HUMAN RESOURCE MANAGEMENT
1.0
INTRODUCTION
The
main purpose of this paper is to identify and assess the Core Job Dimension of
the jobs performed by workers in CBM Engineering Services and to recommend
methods to increase their Critical Psychological States. The
identification and assessments conducted using the Hackman and Oldham’s Job
Characteristic Model. The model describes the relationship between job
characteristics and individual response to work. There are five job dimensions
prompting three psychological states that lead to some beneficial personal and
work outcomes. (Hackman, J.R. And Lee, M.D, 1979)
CBM
Engineering Systems Sdn. Bhd.
was established in 1995 and has grown under the supervision of Mr Ganesan
Muthi, the founder. The firm is operating from the location shown by the
address and map below:-
202-0-13,
Jalan 1/89C Off Jalan Sungei Besi, Jalan Sungei Besi, 57100, Kuala Lumpur.
Map 1: Location of CBM Engineering Services
Source: http://cbmengineeringsystems.com/
The
company’s work interest is comprehensive building maintenance and service. They
concentrate and specialise in Air-conditioning and Mechanical Ventilation
(ACMV) services. The company has more than 15 years of experience with
personals of 30 years’ experience. They have expertise in design, supply and
install of all type air condition and mechanical ventilation for residential,
commercial, hospital, hotel, shopping centre and industrial. The company provide
all types of service and maintenance programmes for all air-conditioning systems
and associated equipment (cbmengineeringsystems.com, 2013).
List
of the services offered by the company, are:-
·
Design,
Supply And Install
·
Comprehensive
Building Maintenance (Total Maintenance)
·
Original
Equipment Re-Manufacture (OER) And Overhauling
·
Thermography,
Ultrasonic And Vibration Analysis And Testing
Thee organisational chart of CBM
Engineering Services is as below:-
|
Assistant
Technicians/ Handyman
|
|
Technician
|
|
Technician
|
|
Project
Engineer
|
|
Maintenance
Engineer
|
|
Manager
|
|
Clerk
|
|
Assistant
Technicians/
Handyman
|
|
Technician
|
Figure
1.1: CBM Engineering Systems Organization Chart
For the purpose of this work, the author chosen
Maintenance division of the company to be assessed and evaluated based on
Hackman & Oldham’s Job Characteristics Model.
All employees are skilled workers and working
full-time with the company. Generally, the type of job carried out is
Mechanical and Electrical Engineering. The Manager obtains potential clients,
handles Human Resource issues and budgeting. In the event of a request which
didn’t fall into any category and need to custom design, the Engineers will
liaise with the customer to meet the challenge and create unique, custom
designed solutions. Engineer also prepare work schedule and deal with
technology application. Whereas technicians attend complaints while handyman
assist technicians.
2.0
Hackman
and Oldham’s Job Characteristics Model
The Job Characteristics Model, developed by organisational
psychologists J. Richard Hackman and Greg Oldham, is a normative approach to
job enrichment. It specifies five core job dimensions that will lead to
critical psychological states in the individual employee. The model is one of
the most influential attempts to design jobs with increased motivational
factors.
An outline of the model is given in figure 1:-
Figure 2.1: An outline of The Job Characteristics
Model
Source: Hackman and Oldham (1980: 90)
The model explains that workers achieve a high
internal work motivation, high general job satisfaction, high growth satisfaction
and high work effectiveness if they experience the following factors in their
work:-
·
Perceive
their work to be meaningful
·
Experience
responsibility for the outcomes of their work
·
Have
knowledge of the outcomes of their work.
These three factors are created and enhanced by five
factors inherent in the design of the job itself namely: skill variety, task
identity, task significance, autonomy, and feedback.
