Job Analysis 165
the past. However, if agencies want to prepare for future changes, they
must integrate into the job analysis strategic issues that may affect jobs
in the future. To adopt a future - oriented approach to job analysis, agen-
cies should convene a panel of SMEs to discuss the types of issues that
are likely to challenge positions as well as the organization in the future.
Recommended SMEs include job incumbents, managers, supervisors,
strategic planners, human resources staff, and experts in a technical
fi eld related to the job to be analyzed. After potential future issues have
been identifi ed, tasks and KSAOCs need to be revised in anticipation of
changes. Implementation of this strategic job analysis process can assist
HRM practitioners by anticipating and forecasting future organizational
needs.
Sanchez and Levine (1999) use the term work analysis instead of job
analysis. They believe that the analysis of work should serve to propel the
change process, whereas the word job serves to defi ne job boundaries and
make them rigid. They note that the circumstances and situations that
once infl uenced traditional job analysis are changing. For example, at one
time, many jobs were defi ned by a division of labor. Tasks were routine
and broken down into distinct elements. Today, most public and non-
profi t employees are professionals, and tasks have been replaced by cross -
functional responsibilities. Changing responsibilities require employee
fl exibility. Employees are more involved in planning and controlling their
own work. For organizations adapting to change, job descriptions are likely
to be short - lived, so there needs to be a system of continuous work analy-
sis. The shift to teamwork and self - managed groups requires that greater
emphasis be placed on interactive activities.
Organizational citizenship behaviors and contextual performance
have become more important as employees interact with a greater vari-
ety of people. Managing the emotional aspects of work, such as display-
ing sensitivity to culturally different individuals, is important. Emotional
stability and other personality attributes have received little attention in
conventional job analysis when compared with cognitive and technical
aspects of the job. However, interpersonal, team, and customer - oriented
attributes can be decisive in many of today ’ s work assignments and in such
cases should be acknowledged.
Not only may organizations want to review the way they analyze work,
but they may also want to focus on the level of general characteristics impor-
tant for success in the organization ’ s culture and for dealing with change. For
example, the focus could be on general categories of competencies important
for success, such as adaptability, self - motivation, and trainability, in addition