from the functional training, cultural training and language training has to be imparted to the employees
There are some disadvantages such as cultural conflicts, perceptions, stereotyping etc. which may hinder the growth of organization. So, the organization should take proactive measures to avoid the disadvantages.

Question 3

For many individuals, the nature of work and jobs is changing. Describe these changes, some reasons for them, and how they are affecting both HR management and individuals.

Answer 3

There are many changes emerging in the nature of the work. As these changes are very fast, the organizations have to be proactive and flexible. The work has become more practical.
The employers have been considering their employees as assets rather than a resource. These changes have been impacting different operations along with the employees. To avoid negative impact and to develop effectiveness, organizations are becoming learning organizations and knowledge centers
The following are the changes in the nature of work and job:
• Increased emphasis on team work rather than individual performance
• Increase in technology in job performance
• Complexity in the job
• Multi-tasking and job rotation
• Increase in competition and sources of potential employees are irrespective of geographical boundaries
Reasons and impact of these changes on HR management and individuals:
The following are the reasons for these changes:
• Globalization is the key for these changes in the nature of work. Doe to globalization, the organizations have redesigned their operations to standardize them in international markets
• Advancement and easy availability of technology made the jobs easy and resulted in technological dependence in jobs. Almost in every industry, jobs demand technical skills
• The expectations of employees from jobs have been increased. It is not just working for any organization, they also expect their work to be interesting, provide opportunities for growth, facilitate their work life and personal life etc.
• Organizations have been changing their structures based on their operations and adopting flexible structures by shifting their work hours and teams etc.
The following are the impact of HR management and individual:
• Implementation of workforce diversity management as the employees from different backgrounds have to work in team
• Introduction of different types of behavioral training to help the employees who are facing stress, work life balance problems etc.
• More focus on talent management and employee retention as the attrition rates are becoming a challenge. Employees are leaving the jobs if the job did not meet their expectations
• Outsourcing of the operations such as pay roll, recruitment etc. to minimize costs
• HR function has been emerging as a strategic partner

Question 4

Explain how you would conduct a job analysis in a company that has never had job descriptions. Utilize the O*Net as a resource for your information.

Question 5

You have recently assumed the role of HR Manager in your company. In reviewing the company records, you note that the job descriptions were last updated five years ago. The Company President has taken the position that there is no need to update the job descriptions. However, you also note that the company has grown by 50% during the last five years, resulting in many changes, including some in job functions. You want to build a business case to convince the Company President of the need to update the job descriptions. To help you build your case, use the information on the purpose of job descriptions at www.hrtools.com.
A. How can job descriptions be used as a management tool?
B. What role do job descriptions have in helping companies comply with various legal issues?