Job Simplification

Definition: The Job Simplification means breaking the job into relatively easier sub-parts with the intention to enhance the individual’s productivity by minimizing the physical and mental efforts required to perform a complex job.

Once the complex task is divided into the relatively easier tasks, each task is assigned to the individuals who perform these over and over again. By doing the same thing again and again, the employees gain proficiencies in the jobs assigned to them and as a result, the profitability of the organization increases.

Under the job simplification method, the organization saves its training cost, as a very low level of skills is required to perform the simplified jobs. Also, the job speed increases, as the individual is required to perform a small portion of the previously larger and complex job.

But however, by performing the same task again and again, the employees may feel boredom and may resist the monotony. This may lead to an increase in the employee absenteeism, mistakes and accidents, etc. Due to these negative consequences, the overall productivity may get adversely affected, and the organization may suffer losses as a whole.

Thus, an organization cannot resort to the job simplification every time to reap the economic benefits. It must look at the organizational conditions prevailing at the time of designing the job.