Human Resource Management Upgrading the Data Entry Clerk

Question:-

What do you suggest to further promote the idea of upgrading the data entry clerk and supervisory positions?

Answer:-

Upgrading the jobs would be the first appropriate solution to the issue in context. However, there are few other considerations such as improving the standard of living of the employees by increasing their salaries. The skill development program that has been designed would result in highly skilled employees but if the pay is not improved then it would result in employees quitting the job for better opportunities. However, John Clayton has never considered Ms. Shiver’s idea. Therefore, she needs to restructure the currently designated work activities for clerks and supervisors in accordance to the company objectives through a job redesign. She needs to specify each task for each individual employee. She should also specify the process of executing and completing each type of task. Tasks should be combined to form specific job descriptions.

Ms. Shivers need to conduct a job analysis to create a job design which would be able to persuade her boss to implement the idea. A functional job analysis is recommended for her. A standard statement about each job category should be formed and depending on the functional levels of the jobs these should be rated (Byars & Rue, 2008). Employees’ ability to handle data and interact with various components of the job should be considered in the ratings. Besides the time spent on each task should be considered. As a part of the analysis she should also determine the skills required for each task and accordingly her training programs can be integrated. This analysis would help gather information about the job as well as the employee who is performing the job and accordingly a rational and convincing job upgrade plan can be presented (Markowitz, 1981).

Ms. Shivers should use the O*NET (Occupational Informational Network) system to prepare the analysis report which would be used to create job design. Based on the six domains of O*NET Ms. Shivers can determine the worker oriented and the job-oriented factors. The occupational interests of the employees can be found out, for example, she can determine if the supervisor would like to be upgraded to GS-6 instead of a change in job. She can also verify whether the supervisor has the abilities to adapt to the skills required for GS-6. At this point she can determine the required training program for the supervisor. Similarly, for the clerical level jobs the experience, skills, and eligibility should be determined. The job requirements of the employees should be analyzed. For example, the present activities of the GS-4 employees and the potential required activities of the G-5 job level should be compared and finalized. Also, a detailed report on the required tools and technology for each group of tasks should be prepared. A combined report from all these analyses should be presented to promote the idea.

She should prepare a job analysis questionnaire as well.   This questionnaire should focus on past experiences and future expectations from the job. It would include questions regarding the current job role, employee’s understanding of the current job role, previous job roles, expectations from the company, promotion expectations, team details, activities of a supervisor, employee’s perception of job success, currently followed approach at work, employee’s perception of significant and insignificant job activities and the level of perceived difficulty before and after acquiring skills (Pila-Ngarm & Siengthai, 2017). The same questionnaire can be used to identify the underqualified or overqualified employees and accordingly jobs can be redesigned. Besides the payment issues the immediate work environment should be judged with this questionnaire. There is a probability of hindrance at workplace which is preventing the employees from exercising their newly acquired skills. Also, questions on emotional demands would help identify the difference between perceived and actual freedom at workplace.