Job enrichment is a subset of job design and a by-stander with job enlargement. It is a vertical restructuring of a job role. It is a tool used to motivate the employees by enabling them to learn new skills and acquiring new experiences. It serves as an antidote to employee monotony that occurs due to the repetitive nature of jobs. It attempts to increase employees’ autonomy over its job and also allow him/her the room for feedback and participation. The idea of job enrichment largely emerged from Frederick Hertbergz ‘Two Factor Theory’. It is a process of motivation where newer sets of dimensions are added to pre-existing jobs.

Different Ways of Job Enrichment

The primary essence of job enrichment is to increase the job satisfaction of the employees. This is done by vertical enlargement of the job profile known as job enrichment. This means increasing the control of the employee over his job. Upon having heightened control, the employee feels more responsible, more accountable and freer to take risks on his activities. All of these factors attribute to better job satisfaction which in turn lead to better productivity. Here are some of the ways by which job enrichment can be carried out:

Job Rotation

One of the most effective ways of job enrichment is by rotating the employees in various jobs. This will allow the employees to learn new skill-sets and acquire new experiences. Job rotation can be an extremely useful tool in providing motivation to the employees.

Complex Tasks

The employees can be assigned with more complex set of tasks. This will give them a sense of entitlement towards their job since they will be handling the job from the start to the end. They will find more meaning in their professional duty and that would give them the motivation that is required.

Formation of Autonomous Teams

Job enrichment can be both on an individual and group level. Formation of such teams would help the enrichment on a group level. In such groups, the employees should be given the freedom to decide upon the operations, evaluations, etc. In some cases, they may also e give the freedom to choose their own team members. This will provide heightened motivation for their work.

Increasing Participation

Increasing the participation of the employees in the higher-level management processes can work as an effective motivator. A company with a very strict hierarchy is likely to make the employees that their voices are unheard. Hence letting the employees have a say in strategic management can, in turn, lead to job enrichment.

Transparent feedback

In most cases, we see that the quality team of an organisation tracks employee performance and points out the mistakes. However, if the feedback process is more employee-directed meaning that the employees have more control over tracking their own performance, then it would lead to effective job enrichment.

Steps in Job Enrichment

The followings are a rough sketch of the steps might be implemented for job enrichment:

Survey

The first and foremost step is conducting an extensive survey in the organisation. It should be first understood the areas of improvement. The areas where the employees are dissatisfied should be found out. Implementation of enrichment without a proper survey would only lead to developmental work in areas that do not require it leading to ineffective job enrichment.

Deciding on the Approach

There can be a number of approaches to implement job enrichment. Hence, it is important to decide on the right approach. Choosing a drastic approach would not only be cost-ineffective but also poses the risk of operational failure. Hence, a complete paradigm shift in the workplace scenario is not a safe option. Instead an optimum task-force should be appointed to implement job enrichment on grounds of operational profitability as well as job satisfaction of the employees.

Curating the Program

After analysing the different approaches, a final program for implementation of job enrichment should be created.

Communicating the Program

After designation of the program, there should be clear communication. All the levels of management, as well as the employees, should be well communicated about the plan of action. In addition, the employees should be given enough participation and their feedback should also be taken into account.

Advantages

The followings listed are the advantages of job enrichment:

• Job enrichment enables the employee ton to learn new skill-sets and enrich himself.
• With learning new skills, he is prone to new jobs and hence can potentially acquire new experiences.
• It is one of the best motivational drives for the employees of an organisation.
• A workplace with motivated and skill-enriched employees can be regarded as a healthy working environment.
• Since due to job enrichment, the employees are motivated to be participative, it improves their decision-making process of the employees.
• By increasing the job role and participation of other middle and lower-level employees, job enrichment reduces centralisation of power.
• Job enrichment inculcates a sense of accomplishment in both the employer and the employee.

Disadvantages

Even though job enrichment can be generally attributed to positive outcomes in an organisation, there are a few disadvantages that should be noted.

• Employees are given way too much control under this approach. However, the credibility of the employees is not always tested. Whether the employee can make full use of the control in his hands or not is debatable.
• A lot of employees work well and prove to be productive when they are under direction. Given the autonomy of actions, it may affect their productivity.
• A degree of ego clashes and complexes may also emerge in the organisation since the superiors may feel that they are losing their hierarchical position.
• Job enrichment comes with added responsibility upon the employees. This may, in some organisations be a tool of their exploitation due to overworking.

Job enrichment is a two-sided sword. However, it obviously does more good than harm. If it is used by unscrupulous management, it may lead to exploitation of the employees. However, if it is systematically implemented, it would lead to a workforce of highly motivated and driven individuals who are satisfied with the work they do.

It is for the organisation to decide the right approach of job enrichment in alignment with the other needs of the organisation. A well-enriched set of jobs will only lead to higher levels of productivity.

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