CERA's Work Design Pilot Project: Advising Rachel Amaro on Job Design

This report analyzes the work design pilot project at CERA, a civil engineering and research firm. The assignment focuses on providing advice to Rachel Amaro, from the drafting department, on designing jobs to support innovative behavior. The report begins with an executive summary, followed by an introduction to Human Resource Management (HRM) and its strategic role in organizations. It then delves into changing trends in the workplace, including work diversity, globalization, changes in talent requirements, and the use of less work power, emphasizing the importance of adapting to these trends. Constant change programs and their significance in organizational success are also discussed. The core of the report centers on job design approaches, specifically recommending the motivational job design approach for CERA, considering elements like autonomy, skill variety, and task significance. The report details the advantages of motivational job design, such as increased employee engagement, enhanced job satisfaction, and opportunities for growth. Challenges, such as the need for constant motivation and effective communication, are also addressed. The report also briefly touches upon mechanistic job design. The conclusion summarizes the key findings and recommendations, highlighting the importance of strategic HRM practices to achieve organizational goals, and includes references to academic sources. The report aims to provide practical and actionable advice to CERA for improving its work design and fostering a culture of innovation within the organization.

Running head: HUMAN RESOURCE MANAGEMENT
Human Resource Management: CERA
Name of the Student
Name of the University
Author’s Note:

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Executive Summary
The main aim of this report is to know about case study of CERA or Civil Engineering and
Research Associates. The human resource department of CERA has decided to implement
work design pilot project in their business for obtaining better effectiveness and efficiency in
business. For this purpose, a significant evaluation of different methods of human resource
planning methods is required with strategic planning of job design. Human resource planning
can be referred to as a subsequent procedure to systematically review major requirements of
human resources and ensuring that the required number of staff, who have correct and
relevant abilities, skills and knowledge, are available whenever needed. This type of planning
is even stated as employment planning and it focuses on better planning at every level in the
organization. Moreover, the issues of human resources are parts of strategic business
planning procedures. This specific process focuses on bottom line and hence these human
resources are considered as major parts of management and budgeting procedures. The main
strategies of human resources like management of performance and compensation, employee
learning as well as development and staffing are being integrated so that the several activities
within every functional area support are consistent in other areas of human resources. This
report has provided a clear idea about strategic human resource planning and work design
pilot at CERA. Proper analysis of job design is also provided for this particular organization
with relevant details and approaches like perceptual motor, biological, mechanistic and
motivational are also described here.

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Table of Contents
1. Introduction............................................................................................................................3
2. Discussion..............................................................................................................................4
2.1 Changing Trends in Work or Workplace.........................................................................4
2.2 Constant Change Programs..............................................................................................5
2.3 Job Design Approaches....................................................................................................6
2.4 Appropriate Approach of Job Design for CERA.............................................................9
2.5 Major Advantages and Challenges of Motivational Job Designing in CERA...............11
2.6 Organizational Innovative Performances.......................................................................12
3. Conclusion............................................................................................................................12
References................................................................................................................................14

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1. Introduction
HRM or human resource management can be stated as the strategic approach towards
an effective management of people within any organization, so that they help out the business
in gaining competitive advantages (Noe, Hollenbeck, Gerhart & Wright, 2017). It is being
designed for maximizing the employee performances in respective services of strategic
objectives. It primarily focuses on people management in respect to company, systems and
policies. This particular department is even responsible to oversee the training and
development, employee recruitments, employee benefits design, performance appraisal as
well as rewards management (DeCenzo, Robbins & Verhulst, 2016). The organizational
changes are being considered in this sector, hence balance of organizational requirements and
practices is possible. The overall purpose of human resource management is to ensure that the
respective company has the core capability of achieving success through people management
(Cascio, 2015).
The professionals of human resources also manage human capital of company after
focusing on process and policy deployment. Moreover, the members of human resource
department has specialization in recruitment, training and employee benefits for hiring the
top talent. The organization obtains business value to maintain their competitive advantages
by ensuring strategic management of workforce. This was initially dominated by
transactional work like benefits administration and payroll, however due to globalization and
technological advances, it becomes easier to maintain efficiency in the business. The risk of
losing employee commitment is reduced with an involvement of HR department (Bratton &
Gold, 2017). It is the major functionality of a company to deal with their staff in respect to
motivation, compensation, hiring, benefits, performance and compensation. The following
report will be outlining a brief discussion on work design pilot at CERA. Proper advice

