Motivation in the workplace can be achieved through both external (compensation) and internal factors. This article focuses on internal factors by analyzing the Job Characteristics Model (JCM), which is one of the aspects in job design. First, the link between CWY and motivation will be discussed. Then, the HR work will be analyzed according to the JCM dimensions with suggestions on how to enrich the work.

Work design as a motivator

The purpose of job design is to create motivation in the workplace. Job design approaches, such as JCM, based on the indirect effect on the level of employee motivation. JCM, introduced by Hackman and Oldham, 1976, consists of five dimensions: skill variety, task identity, task meaning, autonomy, and feedback. The level of each dimension can lead to each critical psychological state. The psychological state will affect the level of personal work and the result that includes the level of internal work motivation.

HR and JCM work

HR work is analyzed below using the five core dimensions of JCM. Skill variety is the degree to which the job requires a variety of activities that use a variety of skills. Human resource officers need to perform many activities: training, compensation, employee benefits, and labor relations. Therefore, this is a high degree in variety of abilities. Interpersonal and good listening skills are the most important for the employment relationship and resolve employee complaints. He or she also needs critical thinking to analyze training needs.

Task identity is the degree to which the job requires the completion of a complete and identifiable piece of work. Human resources work has a high task identity, as it provides an opportunity to complete the wide range of activities mentioned.

The importance of the task is the needs of the impact on the life or work of other people. HR work has a high degree of this, as it directly affects the work lives of employees. Human resource officers must motivate people to work and create their work-life balance to achieve the best of their performance.

Autonomy is the degree of freedom that the individual has to schedule their work and determine work procedures. Many human resource managers stay at headquarters. and hardly visit the plant. Therefore, HR officers at the plant have a high level of autonomy to plan any work and perform HR activities to achieve the objective of the company’s HR policies.

Feedback is the degree to which performance of the work activities required by the job results in the individual obtaining direct and clear information about performance effectiveness. Employees give feedback to the HR department only when they think there are problems because many of them are reluctant to talk to HR. Some employees provide feedback about unacceptable behavior that can demotivate HR officers to work.

Create greater motivation through job enrichment.

Therefore, HR work appears to be high on all JCM dimensions except feedback. HR work itself can motivate HR officers quite well, but not to a very high level, as they may often not get feedback from the people they work for.

To improve the level of feedback, the jobs should be enriched with job redesign. The action to increase the level of feedback is to establish a relationship with the client (employees as clients for this case) and open the feedback channel. The relationship with employees is very important. Human resource officers must make employees comfortable to speak and must be proactive in reaching out to employees for feedback. Employees will then recognize that the human resources officers are friendly. Therefore, they will be willing to provide feedback all the time. Problems can be resolved earlier. Also, several feedback channels are necessary. Employees who feel uncomfortable talking to Human Resources can write their comments and place them in a suggestion box. Additionally, employee satisfaction questionnaires should always be launched for feedback after each HR activity is implemented.

JCM is an approach to job design aimed at motivating employees. Its five dimensions affect critical psychological states and can lead to motivation. In HR work, each dimension level except feedback is quite high because employees often don’t give feedback until problems occur. This could be improved by making employees comfortable to talk and HR officers should always approach them for feedback.