Position Analysis Questionnaire Guidelines For Supervisors
INTRODUCTION
Indiana State University (the "University") has in effect a point-factor Salary Program for support staff employees. This introduction is designed to provide information to help you answer employee questions and understand your role as supervisor in the process.
The Salary Program is designed to provide reasonable and equitable differentials in salary based on the various combinations of responsibility, skill, and knowledge for the work assigned to each employee. The general purpose of the University’s pay practices continues to be the establishment of salary opportunities for support staff employees that are internally equitable; externally competitive, and consistent with the operating philosophy and objectives of the University.
The cornerstone of these pay practices is a well-conceived and implemented position evaluation process. This determines the relative importance (or worth) of the work assigned to employees, so that meaningful and equitable salary opportunities may be set on the basis of the assigned work, or position content.
The approach to determining relative internal worth among positions
includes three steps:
Position analysis – This is a careful and thorough review and understanding of the work being done.
Position description – This is a written record of the important activities and requirements of the work being done.
Position evaluation – This is a method of evaluating the information that has been collected and described, to determine the position’s relative worth within the University.
The focus of this booklet is on your responsibilities during the first step of the position evaluation process.
POSITION ANALYSIS
Position analysis is identifying and recording the most significant activities and responsibilities of a specific position. In other words, it means taking apart a set of work activities and responsibilities to find out what the "package" contains. The best sources of information about the work being done are the person(s) doing it and the supervisor (s) who are responsible for it being done. For this reason, an employee is being asked to complete a questionnaire about his/her work. The supervisor is advised to review for accuracy and completeness of the questionnaire completed by your employee. The completed questionnaires will provide the basic information needed for describing and evaluating the position. Thus, the proper collection of this information is a critical part in the process of review required by the Salary Program.
The objectives of analyzing a position are to find out what work is being done, how it is done, why it is done, and the skill and responsibility involved in the doing.
What work is done – Finding out what an employee does involves understanding the physical and mental responses required in performance of the work. Mentally, an employee may plan, compute, judge, analyze, interpret, direct or otherwise govern the expenditure of his/her or others’ physical efforts. Physically, an employee may carry, put together, type, insert or otherwise expend physical effort in performance of the job. Any combination of physical and mental effort may be required by a particular job. In understanding what an employee does, the complete scope of the work must be established and all physical and mental activities must be considered.
How work is done – Finding out how an employee does the work involves identifying and understanding the methods and techniques used to complete the work. Mentally, the method lies primarily in the "know-how" that must be applied to the work. This may involve the use of judgment or decision making. Physically, the method involves the use of equipment, following of procedures (such as filing, sorting, posting, etc.) and the employee’s own movement.
Why work is done – Finding out why an employee performs the work identifies the basic purpose of the work itself. Describing the results expected helps to identify the purpose of the work. For example, the purpose of the work might be to complete a particular step in the student enrollment process, or to prepare/ file/retrieve certain information required for others to make decisions. It is necessary to be very careful in determining and recording the reasons why the work is done.
Skill in doing the work – This part of the position analysis step brings together the information needed to supplement the what, how and why, and express the degree of difficulty in the work performed. It involves identifying and explaining the basic elements of the work which indicates the knowledge, skills, communication abilities, and any other characteristics required of the employee by the work, regardless of whether the work is clerical, secretarial, service, technical or administrative. In effect, knowing the skills required to perform the work helps to identify differences between positions and establish the degree of difficulty of the work involved.
Since position analysis is the basis for most of what follows in the evaluation process, the following points should be remembered when reviewing the completed questionnaire.
The position content is studied and analyzed, not the performance or credentials of the employee. It may be difficult to separate the person from the job, but you should remember that the determination of a position’s relative internal worth rests in the duties and responsibilities of the position, not in how well the job is being performed. The personal credentials of the employee occupying a job are not part of a position analysis.
The most critical part of analyzing a position is determining exactly what is done, not what might be or is thought to be done. The only way to understand a position’s content is to dig for facts and take nothing for granted.
It is essential to know the complete set of duties and responsibilities involved in a position. Some can be observed quickly and easily, but others may occur over cycles of varying lengths (for example, accounting positions usually have monthly, quarterly and annual requirements for different aspects of the work.)
Position analysis should be a fact-finding operation, but in practice it necessarily involves opinions and judgments. There is no absolute answer to what is important in the position or the relative difficulty and importance of its duties. A usable answer depends on your objectivity and perspective.
Attachment 1 is a copy of the "Position Analysis Questionnaire" form, which your employee will need to complete. Instructions are provided for each item. The completed questionnaire should provide a snapshot of the work and an inventory of the important duties and responsibilities for anyone not personally familiar with the position. The employee and you must decide what is important and how it can be described clearly and concisely.
Use words which convey a good understanding of the work being performed rather than vague generalities such as "assists," "participates," or "performs" which convey almost no meaning. The quality of the completed questionnaire does not depend on the size, complexity or impressive sound of the words. The questionnaire should be completed with candor and should neither exaggerate or understate the nature of the work being done. Attachment 2 is a glossary of action words for making the questionnaire accomplish the purpose.
An employee who is unable to complete the questionnaire because he/she does not understand the questions or how to state their answers should consult with the supervisor for assistance.
When helping an employee complete the questionnaire, remember that the questions are concerned with getting information required for position evaluation. Thus, you should try to be as specific as possible when considering the following:
Position duties and summary – What is the primary objective(s) and important accountabilities or end-products which the incumbent must produce to achieve the objective(s)? Which of these does the incumbent do personally and which are delegated to others?
The position’s complexity – What is the general environment or framework within which it operates? What is its relationship and dependence on other positions? What are the important external relationships? What is the general nature of the technical, problem-solving and human relations skills required? What variety of tasks, pressures, and changing circumstances are inherent in the position? What kind of planning skills are required?
Extent of direction received – What are the nature and source of controls limiting the incumbent’s authority to make final decisions and take action? What is the type and frequency of direction, guidance and supervision received by the employee?
Position impact – How does the position’s primary objective(s) affect the University’s major objectives? What actions or results get reviewed by higher levels? To what extent are established practices, procedures or instructions available.
Direction of others – What is the position’s responsibility for directing the work of others? What are the number and level of other employees reporting directly and indirectly to the incumbent? Is the supervisory responsibility limited to instructing and assigning work, recommending personnel actions for others to approve, or does it cover other aspects?
The usefulness of the completed questionnaire will depend largely on the extent to which these kinds of questions are answered.
After the employee and supervisor have reviewed the questionnaire and agree that it described the work being done, it should be forwarded through normal approval channels to the Human Resources. If you complete a questionnaire for an employee, it should be reviewed with him/her for concurrence that it accurately describes the work.
If you have any questions about the purpose of the Position Analysis Questionnaire or how it should be completed, please ask your immediate supervisor, or contact Human Resources.
SUMMARY
You and your employees have a key role in the Salary Program process. Sound understanding and objective thinking must occur throughout the process described above – but this is especially critical in the position analysis step to avoid unnecessary conflict and misunderstanding. You should consider your involvement in this activity a very important responsibility.