Page 66 - DMGT406_HUMAN_RESOURCE_MANAGEMENT

Unit 4: Job Design

There is horizontal expansion. It is "adding zero to zero". The employees generally resist it. It is Notes
said to contribute to employee motivation, however no valid claims have been made so far. Job
enlargement programmes would be successful only if workers are more satisfied with jobs
which have a longer scope.

4.7 Job Enrichment

Although not much is heard of it nowadays, the job enrichment movement of the 1960s, which
was largely designed and inspired by the research and writings of Frederick Herzberg, has had
a considerable influence on the job design.
The aim of job enrichment is to maximize the interest and challenge of work by providing
employees with jobs having the following characteristics:

1. They are complete piece of work in the sense that the workers can identify a series of tasks
or activities that end in a recognizable and definable product or service.
2. They provide employees with as much variety, decision-making responsibility and control
as possible in carrying out the work.
3. They provide direct and quick feedback through the work itself on how well the employees
are doing their jobs.

It seeks to improve both task efficiency and human satisfaction by giving more challenging and
responsible work and opportunity for individual advancement and growth. An enriched job
will have more responsibility and autonomy (vertical enrichment), more variety of tasks
(horizontal enrichment) and more growth opportunities.

On the positive side, it leads to increased motivation, performance, satisfaction, job involvement
and reduced absenteeism.
Secondly, it meets certain psychological needs of the job holders.

Self Assessment

Multiple Choice Questions:

1. Employees with ........ need for achievement desire challenging jobs over which they have
control.
(i) low

(ii) medium
(iii) high
(v) no
2. Which statement about job satisfaction is most correct?

(i) It causes performance
(ii) It can affect turnover
(iii) It cannot be measured
(iv) It does not affect absenteeism

3. Giving employees more tasks to perform at the same time is called job:
(i) enrichment

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