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would be provided for Rachel Amaro of this organization regarding approaches for designing
of jobs in her area and for supporting innovative behaviour.
2. Discussion
2.1 Changing Trends in Work or Workplace
The trends in work force size as well as composition have major implications for the
future of work (DeCenzo, Robbins & Verhulst, 2016). The employees would be working in a
more decentralized and better firms so that growth can encourage the employers in recruiting
groups with extremely lower labour force participation. The future productivity of that
specific organization is highly impacted after supporting high wages. Wage distribution is
majorly affected in this phenomenon and few policies are involved for understanding these
trends in work and workplace. Human resource management is required to properly supervise
the major impacts of changing work trends (Chelladurai & Kerwin, 2018). The pace of
technological changes is quite high and the demographic patterns are shifted effectively. The
outcomes of globalization, necessities of changing authorities, worker duty, changing work
out and few others are required to be analysed properly.
The few changing trends in work or work place are as follows:
i) Work Diversity: This is the first changing trend in work place. The arranged quality
could be effectively associated to gain administration and inventiveness in business and
hence work quality would be enhanced (Budhwar & Debrah, 2013). Empowerment of people
and creation of a more inclusive culture is required for bringing this type of change in work.
ii) Globalization: The second significant changing trend in work and work place is
globalization. Due to the rise in globalization, new fundamentals for HR department should
be introduced for guaranteeing an effective amalgamation of information and management.

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The negative impacts of globalization on the cultural diversity are included for maintenance
of a proper balance between organizational processes and business values.
iii) Change in Talent Requirements: A proper selection of talented work is quite
important for productivity, forcefulness and management of work in a better manner
(Brewster, Chung & Sparrow, 2016). The change in talent requirements is important for
understanding the current work process and employee performance within the organization.
iv) Use of Less Work Power: This is yet another important and significant trend that
has changed in work and work place. More man power is not required in any work and thus
reducing the overall complexity of staff management for the human resources department in a
high level (DeCenzo, Robbins & Verhulst, 2016). It even reduces time and resource
involvement majorly and hence organization gains profit.
2.2 Constant Change Programs
Change programs are required for enabling organizations to manage the
implementation of new procedures for improvising a proper realization of business
advantages (Renwick, Redman & Maguire, 2013). These subsequent change programs
eventually include devising the changing initiatives, generation of organizational buy in and
finally deployment of initiatives for making it possible and continuing to obtain success in
futuristic change efforts. The change programs also enable the human resource departments
to help out other people in succeeding by laying out of a basic strategy to mitigate the risks
and monitor recent progress (Storey, 2014).
These change programs need the human resource managers to emphasize on
distinctive results, overcome major barriers towards change, and communicate simplified and
important messages to staff and even continuously monitoring progress. These types of
change programs can be stated as significant techniques, in which the HR managers

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emphasizes better work and helps in creation of better management for improving the work
environment (Aswathappa, 2013). The re designing of work formats to enhance the
profitability to a higher level. The change activities are required to be implemented for
ensuring success in business. The most significant change programs that are much effective
for an organization are as follows:
i) Organized Work Settings: The first and foremost constant change program is for
organized work settings in the employees. It is the responsibility of human resource
department to make the entire work environment or settings extremely organized for
maintenance of better productivity and employee performances in the business. It even
reduces complexities for organizing or centralizing work environment majorly.
ii) Unpredicted Personnel: This is the next important and significant constant change
program is for unpredicted personnel (Anderson, 2013). The organizational staff are the most
important and significant requirements in any organization and they are responsible to bring
profit in the business. However, when there is unpredicted or unorganized personnel, it
becomes quite difficult for the human resource department to make the systems work and
bring efficiency in business.
iii) Workers’ Association: This is yet another noteworthy reason for introducing
constant change program in any organization (Jackson, Schuler & Jiang, 2014). The
previously existing associations are required to be productive and thus it becomes an urgent
need to maintain efficiency within the business. Participative management is much effective
in this scenario.
2.3 Job Design Approaches
Rachel Amaro of CERA is concerned about job designing in her organization. Job
analysis is a process for identification and determination of job duties and requirements. It

