Question

The job characteristics model has five components that enhance employee jobs—skill variety, task identity, task significance, autonomy, and feedback. Give an example illustrating how each component can be used to improve the organization and the job off the employee.

Answer 1

• Skill variety: An employee should be able to use a number of skills rather than only one or two skills in the jobs. For example, a job would be monotonous if an employee only needs to enter data into a software. This will only involve the data-entry skill of the employee. This job can be interesting if the job involves a number of other skills like communication skills, interpersonal skills, writing skills, etc. in addition to data entry.
• Task identity: A job may not be very motivating if it constitutes a very small part of the entire organizational process. Each job should have its own unique identity to motivate employees. For example, if an employee just assembles a bolt in an automobile the entire day, this job may be much boring as compared to someone who designs the structure of the automobile or who pains the automobile. Therefore, a job needs to be significant and have its own identity.
• Task significance: A job needs to be significant so that it has a contribution to the organization as a whole or to the larger society. For example, when an employee feels that his/her jobs make a difference in the society, he/she feels much more motivated and involved in the job. Therefore, a job needs to be significant in terms of creating value.
• Autonomy: Employees should have a decent level of freedom to make decisions and judgments in the job. For example, a customer care representative must have enough freedom to flexibly solve customer-related issues.
• Feedback: There should be regular and systematic feedback to get employees engaged and involved in it. For example, a customer representative needs to be given regular feedback regarding how effectively he/she is resolving customer-related issues and how satisfied the customers are. This will motivate the worker to involve more into the job.