A. Core Job Dimension
|
Skill variety
|
The degree to which a job requires a variety of different activities in
carrying out the work which involves the use of a number of different skills
and talents of the employee.
|
|
Task identity
|
The degree to which the job requires completion of a ‘whole’ and identifiable
piece of work. I.e.; doing a job from beginning to end with a visible
outcome.
|
|
Task significance
|
The degree to which the job has a significant impact on the lives or
work of other people, whether in the immediate organisation or in the
external environment.
|
|
Autonomy
|
The extent to which the job allows the employee substantial freedom,
independence and discretion in scheduling the work and in determining the
procedures to be used in carrying it out.
|
|
Feedback
|
The extent to which performing the work activities required by the job
results in the employee obtaining direct and
clear information from the job about the effectiveness of his/her
performance.
|
B. Critical Psychological
States
|
Experience meaningfulness
of the work
|
The degree to which the employee experiences the job as one which is generally
meaningful, valuable and worthwhile.
|
|
Experience responsibility
for work outcomes
|
The degree to which the employee feels personally accountable and
responsible for the results of the work he/she does.
|
|
Knowledge of results
|
The degree to which the employee knows and understands, on a continuous
basis, how effectively he or she is performing the job
|
C. Personal & Work
Outcomes
|
Internal work motivation
|
The degree to which the employee is self-motivated to perform effectively
on the job, that is, the employee experiences positive internal feelings when
working effectively on the job.
|
|
General job satisfaction
|
An overall measure of the degree to which the employee is satisfied and
happy with the job
|
|
Growth satisfaction
|
The degree to which an individual is satisfied with opportunities for
growth in the job.
|
|
High Quality Work Outcomes
|
The degree an employee fulfils the task in an efficient and effective
way to be more productive.
|
|
Low Absenteeism/Turnover
|
The degree of time lost or number of missed days and the frequency of
the employee in doing it. Employees more likely to be actively searching for
another job if they have low satisfaction; whereas, those satisfied with
their job is less likely to be job seeking.
|
Co-Relations/Influences
of CJD, CPS and PWO on One Another
Meaningfulness of work is caused by skill variety,
task identity and task significance, that is, the former are the dependent and
the latter the independent variables. Experiencing responsibility for work
outcomes is a dependent variable of autonomy and knowledge of results the
dependent variable of feedback. It is worth considering further the concept of
internal motivation. This is the kind of motivation influence employees that
only need coaches not managers because they do what is required and more
without having to be asked. The rewards tend to be internal not external. Three
of the psychological states required for high motivation. Hackman and Oldham
state that it is remarkable that even people who consider themselves relatively
lazy will put in a great deal of effort when these three factors are richly
experienced.
The Role of Individual
Need for Growth
In Hackman and Oldham there are three moderating
variables namely: knowledge and skill, growth need strength and “context
satisfaction”. It’s important to see workplace learning as a self-directed
process of personal and professional development for getting concrete benefits of
active participation in everyday work relations. There are quiet typical
learning opportunities related to job improvement activities such as work
competence development during organised courses or independent usage of
work-related materials.
3.0
Identification
& assessment of CJD in CBM Engineering Systems
The Maintenance Divison of CBM Engineering Systems Sdn.
Bhd. consist of full time employee groups ranging from a manager/owner, mechanical
engineers, technicians and assistant technicians (handyman). Even though there
is not a large pool of employees present in this division, the author finds it
interesting and important to identify and assess CJD in the working
environment. We will analyse the presence of CJD according to the different
group of employees respectively.
A.
Mechanical
Engineers
The engineers are responsible for the mechanical, electrical
and health and safety aspects of buildings. They ensure that these services
performed effectively and efficiently during the company’s projects. The role
includes the design and maintenance of air conditioning, elevators and other
mechanical systems, the distribution of electricity and water supply and the
provision of lighting and heating.
|
Skill Variety
|
·
Designing the layout of energy distribution, water pipes and
ventilation systems.
·
Mathematical, Technical, Computer Science, Creativity skills including
physics.
·
Report writing skills and making presentations & attending meetings
with clients.
·
Problem-solving skills and analytical thinking.
|
|
Task Identity
|
Organise and oversee the construction, operation and maintenance of
mechanical and process plant and installations, establish programs for the
coordination of manufacturing activities. Coordinate and oversee each and
every task in completing jobs.
|
|
Task Significance
|
The engineer appreciates his job in generating, transmitting and using
the electricity that powers the world.
|
|
Autonomy
|
·
Establish work measurement and analyse work samples to develop
standards for labour utilisation.