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helps in establishment of experience, qualification, knowledge and skills required for
performing a job successfully. Job design, on the other hand is a functionality of human
resource management that is mainly associated with the specifications of methodologies,
contents as well as relationship of jobs for successfully satisfying the organizational and
technological requirements (Purce, 2014). Moreover, personal and social requirements are
also fulfilled by this process. Job satisfaction is improved for every employee and through put
is improvised majorly. Furthermore, quality of work is improved and employee issues are
reduced to a high level. The main job dimensions for designing a job include skill variety,
task significance, feedback, and autonomy and task identity. The intrinsic motivation of
employees is enhanced and work quality and performance are enhanced (Alfes, Shantz, Truss
& Soane, 2013). There are several important techniques for job designing, which involve job
rotation, job enlargement, scientific management, job enrichment and many more. Each of
these job designing techniques help in the maintenance of better employee involvement and
participation.
The work reforming refers to the rotation of work place as well as changes made that
are relevant to employee and management for encouraging incremented work force
participation (Brewster, Vernon, Sparrow & Houldsworth, 2016). Rachel Amaro has four
options or approaches for job designing and these approaches are as follows:
i) Motivational Job Design Approach: The first and the foremost important and
significant job design approach that could be utilized by Rachel Amaro in CERA is
motivational job design approach. There are some of the core and important features that are
being enhanced with this particular job design approach (Anderson, 2013). Such features
involve autonomy, intrinsic job feedback, social interaction, extrinsic job feedback, clarity in
goal or task, variety in tasks, identity of tasks, ability or skilled level requirements or needs,
task significance, learning or growth and skill or ability variety. The psychological aspects on

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employee motivation should be understood by Rachel Amaro so that she is able to obtain
considerable evidence on the job designing being influenced by job satisfaction, job
performance and job motivation (Nickson, 2013). The main challenge of motivational job
design approach includes constant motivation required for employees. Rachel Amaro will get
scope to look for better growth and development for employee performance (Albrecht et al.,
2015). Moreover, effective communication is also required for maintenance of this entire
organizational structure of CERA and this is only possible when employees are highly
motivated. Recognition is also provided with this approach and employees get
acknowledgment regarding work performance and hence get highly motivated. Moreover,
employees will also have opportunity to enjoy job enrichment (Anderson, 2013). As they are
into monotonous work, it is quite important for them to feel motivated and to face new
challenges or tasks. This would enhance their interest towards working and they would be
highly motivated.
ii) Mechanistic Job Design Approach: The second important job design approach is
mechanistic job designing approach. The main features of this approach include job
specialization, task simplification, specialization of processes and tools, automation,
repetition, single activity and spare time. Rachel Amaro would be benefitted if she
implements this approach as such jobs might not need high level of training and skills
(Jabbour et al., 2013). However, this particular job design approach even provides jobs that
have high instances for job dissatisfaction, turnover employee and absenteeism of employees
after involvement of menial tasks. Rachel have to check whether the jobs would be
completed with passion or with casual approach. Since such jobs do not require training,
often it is observed they lack innovation and creativity.
iii) Biological Job Design Approach: This is the third subsequent and noteworthy
approach for job designing. This particular approach involves strength, lifting, endurance,

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size difference, noise, shift work, seating, work breaking, and climate and wrist movement.
The need for human strength is required to be calculated for understanding job complexity
(Kehoe & Wright, 2013). The seating preparations for candidates are required to be checked
and climate of the working environment should also be analysed for providing a healthy
environment to work with. Moreover, Rachel even has to check shift work requirement and
work needs.
iv) Perceptual or Motor Job Design Approach: This is the final important and
significant job design approach that could be utilized by Rachel Amaro in CERA. There are
few features of this specified perceptual or motor job design approach and these include
lighting, displays, programs, workplace layout, printed job requirements, stress, boredom,
information processing, information input requirements, information output requirements,
memory requirements and any other equipment (Foster, 2014). Moreover, she should also
focus and calculate on amount of awareness, this job would require. Amount of expertise that
is being provided in the job should also be noted for understanding the probable output of this
job and how well an employee would be performing (Moutinho & Vargas-Sanchez, 2018).
2.4 Appropriate Approach of Job Design for CERA
After analysing the four above mentioned job designing approaches, it is observed
that the most suitable approach for Rachel in CERA is motivational job design approach. The
main reason would be the fact that jobs can be difficult for staff and hence they have to take
up more training and development (Griffin, 2013). Due to excess training, often these staff
feel demotivated and hence it is required to motivate them. The entire concept of
motivational job design approach comprises of few factors, which involve making large
working unites by simply combining smaller jobs, instructing workers to have a direct contact
with the customers, having proper evaluations of employees after taking their feedback and

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finally enabling employees to be responsible for the job after providing them with proper
control and authority.
Figure 1: Job Characteristics Model for Motivational Job Design Approach
(Source: Griffin, 2013)
According to job characteristics model, Rachel can use few job characteristics for
motivating her employees. These characteristics include autonomy, feedback, skill variety,
task identity and task significance. After combining them with critical psychological states,
the outcomes are highly motivating for any organization. Since, motivational job design
approach provides autonomy and both intrinsic and extrinsic job feedback, it can be easily
utilized in CERA for resolving their issues to a greater level. Job enrichment would also be
present for every employee (Ployhart, Nyberg, Reilly & Maltarich, 2014). Job enrichment is a
management concept, which includes redesigning of jobs so that they more challenging and
creative to staff. Rachel would be able to eradicate monotonous working environment if job
enrichment would be enhanced. Moreover, staff will be motivated when they will face new
tasks and challenges in their work. Hence, Rachel Amar should implement motivational job
design approach in their business to ensure better efficacy and employee motivation.

