What is functional job analysis?
Functional job analysis is a process invented by the United States Department of Labor to standardize the data related to job roles. In simplified terms, it analyzes a job’s requirements to assign the right candidate to the role or analyzes a candidate’s skills to assign them to the proper position.
Most organizations use job function analysis to understand what skills are needed for a job role—and what qualities should be avoided. Data is collected and reviewed to understand what the position truly requires. Once this is determined, finding the right candidate for the job is easier.
The data collected during a functional job analysis review can be used for:
- Job description
- Job requirements
- Salary range
- What to avoid
HR or hiring staff typically perform functional job analysis when developing or hiring for new roles.
Example of a functional job analysis
It can be hard to picture how this analysis may work, so let’s take a look at a real life example:
- The business decides they need an Executive Assistant (EA) for the CEO.
- The hiring manager works with the CEO to determine between 5-7 duties the EA will typically perform.
- Next, the team outlines the skills and qualifications necessary in the role to perform the expected duties. Some CEOs may prefer their EA to have a bachelor’s degree, while others will not have any educational background requirements.
- Last, the team identifies what level of experience the role requires for the person to excel. For example, a new CEO who needs less help may be happy to hire an EA with minimal experience. Conversely, a CEO who relies heavily on their EA and has had an EA for years will likely want someone highly experienced.
Seven categories of functional job analysis
There are seven categories of data to collect when conducting a functional job analysis. Each category is essential in establishing a complete overview of the position.
Things
Things are the tools, such as assets and equipment, that the candidate needs to be able to use to perform their role. Examples of things could be hammers, wrenches, vehicles, medical equipment, computers, ovens and more.
You’ll identify which things the person will use within the position and how trained they need to be at each item. For example, you might hire for an office job where you can train on internal software but expect the person to know how to use Excel and PowerPoint proficiently.
Data
Data is all the information about knowledge, skills and abilities relevant to the job. This includes job performance and tool knowledge. Once you review the data section, you’ll know if you need to change any procedures in relation to the role. For example, you may realize that previously this role didn’t require the person to know first aid, but you’ve now identified that’s a critical skill to have in the position.
People
This category focuses on evaluating the skills of an individual candidate versus the requirements of the role. In addition to understanding how the person will meet the expectations of the position, it’s good to consider personality fit here. It’s essential to evaluate if the person will contribute positively to the business’ culture, their direct manager, the team and company-wide leadership. As many people in HR already know, it’s just as important for a candidate to contribute positively to the company culture as it is for them to meet the qualifications of a position.
Worker instructions
Review how the processes and instructions for the role work to achieve the desired results. This is a great time to understand if the worker’s instructions are clear and if the expectations are reasonable. This is also an opportunity to determine if the person in the role will be set up for success.
Imagine you were to hire a salesperson, and the expectation was that they meet a sales quota in the first month, despite onboarding taking a full two weeks. So, you’re asking your sales hire to meet a monthly quota in two weeks after training when they’re brand new to the job. This is the type of worker instructions and expectations that would need to be reviewed and adjusted.
Reasoning
Reasoning is how employees think critically through work problems. Additionally, it’s how supported individuals are in making suggestions for improvements to current processes.
Employees need some form of autonomy in their role to truly thrive. They usually want to know that their expertise is trusted and their opinions are valued. When conducting a functional job analysis, the reasoning category offers the opportunity to examine whether individuals can express themselves. After all, no one knows how to improve the processes associated with their role more than the person doing that job daily.
Use the reasoning category to ensure this new role offers opportunities for autonomy and expression of opinions.
Math
The math category is specific to roles that handle company accounts and finances. Employees that deal with company financial records need to have mathematical financial knowledge that is expert enough to handle this sensitive side of business operations. People in this type of role often need a certification or degree in their field.
Language
The language category covers communication. You’ll want to ensure employees can understand what is required of them, whether that’s communicated via writing or speaking.
Additionally, language covers:
- The ability to communicate thoughts clearly
- The ability to communicate with others, such as coworkers and customers, professionally
Benefits of using functional job analysis
Using functional job analysis helps businesses create comprehensive job descriptions and ensure the right candidate is hired for the role. The hiring process becomes much easier when there’s a clear understanding of what skills and attributes are necessary for a position.
A detailed job description makes it easy to eliminate people who don’t fit and narrow the pool down to the best candidates. This will save your hiring staff time and reduce the risk of hiring an ill-suited person for the role.
How to conduct a functional job analysis
Follow these steps to conduct a functional job analysis:
- Identify the aim of the analysis.
- Gather all the information required for the analysis. This will often require collaboration from others in the organization.
- Review the existing job description and edit it as needed.
- Evaluate the impact of the analysis.
- Six months after hiring for the role, determine if the employee has been a good fit and if they feel their job description was accurate to what they’re currently handling.
Functional job analysis is worth the effort
Often, it’s easiest to simply pull out an existing job description and reuse it when you need to fill a role. But job analysis is a crucial tool that can significantly benefit your business. Hiring an employee who is a poor fit is a costly mistake every organization wants to avoid. Job analysis can help you create accurate, detailed job descriptions that will benefit both you and your future employees.
