Learning Team Assignment
Weekly Reflection
Minerva Smith
HRM531
July 25 2009
Professor John Delano

Weekly Reflection

In Week Two, Paul was reintroduced to the concepts of a job analysis. According to Cascio (2010) a job analysis is the planned and systematic gathering of information about the tasks of jobs and the knowledge and qualifications necessary to perform those jobs. At first he struggled with the concept of the different aspects of collecting data for a job analysis. Now he is more comfortable with how job analysis data forms a job description and a job specification. The information learned on the functions of a job description allowed me to relate to Human Resources at my workplace. He have personally worked with my HR office to help create a job description of a new position within our organization that was not a corporate mandate. At the time he did not realize its full importance until reviewing the information during this week’s objectives. Also, he can now sympathize with my employment manager that she has no easy task, and the information provided in this class will help me understand her position even more clearly (Paul Webber). Paul think often times those who do not work in HR underestimate what all we really do. I've heard that HR sits around looking and waiting for trouble, but that's not true. Of course we have to enforce the policies but we also have to compile benefits and compensation plans, plan for the work force, perform job analysis and create job descriptions, and employee relations, payroll (Paul Webber). Taursha is actually in the process of performing job analysis for her organization. So this chapter is exactly what she is needing. She have never completed a job analysis let alone create descriptions from the information obtained in the analysis. Taursha has come to find out that some of the departments in my organization are creating job titles for people just to have a place to place them. Just the other week we had an employee to submit her 2-week notice. As she get ready to post the job internally to find a replacement. Taursha discovered there was no job description. Taursha contacted her corporate office on several occasions for job descriptions specific to my facility and they did not have them saved. So now I am in the process of analyzing all of the positions we have in my facility to create concrete descriptions to have on file (Taursha Presley). Ruth states, The Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 is the most comprehensive civil rights law in a generation. Based on the finding of Congress that people with disabilities have been "subjected to a history of unequal treatment and relegated to a purpose of not privilege political position.” Its purpose was to extend to those with disabilities the same protections against discrimination than there are available to women and minorities of race and religion, protected under the Civil Rights Act of 1964. Americans with Disabilities makes illegitimate discrimination in public and private employment, transportation, communications technology, and services to the public accommodation. Another requirement of the American with Disabilities Act is that employers make reasonable modifications to their facilities and equipment, always depending on the size of the company that employs to allow employees with disabilities to do their jobs. Additionally, the Act prohibits private businesses from discriminating against customers with disabilities and requires that all new buildings constructed, accessible to them. The Americans with Disabilities Act also requires that private businesses make changes that allow people with disabilities to enjoy the goods and services. This law applies to every employee with disability, is applied to every private company, local and state government, individuals, staffing agencies, and unions organizations. When this law is a complaint must be filed with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC). Individuals seeking to file a lawsuit under this law must first submit a charge with the EEOC and before any federal or state deferral established by state (Ruth Tirado). Peter states, A job analysis is a device or process used by a company or organization to create or fill a new job. It list the specific skills, education, and requirements for the position as well as the duties, responsibilities and pay levels for the position. According to the text Cascio (2010) a job analysis is the planned and systematic gathering of information about a tasks of jobs and the knowledge and qualifications necessary to perform those jobs (Peter Hiltibrand). Peter is comfortable with this concept as I have used it to some degree in the past when he was a supervisor with a previous employer. The function of the job description is to recruit the right person for the position the company is attempting to fill. It is not always an easy task as many people who think they have the skills by reading between the lines may apply for the position and it is the HR department’s responsibility to select the right candidates to interview. As he not in management at this time, Peter have not been exposed to this concepts for some time and I am not as comfortable as I once was (Peter Hiltibrand).

Shaleda struggled with understanding the benefits of understanding job analysis information as an operating manager. In Shaleda opinion, group dynamics entails the organization and performance of groups and with the types of roles played by members. Roles are portrayed as being supple and may vary with changing goals or actions Formal groups include quality circles, decision-making meetings, orientations, training, department meetings, advisory councils and sales meetings, to name a few. Every group has leaders and followers (Margaret & Gideon, 2001). Over a period, the members may even become dependent upon one another to the point that they may feel lost without the group and feel inadequate. Cooperation among members is also boosted through communication the members gain a unique identity. This is facilitated by the interaction between the workers. As they interact team members communicate through verbal communications and other non-verbal signs. Shaleda also states, as a manager, the job analysis method I would prefer to use would be interviews. According to hubpages.com, “as a manager, for example, within an Operations Department of a military branch, an analysis method I would use is the combination of conducting interviews, acquiring personnel information through critical incidents, and organizing structured questionnaires. Through these methods, the person interviewing wouldn’t be required to perform or observe the job, particularly jobs that are inaccessible and revolved around sensitive functions or material. However, these methods (interviews, critical incidents, and structured questionnaires), as Cascio displays, can cause personnel/interviewees to become suspicious of interviewing motives, can be time critical, and costly with arduous research. Considering that these disadvantages can never be avoided, to overcome these obstacles, such as those through the interviewing method, as a manager should inform personnel of the method/study’s purpose and focus. As for critical incidents and questionnaires, rather than acquiring superfluous data, the company may outline their objectives prior to conducting research, so as to have a more concentrated study”(Shaleda Rozier and Hubpages.com). “In general, all job analysis methods have advantages and disadvantages. Using one, or a combination of several, requires an understanding of impacts. Analysis approaches should be tailored to the organization specifically, with the aim of preventing interference to typical employee output”(hubpages2011).

References
Cascio, W. F. (2010). Managing Human Resources: Productivity, Quality of Work Life, Profits, 8e.
Gideon F,(2001) Antisocial behavior in school: Strategies and best practices. Pacific Grove, CA: Brooks/Cole Publishing Company..
http://hubpages.com/hub/Job-Analysis-Method---HRM