Write short notes on Job Rotation, Multi Skilling, Job Evaluation, Managing Change, Resolving Conflict

Q .Write short notes on any three of the following :-

a) Job Rotation                                  b) Multi Skilling                     c) Job Evaluation

d)  Managing Change                        e) Resolving Conflict                        

Ans a. Job Rotation: Job rotation refers to the movement of an employee from one job to the other.  Jobs themselves are not actually changed, only the employees are rotated among various jobs.  An employee who works on a routine/respective job moves to and works on another job for some hours/days/months and backs up to the first job.  This measure relieves the employee from boredom and monotony, improves employee’s skills regarding various jobs, prepares the competent employees and provides competitive advantages to the company.  These measures also improve worker’s self-image and provide personal growth.  However, frequent job rotations are not advisable in view of their negative impact on the organisation and the employee.

b.  Multi Skilling :  The transferring of executives from job to job and from department to department in a systematic manner is called Job Rotation.  When a manger is posted to a new job as part of such a programme, it is not merely an orientation assignment.  He has to assume the full responsibility and perform all kinds of duties.  The ideal behind this is to give him the required diversified skills and a broader outlook which are very important at the senior management levels.  It is upto the management to provide a variety of job experiences for those who have the potential for higher ranks before they are promoted.  Job rotation increases the inter-departmental co-operation and reduces the monotony of work.   It makes the executives in general management and does not allow them to confine themselves to their specialised field only.

c.  Job Evaluation :  Job evaluation deals with money and work.  It determines the relative worth or money value of jobs.  The International Labour Organisation defined job evaluation as “an attempt to determine and compare demands which the normal performance of a particular job makes on normal workers without taking into account the individual abilities or performance of the workers concerned”.  Wendell L. French defined job evaluation as “a process of determining the relative worth of the various job within the organisation, so that different wages may be paid to jobs of different worth”.  Job evaluation is defined as “the overall activity of involving an orderly, systematic method and procedure of ranking, grading and weighing of jobs to determine the value of a specific job in relation to other jobs”.  British Institute of Management (1970) defined job evaluation as, “the process of analysing and assessing the content of jobs, in order to place them in an acceptable rank order which can then be used as a basis for a remuneration system.  Job evaluation, therefore, is simply a technique designed to assist in the development of new pay structures by defining relatives between jobs on a consistent and systematic basis”.  Thus, job evaluation may be defined as a process of determining the relative worth of jobs, ranking and grading them by comparing the duties, responsibilities like skill, knowledge of a job with other jobs with a view to fix compensation payable to the concerned job holder.

d.  Managing Change :  The term ‘Organisational Change’ implies the creation of imbalances in the existent pattern or situation. Adjustment among people, technology and structural set up is established when an organisation operates for a long time.  People adjust with their jobs, working conditions, colleagues, superiors etc.  Similarly, an organisation establishes relationship in the external environment.  Change requires individuals and organisations to make new adjustments.  Complexity and fear of adjustment gives rise to resistance and problem of change.  Human resource is an important factor in relation to the adjustments among individuals as well as between the organisation and environment, as an organisation is mostly composed of people.  Individual members can resist either individually or in a group.  Change could be both reactive and proactive.  A proactive change has necessarily to be planned to attempt to prepare for anticipated future challenges.  A reactive change may be an automatic response or a planned response to change taking place in the environment.

e.  Resolving Conflict :  The methods of resolving conflicts generally include:

Methods of Resolving Conflicts

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Investigation   Mediation        Conciliation     Voluntary Arbitration Compulsory Arbitration/Adjunction

1. Investigation: This is conducted by a board or court appointed by the government. It may be voluntary or compulsory. If the investigation is conducted on an application by either or both the parties to the dispute it is voluntary. If the Government appoints a Court of Inquiry without the consent of the parties it is compulsory. Investigations analyse the facts and aim at an amicable solution. When the investigation is compulsory, the strikes and lockouts are required to be stopped and employers should not make any change in the conditions of employment.

2. Mediation: Another attempt to settle disputes is Mediation. In this method, an outsider assists the parties in their negotiations. It takes place with the consent of both the parties. The main aim of mediator is the settlement of disputes by bringing about a voluntary agreement. There may be three kinds of mediation:
1. The Eminent Outsider
2. Non-Government Board and
3. Semi Government Board.

If mediation is conducted skillfully and sympathetically then it can bring about the adjustments of differences that might otherwise contribute to stoppage of work.

3. Conciliation: The main objective of a conciliation and arbitration is to reunite the two conflicting groups in the industry in order to avoid interruption of production, distrust etc. Conciliation is a process by which representatives of both workers and employers are brought together before a third party with a view to persuading them to arrive at some sort of settlement. It is an extension of collective bargaining with third party assistance. Conciliation machinery consists of conciliation officer and board of conciliations. The conciliator induces the parties to a course of action. He plays the role of an innovator, protector, discussion leader, stimulator, advisor, face saver. He acts as a safety value and a communication link. The task of conciliation is to offer advice and make suggestions to the parties to the dispute on controversial issues.

4. Voluntary Arbitration: if the two parties to the dispute fail to come to an agreement, either by themselves or with the help of a mediator or conciliator, who agrees to submit the dispute to an impartial authority, whose decision, they are ready to accept. The essential elements in voluntary arbitration are :

1. The voluntary submission of dispute to an arbitrator.
2. The subsequent attendance of witness and investigations and
3. The enforcement of an award may not be necessary

5. Compulsory Arbitration/Adjudication: Where trade unions are weak the method of compulsory Arbitration is used. Compulsory Arbitration is utilized generally when the parties fail to arrive at a settlement through the voluntary methods. It is at times necessary and desirable. The objective of state intervention in the field of industrial relations should be to do social justice and make the weaker party equally strong to enable it ultimately to stand and survive on its own and settle its differences through negotiations and collective bargaining. Compulsory arbitration is one where the parties are required to arbitrate without any willingness on their part. Any one of the parties may apply to the appropriate governments to refer the dispute to adjudication machinery.