MBA HRM Assignment: Work Design Pilot and Job Design at CERA

This report focuses on a work design pilot implemented at Civil Engineering and Research Associates (CERA) to address human resource management challenges and promote innovative behaviors. It provides recommendations to Rachel Amaro on designing jobs that support innovation, emphasizing the importance of workforce planning, recruitment, and employee retention strategies. The report covers job analysis, job design methods, including job simplification, rotation, enlargement, and enrichment, and motivational job design. It also discusses the challenges of motivational job design and the application of Herzberg's theory. The report highlights the need for CERA to address labor shortages, improve employee performance, and foster a creative work environment through effective human resource management practices. The report emphasizes the significance of employee training, development, and the implementation of advanced technologies to reduce workload and enhance production capabilities, which are essential for achieving CERA's strategic goals and ensuring successful business functioning. The report provides insights into how HR managers can utilize gap analysis to predict future labor demands and compare them with the available skills and abilities of the individuals working for CERA.

Running head: MBA HRM ASSIGNMENT
MBA HRM assignment
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Executive summary
The report discussed the need for managing the work design pilot and designing of jobs
to support innovative behaviors within the workplace. The performances of the employees were
measured to ensure identifying the areas of weaknesses and providing necessary training and
implementing strategies to manage those properly. To design the work pilot, the inventories,
machineries and skills of staffs were considered along with the overcoming of issues regarding
the lack of skills among the employees and lack of ability to select the most efficient employees.
CERA designed jobs to support innovative behaviors and managing successful human resource
management at workplace too to reduce the chances of issues like shortage of labor and promote
better coordination of work. The human resource management helped in attracting a diverse pool
of talent, which fostered creativity and innovation all throughout to ensure successful business
functioning.
Table of Content

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s
Introduction......................................................................................................................................3
Need for Work design pilot at CERA..............................................................................................3
Job analysis......................................................................................................................................5
Job design........................................................................................................................................6
Job designing methods.................................................................................................................6
Motivational job design...................................................................................................................8
Job enlargement and enrichment..................................................................................................9
Job Characteristic model............................................................................................................10
Challenges of motivational job design..........................................................................................11
Conclusion.....................................................................................................................................11
References......................................................................................................................................13

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Work design pilot at CERA
Introduction
The report is prepared to discuss about the work design pilot at CERA considering the
various human management practices within the organization. It is important to provide advice to
Rachel Amaro for ensuring proper designing of jobs to support innovative behavior as well as
ensure that the human resources are managed properly. Civil Engineering and Research
associates or CERA was founded in 2007 and its vision is to become one of the most established
go-to consulting companies within the civil construction industry in Australia. CERA is one of
the major engineering and research associated Consultancy Company that has managed to
provide the best quality consulting services to the construction and engineering company to
make sure that good quality infrastructures are built. The topic will demonstrate the work design
pilot will be prepared that is to be prepared at CERA. By maintaining a proper work design, it
will be easy to ensure workforce planning and recruiting the individuals from different
backgrounds and from different fields of knowledge, because of which, it will be easy to share
and exchange opinions and ideas at CERA. The issues related to the lack of filling the job roles
and not being able to employ the right candidates will be illustrated along with the forecasting of
human resources to provide supplies according to the demands of workforce. The proper human
resources management and its practices to enable creativity and innovation will also be included
in this report.

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Need for Work design pilot at CERA
CERA is quite clear about its vision and strategic goals with the involvement of both
Mark French and Kellie Lincoln. To differentiate itself from others within the industry, the
company has decided to bring innovativeness and manages orientation of services through
enhanced design and engineering. One of the major issues faced by the company could be the
lack of proper workforce planning or human resource planning, due to which the organization
suffered in several areas and even faced complexities in responding to the external environment
within quick time. Thus, there was necessity to develop an appropriate work design pilot
considering the external market data and information based on the potential demands along with
the checking of feasibility (Armstrong & Taylor, 2014). The designing of work pilot also could
include considering the numbers of inventories, skills and demographics within the present
staffing process, which would combine the statistical methods and expert judgments for running
a much more detailed workforce planning with the involvement of both the Planning and
Engineering divisions (Alfes et al., 2013).
The forecasting of human resources should be done along with effective recruitment,
replacement and employee retention strategies for maintaining a strong workforce and
straightforward labor supply. It is the roles and responsibilities of the HR manager of CERA to
ensure that the demands of labor supply are met and their skills and abilities are identified
(Jackson, Schuler & Jiang, 2014). One of the major ways to do is the utilization of gap analysis
technique where the HR managers are assigned with the roles of predicting the labor demands in
the future and compare those with the available skills and abilities of the individuals working for
CERA (Anderson, Potočnik & Zhou, 2014). As soon as Rachel would understand the benefits of
the employee performance measurement or appraisal, she would likely create a positive work

