Explain the term ‘Job Design'. Compare and contrast Herzberg's two factor theory as applied to job design, and the job characteristics model of job design. How might managers might make use of Job Design for individual employees? Answers should include the following: Job design is the application of motivation theory to the way work is structured in the organisation.
Herzberg theory of job design is referred to as the two-factor theory of job motivation. Herzberg contended that two separate sets of factors influence levels of job dissatisfaction and job satisfaction (and motivation). In his studies, he found that employees are motivated by work when the motivating factors of challenge, responsibility, pride in work, recognition, and opportunities for personal growth (i.e. promotions) are abundant and attainable. Herzberg says that the absence of the motivators leads to a loss of employee initiative, increased work apathy and the cessation of employee creativity.
However, this does not imply that employees are dissatisfied by their work. Herzberg argues that employees are simply not motivated because they have no reason to form positive work expectations. Because the motivators are associated with the content of work, they are often labelled as intrinsic factors or satisfiers. Serious erosion in job satisfaction is possible if the motivators are absent and hygienes or extrinsic factors are scarce. Hygienes are those conditions which must exist in the context of work to maintain a condition of ‘no dissatisfaction'.
They include: salary, job security, working conditions, status, company procedures, quality of supervision, and the quality of interpersonal relations with superiors, peers and subordinates. Herzberg's work stimulated organisational efforts to improve job designs over the simplified and specialised designs created by the use of scientific management. Herzberg has advanced a number of ‘principles of job design' which are:
1. Give employees as much control over the mechanisms of task completion as possible.
2. Hold employees accountable for their performance.
3. Within limits, let employees set their own work pace.
4. Design jobs so employees experience accomplishment.
5. Design jobs so employees learn new skills and work procedures.