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2.5 Major Advantages and Challenges of Motivational Job Designing in CERA
The major purpose of this job design approach is incrementing organizational
productivity (DeCenzo, Robbins & Verhulst, 2016). Moreover, quality and quantity of
services would also be improved majorly and the operational costs would be reduced. The
training costs will also be reduced and thus organization would be benefitted. The major
advantages of motivational job designing approach in the organization of CERA are as
follows:
i) Organizational Structure: The first and the most important advantage of
motivational job designing is simpler organizational structure (Shaw, Park & Kim, 2013).
ii) Helps in HR Planning: Motivational job design process is also helpful for HR
planning and due to effective management, it is able to estimate the minimum amount of
skills, experiences and qualifications required in different jobs. The available organizational
jobs in CERA would be easily determined and this plan helps in acquisition, maintenance,
utilization and development of human resources.
iii) Acquisition and Selection of HR: Proper selection as well as acquisition of human
resources is possible with motivational job designing as it is helpful in the preparation of
relevant information for searching correct employees (Foster, 2014).
iv) Commitment and Motivation to Employees: Motivational job design is helpful for
employee motivation and commitment as it helps to allocate the job related duties as per
expertise, interests and skills of the employees. Moreover, motivated employees always
commit for best performances and hence CERA would be highly benefitted with
implementation of this approach.
In spite of these advantages, few challenges will also be faced if motivational job
design approach is introduced in CERA and these are as follows:

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i) Constant Motivation: A continuous motivation is required after introducing this
approach. Rachel will always have to motivate her employees in respect to rewards and
appreciation. The main reason for this motivation is that the staff would feel demotivated and
attracted to rewards for completing their work. Moreover, work quality will be judged on the
basis of motivation.
ii) Lack of Long Term Benefit: CERA might lose long term benefits if this type of
job design is introduced by Rachel (Shaw, Park & Kim, 2013). The sense of appreciation
might fade within few months and they would feel demotivated.
2.6 Organizational Innovative Performances
The organizational innovative programs at CERA that can bring better performances
are as follows:
i) Better Work Framework: This type of framework is extremely important and
significant to bring innovative performances in the company (Nickson, 2013). A better
workplace is provided to employees after including this type of framework.
ii) Uses of IT: The information technology is being utilized majorly and hence IT
applications and speculations are termed as the key drivers for hierarchical advancement.
They focus on making IT extremely vital for development process.
iii) Work Nature: The work environment plays a significant role in employee
performance (DeCenzo, Robbins & Verhulst, 2016). This type of advancement is
advantageous to the work nature of representatives.
3. Conclusion
Therefore, from the above discussion, it can be concluded that human resource
planning or HRP is a procedure to forecast the futuristic requirements of human resource. It

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even emphasizes on the major economic concept of demand and supply in relevance to
human resource capacities of a company. The procedure of human resource planning is also
helpful for organizational management, so that future demands of human resources are being
met in the company with supply of talented employees in correct numbers at the most
appropriate place and time. Moreover, after successful analysis of every human resource
requirement, it is noted that it can be a major part of recruitment and selection. The long term
objectives and strategies of the company could be easily and promptly analysed as well as
executed without much complexities.
The managers anticipates the respective requirements of work force. Moreover, the
business is also being prevented from falling into trap of shifting the market of workforce.
This is done by considering organizational goals so that HRP can enable proper
identification, selection and development of required competency or talent in the business.
The main steps of this process include current supply of human resources, futuristic demand
of HR, forecasting of HR and finally strategy as well as implementation of HR sourcing.
HRP is extremely important for identification of current and future HR requirements for the
business in achievement of objectives. The above provided report has clearly outlined a
detailed analysis of job analysis and job designing at CERA. The various approaches of job
analysis and designing are provided in this report with proper details. Amongst them,
motivational job design approach is recommended for CERA, as it is required for motivating
staff. Motivational job design approach will be providing with this concept and Rachel would
be able to complete her work effectively.

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