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culture within the workplace, which can provide better working conditions for the employees
(Ma Prieto & Pilar Perez-Santana, 2014). Rachel wants a creative workplace where the
employees do possess extensive creative and thinking abilities and can handle tasks with ease.
Job analysis
The analysis of jobs was done to identify the positions that were left to be filled with
candidates even make sure to engage the candidates properly during the recruitment and
selection process. The job analysis must include considering the job roles, qualifications required
to get selected for the job role and finally ensuring that the job requirements are met. The
measurement of the performances of the workers is also important for gaining knowledge about
the appropriate management of HR planning and creates job designs in such a manner that it
supports the innovative behaviors within the workforce. The actual performance and the
performance that has been desired in the future should be identified as well for ensuring that the
gaps are overcome and the organizational efficiency could be improved as well. The gaps of
employees would be identified with the use of transitional matrix analysis, which could make the
HR mangers prepare sound designs for work to accomplish the aims and objectives of the
organization as well as bring innovation all throughout (Marler & Fisher, 2013).
At CERA, there was shortage of labor, due to which there was a huge gap between the
human resources available and the actual demands in the workforce. The jobs should be designed
in such a manner so that more and more candidates are attracted and even the existing employees
must be retained for providing long-term solutions to the business problems. To keep the
workforce production, innovative job designs should include creating a good working
environment consisting of a good culture so that the employees could be kept satisfied and

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encouraged to perform to their potential. The implementation of advanced technologies should
also be considered as a major aspect of designing innovative jobs for reducing the work load of
and enhance the production capabilities and reduce the costs of operations managed by the
workforce too (Nankervis et al., 2013). The employees must be provided with proper training
and developmental sessions for enhancing their skills, attributes and necessary knowledge
gaining abilities while working for the company. This is how the issue related to the shortage of
human resources at CERA would be overcome with ease and effectiveness.
Job design
The job designing process is the main cause of job satisfaction for the employees and
managing the aggression of lack of commitment of the employees that may be arising due to the
regular and same kinds of job responsibilities. Designing a job role properly would assist the HR
manager to create satisfaction among the employees as well as keep them motivated and
encouraged to tackle the job related challenges and roles with much ease and convenience.
Motivation would be possible through better compensation and wages structure while designing
the jobs and this would automatically interest among the employees, enhance the level of
coordination and promote better teamwork (Kehoe & Wright, 2013). A job design should also
include defining the work processes clearly and setting up good working hours to make the
employees feel valued at CERA, which could even drive their potential to work with more
dedication. It is essential to make Rachel Amaro informed about the changes in the new job
design for supporting innovative behavior and at the same time measure the performances of
employees to check for any areas where they might be weak (Shields et al., 2015).

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Job designing methods
There are four major techniques required to prepare an effective job design and these are
as follows:
Simplification of work: Here the jobs are designed for filling the vacancies within the department
managed by Rachel. The job is simplified by breaking it into smaller sub tasks and each of the
tasks are allotted to a specific individual. The individual can gain proficiency and skills in doing
the similar kind of task repeatedly. The work simplification requires minimum effort and money
while training the individuals because of the need of low level skills.
Job rotation: The employees are needed to move from one job to another without changing their
roles and responsibilities. Though the individual performs different types of tasks, still those are
of the same nature and similar kinds of aspects are involved. The level of skills and knowledge is
increased and the employees will become competent enough in different kinds of tasks (Ozguner
& Ozguner, 2014).
Job enlargement: It recreates the job role by adding more tasks to the job, which creates more
scopes for the employee to excel in his career. The employees will feel more interested through
motivation and encouragement by the leaders, which can allow for committing fully to the
business efficacy.
Job enrichment: Motivation of jobs is possible through job enrichment where motivating factors
are added to the job and the employees will perform to this potential. It will also make them
capable of handling critical issues and challenges, thereby acquire opportunities to grow and
provide useful ideas and opinions for the improvement of outcomes for CERA (Kramer &
Thayer, 2013)

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Figure: Job design methods (Kramer & Thayer, 2013)
The Herzberg’s theory demonstrates the motivation and hygiene factors that are
responsible for motivating the workforce and making the employees perform to their potential as
well. Various factors could be considered such as opportunities for learning and growth, safe and
good working conditions along with providing them with both monetary and non-monetary
rewards for their performances within the workplace (Malik & Naeem, 2013). There are various
factors that can decrease the motivation level and morale of employees such as lower wages paid
to them, inaccurate organizational policies and lack of safety and good working conditions
within the workplace, which are also considered as hygiene factors. The humanistic approach to
job designing could not managed at CERA would both raise the morale of employees as well as
maintain the organizational values and ethics within the organization with ease and effectiveness
(Yusoff et al., 2013).