·
Judgment and Decision Making in considering the relative costs and
benefits of potential actions to choose the most appropriate one.
|
|
Feedback
|
Direct and clear information from the job about the effectiveness of his
performance from the manager and clients.
|
Image 3.1: An Engineer Evaluating Theoretical Design
Source: CBM Engineering Services
From the author’s observation, the engineers tend to
be more satisfied as they always deal with real situations where they can
improve and influence. Their task significance gives tremendous job
satisfaction because it combines creative innovation, technological expertise
and relevance to clients. Front-end engineering work, big projects and big
pieces of equipment contributions make a direct impact on the success of a
project, so job satisfaction and value are high for this group.
B.
Technicians
Technicians in CBM Engineering Services assist in
engineering research, design, manufacture, construction, operation and
maintenance of machines, manufacturing equipment, mechanical installations and
facilities. They prepare drawings, plans and designs for
mechanical engineering work under the direction of the engineer. They also
responsible in selecting tools and equipment, assembling and installing new and
modified mechanical assemblies, components, machine tools and controls, and
hydraulic power systems.
|
Skill Variety
|
·
Design techniques, tools, and principals involved in production of
precision technical plans, blueprints, drawings, and models.
·
Skills in machines and tools, including their designs, repair, and
maintenance.
·
Skills in methods and the tools involved in the construction or repair
of houses, buildings, or other structures.
|
|
Task Identity
|
·
Fully assist and involve throughout the construction, operation and
maintenance of mechanical and process plant and installations.
·
Produces a final set of accurate drawings for each stage of the
production process.
|
|
Task Significance
|
·
Technicians fill the gap between the significant tasks performed by
engineers and handyman.
·
Their part is essential to complete any work carried out by the
company.
|
|
Autonomy
|
·
Consult with engineers the best way to develop and plan a design, and
once the design has been created, independently create the drawings that
machinists use as reference when building a tool or piece of machinery.
·
Also undertake some basic administrative work such as creating and
updating lists of parts without direct instructions.
|
|
Feedback
|
Direct and clear information from the job about the effectiveness of
his performance from the manager and engineer.
|
Image 3.2: Technicians Positioning a Semi Hermetic Compressor
Source: CBM Engineering Services
The author finds that the technicians get job satisfaction
because in the end the profession is customer service. According to one of the
company’s technicians, “seeing people happy with the task that you made
makes any technician’s day worthwhile." Significant task to review
project instructions and blueprints to ascertain test specifications,
procedures, and objectives, and test nature of technical problems, such as
redesign ultimately lead to their high internal motivation. Skills variety of
techniques and doing project-oriented jobs also simulate high quality work
performance of technicians. Hence, job satisfaction relates to CJD is found to
be on medium level for this group.
C.
Assistance
Technicians/Handyman
Assistance
Technicians or Handyman in CBM Engineering Services does odd jobs such as cleaning,
painting, repairing and maintain buildings, grounds and facilities. Works like
fixing any safety hazards, putting together equipment, installing appliances and machinery as well as doing
minor plumbing and spraying also done by these handymen. They also maintain
work records; operates trucks and related building maintenance equipment; keeps
tools and equipment in clean and safe working conditions; responds to emergency
calls after normal duty hours. They often assist technicians in completing
given tasks successfully.
|
Skill Variety
|
·
Physically capable of moving equipment
·
Plumbing, carpentry, painting, spraying and electrical skills
·
Using hand and power tools in a safe and effective manner
|
|
Task Identity
|
·
Inspect drives, motors, and belts, check fluid levels, replace filters,
and perform other maintenance actions, following checklists.
·
Perform routine preventive maintenance to ensure that machines continue
to run smoothly, building systems operate efficiently, and the physical
condition of buildings does not deteriorate.
|
|
Task Significance
|
·
On call to respond to emergency issues like power failures, broken
plumbing, breakdown etc.
·
Respond immediately to fire alarm systems; disengage electrical, water,
or gas systems to protect building occupants and property.
|
|
Autonomy
|
·
Plan and lay
out repair work using diagrams, drawings, blueprints, maintenance manuals,
and schematic diagrams.
