SHRM survey: Top 5 job analysis tools of the trade

About half of the HR professionals recently surveyed by the Society for Human Resource Management said they have participated in at least one formal job-analysis activity. The goal is usually to identify the key tasks employees perform on the job and the skills they need to do their work successfully.

The SHRM survey found that job analysis most commonly relies on these techniques to capture task and skill information:

Methods for conducting job analysis

• Interviews  50%

• Observation  33%

• Questionnaire  27%

• Checklist  25%

• Focus group  19%

Source: Society for Human Resource Management survey, December 2014

According to SHRM, organizations commonly use job analyses to fine tune hiring or promotion criteria, set performance measures, determine compensation levels and establish priorities for employee training.