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Motivational job design
The motivational job design is implemented to make sure that the job roles and
responsibilities are planned in such a manner so that the employees remain satisfied (Todorović,
Mitrović & Bjelica, 2013). The job designs at CERA are managed to allocate the tasks to the
individuals and groups specifying about the methods, content and relationships of jobs for
fulfilling organizational and technological requirements along with the satisfaction of the
employees working at CERA. The job designs should include additional benefits and rewards to
the employees for performance enhancement and accomplishment of organizational goals. Both
monetary and non-monetary rewards could be included in the job designing approach for
facilitating the motivation level and encouraging them to work harder. Taylorism could be an
effective way of managing motivational job design and enable creation of a standard method at
CERA for each of the job roles, This would also include providing training to the workers and
supporting them to perform to their potential with the enhancement of their skills, knowledge
and expertise. The socio technical systems approach should also allow for designing the job
according to the goals and objectives of the organization. The employees must be engaged
altogether in preparing the design of the job role, which should also help in controlling the
variances in production or service centered benefits. The job design should not only ensure high
quality working life, but could also assist in the adaptation to changes and handling the pressures
within the changing environment of the organization. It would ensure that the programs and
initiatives are implemented as designed in the job roles, furthermore analyze the insights to
achieve better outcomes. The progress achieved should be communicated along with the success
rate both internally and externally and the efficiency of the program would allow for rigorous
program evaluation too (Choi, 2014).

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The motivational job design enables creating a job role for the employee that can keep
them satisfied and encouraged to work for the company and deliver his best. The job designing is
done in such a manner, so that the various features will benefit the employees and make them
feel interested to perform to their potential. It could allow the individuals to present their new
and innovative ideas that may be beneficial for the company in terms of production, growth and
higher profitability. The working life quality would tend to improve and thus create better scopes
and opportunities were created for the employees to show their innovative skills and behaviors,
which should enhance the business functioning efficiency and derive positive outcomes.
Job enlargement and enrichment
There are also job enriching and job enlargement approaches that can influence the level
of motivation and satisfaction of employees. The job enlargement procedure, as the name
suggests allow for providing additional responsibilities to the staffs working at CERA and
creating enough scopes and opportunities for them to obtain better skills, knowledge and
expertise to perform to their potential. The existing employees of the organization would also be
able to master the required skills and evolve in better learning and knowledge acquisition to
achieve the desired objectives. On the other hand, the job enriching procedure means creating
better working conditions and allowing to enhance the skills of the staffs for handling critical and
challenging tasks with ease (Battistelli, Montani & Odoardi, 2013). There would be positive
relationships between the characteristics of the job and responses of the employees, which could
further bring variety of skills and make them identify the importance of the tasks and even
provide feedbacks regarding the job. The HR manager must play a major role in managing
designs of the jobs and create a flexible structure so that the employees could adapt to the
changes and perform efficiently as well (Cera.org.au, 2018).

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Job Characteristic model
The Job Characteristic model or theory could determine the impact of characteristics or
features of a job affecting the job outcomes such as enhanced level of job satisfaction and
keeping the employees engaged within the department managed by Rachel. The major
characteristics could be the variety of skills, tasks’ variety, significance or importance of task,
autonomy and feedbacks obtained from the staffs regarding the job roles. By obtaining the
feedbacks, necessary changes are to be done at the departments for improving the workplace
efficiency and creating satisfaction among the workers regarding the job roles and job related
benefits (Zefinescu et al., 2015). The model can enable recreation or redesigning of the jobs to
prevent repetitive work and posting different challenges for the employees. Based on the job
enrichment techniques and job characteristics model, it would be effective for managing self
recognition, enhanced roles and responsibilities, managing growth and providing better benefits,
scopes and opportunities for improving their level of morale ad satisfaction. The job enrichment
can improve the job design efficiency, which will improve the production level, reduce the
turnover ratio and even lead to better job satisfaction (e Silva & Costa, 2013). Due to this, the
employees shall be motivated and encouraged to perform to their potential at CERA.
Challenges of motivational job design
The challenges and issues faced were increased number of tasks, which might enhance
the level of complexity, providing enough benefits could often result in gaining freedom and the
employees’ performance might be deteriorated. Few other challenges were variety of tasks,
which may be difficult for the employees to manage due to the lack of skills in certain areas.
Based on the weaknesses of the employees, the training and developmental programs would be
structured as well with the use of this system for enhancing their skills, knowledge and expertise.

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Therefore, all these aspects of human resource management must be understood by Rachel
Amaro to design jobs within her department and support innovative and creative behaviors all
throughout (Li, 2013). Few other issues of motivational job design could be complexities arising
while revising the tasks, sharing of jobs, alternative work patterns and techno stress. It is
advisable that the job designs are created by aligning with the benefits that can be achieved by
the individuals to reduce the workload and make them influenced to perform efficiently.
Working from home sometimes could lead to boredom and not getting the perfect working
conditions, which might create discomfort.
Conclusion
The report was developed for managing the work design pilot at CERA to improve the
human resource management practices as well as make Rachel Amaro understand the ways by
which the job designs could bring innovativeness. The work design pilot would be needed for
managing growth and development and even would meet the labor demands through the
combination of statistical methods and judgments made by the experts. Few of the issues faced
by CERA were lack of labor supply, inappropriate management of working conditions and
inability to fill the positions for certain job roles within the workplace. To promote innovation
and creativity, suitable job designs were required along with the analysis of gaps of employees.
This should ensure successful innovative behavior and provide the workforce with high power
and autonomy. Measuring the employee performance would be essential for achieving the
desired positive results and at the same time, facilitate creative and innovative decision making
by the employees. Lastly, the implementation of human resource management information

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system could create better working conditions and allow for the creation of better job designs to
promote innovation and creativity at CERA, Australia.

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References
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