·
Prioritises
repair requests and plans work to ensure necessary parts are available and
tasks are completed quickly and efficiently.
v
(Subject to approval from superiors)
|
|
Feedback
|
Direct and clear information from the job about
the effectiveness of his performance from the manager, engineer and
technician.
|
Image
3.2: An Assistant Technician is Cleaning the Infill of Cooling Tower Using
Water Jet
Source: CBM Engineering Services
This
group of employees enjoys high degrees of CPS from the 1st 3
criteria above. The need to use variety of physical skills such as plumbing,
carpentry and electrical skills ultimately contributes to experience meaningful
of the work done and boost internal work motivation. But the level of autonomy
is still bound to constraints because the layout of their work is still subject
to be approved by their superiors. This aspect in a way limits the level of
satisfaction in their work. Apart of it, the feedback on their job outcomes
from the superiors happens regularly. This group also learns the outcome
directly from the clients on occasions when attending emergency issues. This
ultimately enables them to learn the actual results of the work activity and
lead to low absenteeism and turnover. Overall, the satisfaction level relates
to CJD for this group is still in low level compared to engineers and
technicians.
4.0
Recommendations
Upon identifying and assessing the levels of CJD,
CPS and PWO according to Hackman and Oldham’s The Job Characteristics Model,
the author provides a few recommendations for CBM Engineering Services. These
recommendations are to improve CJD of the group of workers in order to increase
their CPS.
A.
Skill
Variety
Job
Rotation – the company
must take measures to enable workers the opportunity to use a variety of
skills, and perform different kinds of work. The most common way to do this is
through job rotation. Engineers, technicians and handyman must be moved through
a variety of jobs that allow them to learn different skills and acquire
different experiences. This can be very motivating, especially to these people
who are in jobs that are very repetitive.
B.
Task
Identity
Combine
Tasks - Work
activities should be combined to provide jobs that are more challenging and
complex. Task identity can be improved because engineers, technicians and
assistant technicians will involve in a job through from start to finish. This
allows them to understand the work seem more meaningful and important.
Expanding their roles gives them responsibility for the entire process and let
them experience meaningfulness towards their work. This state will lead to high
quality work performance from them.
C.
Task
Significance
Implement
Participative Management
- The Company may allow engineers and technicians to participate in decision
making and get involved in planning of project undertakings. This is an
excellent way to make them realise that their input is important. It can work
in such small company, with a manager/owner who holds a close and direct
communication with all the employees. Contributing to the organization’s
overall business goals can give employees a clearer sense of their role (e.g.,
how their work fits into the bigger picture) and the significance and relevance
of their work to business goals.
D.
Autonomy
Engineers
and technicians enjoy a higher level of autonomy in this company. But the lower
level employees (Handymen) don’t enjoy as much flexibility in their work
process. The author suggests:-
Provide Options/Choice - When job design itself is predetermined by
Management, employees should be allowed to decide how they will complete the
job. This can create the feeling of choice necessary to be intrinsically
motivated. Allowing handymen to tailor
their approach to their preferences and abilities will also give them a
heightened sense of control over the situation they find themselves in, which benefits
performance. If the situation can’t give
them total free reign, then the company must try to give them a choice between
two options for how to proceed.
Adjustment of Work list - This group of employees must be given the
opportunity to adjust the appearance of work items in their work lists to their
own preferences. This measure provides assistant technician/handymen with more
autonomy. When there is a possibility to adjust the appearance of work items in
the work list they create a better overview of the things they have to do
according to their own preferences. This makes it easier to decide for oneself how
and which work item should be performed next.
E.
Feedback
Natural/Emphasise
Need For Growth - The
management should ensure that the results of work done are accurately fed back
to employees and highly visible thus allowing unobstructed feedback. As far as
possible this feedback should be a natural, on-going part of the job not the
type which is given by a superior in a job appraisal. Emphasis should be placed on increasing the
opportunities for growth. These vary from one employee to the next so the
process should be structured to include input from the individual.
Focus more on leveraging
employee’s strengths than trying to fix their weaknesses - When offering feedback to employees, it’s only
natural to want to mention elements of an employee’s performance that is in
need of some improvement. A better
approach to CBM Engineering Services is to look at the areas where employees
are excelling to find out why they are performing so well in that particular
task, and figuring out how that can be applied to the part of their work they
are having difficulty with. This will allow the company to help their employees
to learn to use their strengths across different areas, while gaining a better
appreciation for what aspects of their work will require the help of their
colleagues for them to complete the task. It’s important to remember that the
opportunity for growth for employees lies not in addressing their weaknesses,
but on building their ability to contribute their existing strengths.
