Job enlargement

Job enlargement is the practice of increasing the scope of a job by increasing the number of activities and tasks associated with it. It is a job design technique that seeks to make jobs more interesting by giving employees more variety in their work. Job enlargement can be achieved through either adding horizontally related tasks, or through vertically related tasks.

Horizontally related tasks involve adding tasks that are at the same level of complexity or responsibility. For example, a bank teller may be assigned additional duties such as balancing the cash drawer or helping customers with account inquiries.

Vertically related tasks involve adding tasks that are at a higher or lower level of complexity or responsibility. For example, a customer service representative may be asked to provide training to new hires, or a manager may be asked to help out with more menial tasks.

In both cases, job enlargement can add variety and interest to a job, which can lead to increased job satisfaction and motivation. It can also be a way for employers to give employees more responsibility and opportunities to develop their skills. However, job enlargement can also lead to role ambiguity and confusion, as employees may not be sure of their exact duties and responsibilities.

Example of Job enlargement

Job enlargement can be seen in many different types of jobs. Here are a few examples:

• A customer service representative may be given additional responsibilities such as helping develop customer service policies or training new hires.
• A cashier may be asked to take on additional tasks such as stocking shelves or helping customers with returns.
• A factory worker may be asked to take on additional duties such as quality control or machine maintenance.

Formula of Job enlargement

Job enlargement can be measured using the following formula:

${\frac {(Number\;of\;Tasks)}{(Number\;of\;Types\;of\;Tasks)}}$

This formula calculates the average number of tasks that an employee is responsible for, divided by the number of different types of tasks they are assigned. A higher result indicates that the job has been enlarged, while a lower result indicates that the job has not been enlarged.

When to use Job enlargement

Job enlargement can be used in a variety of situations, including:

• When an organization needs to increase productivity or efficiency, but is unable to hire additional staff.
• When an organization needs to provide more variety in a job.
• When an organization needs to develop an employee’s skills and give them more responsibility.
• When an organization needs to reduce the number of specialists and increase the number of generalists.

Job enlargement can be a useful tool for organizations to increase productivity, efficiency, and job satisfaction. It can help to provide more variety in jobs, develop an employee’s skills, and reduce the number of specialists and increase the number of generalists. However, it is important to ensure that job enlargement is implemented correctly in order to avoid confusion and role ambiguity.

Types of Job enlargement

There are two main types of job enlargement: horizontally related tasks and vertically related tasks.

• Horizontally related tasks involve adding tasks that are at the same level of complexity or responsibility. This could include tasks such as balancing the cash drawer or helping customers with account inquiries.
• Vertically related tasks involve adding tasks that are at a higher or lower level of complexity or responsibility. This could include tasks such as providing training to new hires or helping out with more menial tasks.

Steps of Job enlargement

Job enlargement involves the following steps:

• Defining the job: The first step in implementing job enlargement is to clearly define the job, including what tasks, duties, and responsibilities are associated with it.
• Identifying opportunities for enlargement: After the job has been defined, the next step is to identify opportunities for enlargement. This includes both horizontally and vertically related tasks that can be added to the job to make it more interesting and provide employees with more variety.
• Assessing the impact: Before implementing job enlargement, it is important to assess the potential impact of the proposed changes. This includes considering the impact on the employee, the business, and the overall job duties and responsibilities.
• Implementing the changes: After assessing the impact, the job can be enlarged by implementing the proposed changes. This includes communicating the new tasks, roles, and responsibilities to the employee, as well as providing any necessary training or support.

Advantages of Job enlargement

• Job enlargement can make work more interesting and challenging, which can lead to increased job satisfaction and motivation.
• It can give employees the opportunity to learn new skills and take on more responsibility.
• It can help reduce employee boredom and fatigue, which can lead to increased productivity.
• It can be a cost-effective way for employers to increase employee engagement and job satisfaction without having to hire additional staff.

Disadvantages of Job enlargement

• It can lead to role ambiguity and confusion if employees are not given clear directions and expectations.
• It can cause employees to feel overwhelmed if they are given too much work without enough resources or support.
• It can lead to employees feeling undervalued if the extra tasks are not seen as important or meaningful.

Limitations of Job enlargement

Job enlargement has several limitations, which should be considered before implementing it as a job design technique. The main limitations are:

• It can increase role ambiguity: While job enlargement can increase variety in a job, it can also create confusion and ambiguity, as employees may not be sure of their exact duties and responsibilities.
• It can reduce specialization: Job enlargement can reduce specialization in a job, as employees are no longer responsible for one specific task, but rather multiple tasks. This can reduce efficiency, as employees may not have the skills or knowledge to complete all of the tasks as quickly or accurately as they would if they were specialized in one task.
• It can reduce job satisfaction: Job enlargement can also reduce job satisfaction in some cases, as employees may feel overworked or overwhelmed by the added duties and responsibilities.

Other approaches related to Job enlargement

• Job rotation: Job rotation is a job design technique that involves regularly switching employees between different tasks or roles. This can help to prevent boredom, as employees are constantly exposed to different tasks and responsibilities. It can also help to develop employees' skills and increase their knowledge of the organization.
• Job enrichment: Job enrichment is a job design technique that seeks to increase job satisfaction by giving employees more autonomy, responsibility, and control over their work. It involves providing employees with more challenging tasks and activities that require them to use their skills and abilities to the fullest.

Overall, job enlargement is just one of the many job design techniques that can be used to make jobs more interesting and provide employees with more variety in their work. Job rotation and job enrichment are also popular approaches to job design that can help to increase job satisfaction and motivation.

Job enlargement — recommended articles

Training and development — Lack of attention — Delegation of authority — Indirect labor — Job instruction training — Multi skilling — Task assignment — Level of experience — Workforce productivity

References

• Raza, M. A., & Nawaz, M. M. (2011). Impact of job enlargement on employees' job satisfaction, motivation and organizational commitment: Evidence from public sector of Pakistan. International Journal of Business and Social Science, 2(18).