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What are the non-quantitative methods of Job Evaluation?
Posts: 615
Threads: 461
Joined: Oct 2010
Non-Quantitative Methods of Job Evaluation :
(1) Ranking Method.
(2) Job classification or Grading System.
The non-quantitative or non-analytical or summary methods utilise non-quantitative methods of listing jobs in order of difficulty. They are simple methods. The job is treated as a whole and job descriptions rather to job specifications are often utilised. On the other hand, quantitative or analytical methods use quantitative techniques in listing the jobs. They are more complex and are time consuming. Let us discuss these methods in detail.
(1) Ranking Method—Under this system, all the jobs are arranged or ranked in the order of importance from the simplest to the hardest, or in the reverse order each successive job being higher or lower than the previous one in the sequence. It is not necessary to have job descriptions, although they are useful. A common practice is to arrange all the jobs according to their requirements by rating them and then to establish the group or classification. In this method, jobs are not split up into their component parts, however comparison is made on the basis of whole jobs. Three techniques are generally used for ranking purposes:
1. Utilizing job descriptions.
2. Making paired comparisons.
3. Ranking along a number line.
1. Utilizing job descriptions—When this procedure is followed, each rater is given a set of job descriptions, one for each job to be ranked. The job descriptions are then studied and analysed. The differences between them are noted with respect to the key points selected for comparison. The rater determines which job in the series requires least amount of various characteristics used for comparison, and places that job in the lowest rank position. He then determines which job requires next higher amount of characteristics and places it next to preceding job's rank. And so on. Sometimes, two or more jobs fall in the same rank position. In such cases, they are assigned the same rank position.
After each rater has assigned the rank independently, their rankings can be compared. This comparison is usually made by having the raters meet as a committee and discuss with each other their respective rankings. Final rankings may be done by majority vote or averaging the rankings of raters.
The method just described above involves independent ranking first and then and integration with the ranking of the other raters.
2. Making group comparisons. In the preceding method, a rater is required to keep in mind all the jobs being ranked in order to place them in their correct relationship to each other. But this task may become difficult as the number of jobs increases. Distinguishing differences among jobs may be overlooked or forgotten. This would result in less accurate evaluation. To do away with this weakness, "paired comparison method" has been suggested. This method involves following steps :
(a) First of all, each job is paired with every other job in the series. Suppose there are four jobs say, refund clerk, transfer clerk, adjuster and collection clerk, their pairs will occur as follows :
Refund Clerk------------------------------- Transfer Clerk
Transfer Clerk--------------------------------- Adjuster
Collection Clerk--------------------------- Refund Clerk
Refund Clerk--------------------------- Adjuster
Transfer Clerk--------------------------- Collection Clerk.
(b) Next the rater examines each pair and determines which of the two is more difficult in terms of characteristics selected as guides. Thus he has to keep only two jobs in mind. He then underlines the more difficult job.
© How many times a particular job is rated more difficult than others, is counted.
(3) Ranking along a number line—Here ranks obtained from job descriptions or paired comparison are spaced along a number line. For example job X is the highest rank job and job Y is picked up to find out its closeness to job X.
The ranking system of job evaluation usually measures each job in comparison with other jobs in terms of the relative importance of the following five factors:
(i) Supervision and leadership of subordinates.
(ii) Cooperation with associates outside the line of authority.
(iii) Probability and consequence of errors.
(iv) Minimum experience requirement.
(v) Minimum education required.
(2) Job classification or grading method—Job classification or job grading is a process of scientific study of all the facts about a job, so as to reveal the content of it. Job-grading refers to the classification and analysis of jobs which are performed in an organisation and to their relative levels. According to Denyer "Job-grading consists of a scientific study of all jobs (job evaluation) and then placing of these jobs into broad categories called job-grades. It is fundamentally a technique of determining the differences between jobs, and of rationalising rates of pay in large organisations." Job-grading is done by studying the essential characteristics of each job. These characteristics are:
(a) the experience required,
(b) the skill required,
© the initiative required,
(d) the level of responsibility entailed, and
(e) the level of supervision needed for the job.
Identical jobs are grouped in as objective a manner as possible. There is no hard and fast rule about the number of job-grades. However, too many grades should be avoided. A job grading scheme should be prepared on scientific basis. When deciding about the grade, details of work performed, tools and equipments necessary to do the job, the physical surroundings, risks, involved etc. are taken into consideration. After preparing list of all existing jobs in the office, they are placed in various grades. The number of grades depends the policy of the organisation regarding the number of job grades to be created and titled given to them. When job contents change, job grading is also revised.
Job grading involves following steps:
(i) the preparation of job descriptions
(ii) the preparation of grade descriptions
(iii) Selection of grades and key jobs.
(iv) Grading the key jobs
(v) Classification of all jobs.