5.0
SUMMARY
The presence of Core Job Dimensions among different
employee groups varying from Mechanical Engineers, Technicians as well as
Assistant Technicians/Handyman identified in the author’s findings. The
assessment was carried out on each group of employees separately based on the
five core dimensions.
The author found that practically all groups
evaluated are skilled workers and uses various skills according to their job
level to perform tasks. Skill
Variety among
engineers, technicians and also handymen are clearly identified. Employees
named opportunities to use their skills and abilities as one of the top five
factors influencing job satisfaction. In order to improve this element in
leading to better CPS, the author recommended Job Rotation method to enable workers the opportunity to use a
variety of skills, and perform different kinds of work.
As for task
identification, each
group of employees is very clear about the degree to which their job requires
completion of a whole and identifiable piece of work. The engineers organise
and oversee the whole work projects while technicians fully assist and involve
throughout it. Whereas the assistant technicians give their input at every
level from the beginning to completion as a whole even though not as much as
the previous 2 groups. To further enhance this dimension, the author recommends
the company to combine
tasks by expanding
their roles which give them responsibility for the entire process and let them
experience meaningfulness towards their work.
Besides that task significance for each group were carefully analysed. The
engineers believe that engineering and art should be combined. Every work has its
own beauty at the end and the satisfaction of perfect finishing should be seen
and appreciated by all. The technicians believe the final set of accurate
drawings for each stage by them is crucial for every project by the company. Whereas,
the assistant technicians understand the significance of their job in responding
to emergency issues. They ultimately become the bridge between the company and
clients whenever there is a break-down. To boost up the level of meaningfulness
of the work, the company recommended to Implement Participative Management which allows engineers and technicians to
participate in decision making and get involved in planning of project
undertakings.
The level of autonomy in performing jobs and the feedback on their job results found to be another motivation
and job satisfaction aspect of all the groups. Freedom and discretion to make
decisions, such as scheduling work and determining how it is to be done gives
the employees a greater sense of responsibility for the outcomes of their work
and, in turn, their satisfaction. Engineers and technicians found to be more
independent in performing their jobs compared to assistant technicians. The
levels of feedback from all the groups are found to be in a satisfactory level.
All the employees in the company receive direct and clear information from the
job about the effectiveness their performance from the manager, superiors and
clients.
Finally, recommendations to maximise responsibility
for work outcomes and knowledge of the actual results of work activities among
the engineers, technicians and especially assistant technicians summarised
below:-
|
Autonomy
|
Provide
Options and Choice - to tailor an employee’s approach to their preferences and abilities and
give them heightened sense of control over the work.
Adjustment
of Work list -
Assistant Technicians must be given the opportunity to adjust the appearance
of work items in their work lists to their own preferences.
|
|
Feedback
|
Natural/Emphasise
Need For Growth should be focused in direct feedbacks to increase the opportunities
for growth of employees.
Leveraging
employee’s strengths than trying to fix their weaknesses to help employees optimise their strengths while
gaining better appreciation for overcoming weaknesses.
|
As evidenced by this study using Hackman and
Oldham’s Job Characteristics Model, Core Job Dimension influence employee’s
Critical Psychological States and these factors ultimately lead to Personal and
Work Outcomes of employees. Job satisfaction can contribute to multiple organisational
gains and has been associated with increased internal work motivation, quality
performance and low absenteeism or turnover. This ultimately benefits the
organization such as CBM Engineering Services in terms of excellent performance
and increased productivity. (3637
Words)
6.0
REFERENCES
About Us. (2013). Retrieved from:
http://cbmengineeringsystems.com/aboutus.php
Hackman, J.R. And Lee, M.D. (1979), ‘‘Redesigning
work: a strategy for change” Studies in Productivity, Work in America
Institute.
Hackman, J.R. And Oldham, G.R. (1975), ‘‘Development
of the job diagnostic survey” Journal of Applied Psychology, Vol. 60, pp.
159-70.
Hackman, J.R. And Oldham, G.R. (1976), ‘‘Motivation
through the design of work: test of a theory” Organizational Behaviour and
Human Performance, Vol. 15, pp. 250-79.
Hackman, J.R. And Suttle, J.L. (1977), Improving
Life at Work: Behavioural Science Approaches to Organizational Change,
Goodyear Publishing, Santa Monica.
Hackman, J.R., & Oldham, Greg. R. (1980). Work
Redesign, Addison-Wesley.
