Hackman and Oldham’s Job Characteristics Model, also called The Job Characteristics Theory (JCT) and Core Characteristics Model, was created in the 1970s and is one of the key models of employee motivation at work. This model focuses on looking closer into the individual task design included in the job role rather than the job as a whole. Hackman and Oldham believe that the implementation of core job characteristics in job design will increase employees’ work satisfaction.

Hackman and Oldham Model

The Hackman and Oldham job characteristics model is made up of five key elements that are believed to influence employees’ satisfaction at work. The five elements of the model that can increase or decrease employee satisfaction are:

• Skill variety,

• Task identity,

• Task significance,

• Autonomy, and

• Feedback.

Five Elements of Hackman and Oldham’s Model

Let's look at these elements in more detail. The five elements are:

• Skill variety - Jobs should be designed in the way that they require a variety of skills and talents from employees to be performed. As that will make jobs more interesting and less repetitive.

• Task Identity- Organisations should incorporate tasks that have clearly defined start and finish meaning that employees will be aware of when the task is completed. Employees’ job satisfaction may increase as they will be able to see the outcomes of the completed tasks.

• Task significance - Task must be significant, task should matter and have a meaning to the company or the society.

• Autonomy - This is the level of freedom for employees to choose a method and time of how and when to complete a task. Hackman and Oldham believed that jobs that are made more flexible bring greater satisfaction for employees.

• Feedback - Employees should have access to sufficient feedback regarding their performances. As that will assist them in knowing what areas they need to improve on.

These five elements are positively related to job satisfaction as once incorporated into the job design they result in employees experiencing positive psychological states. Which are:

Experience of Responsibility

This is experienced by employees once the job characteristic Autonomy is incorporated into the job design.

Autonomy

This job characteristic explains to what extent employees can make decisions in the organisation rather than being micromanaged by the managers.

Knowledge of outcomes

This psychological state is experienced by employees once the job characteristic of feedback is incorporated in the job design.

Feedback

Feedback is important for employees as it communicates how well they have performed on the job and what areas require further development.

Outcomes

Once these positive psychological states are experienced by employees it will lead to positive outcomes regarding their jobs. That includes:

• Increased Satisfaction with the job

• Increased motivation

• HIgher work effectiveness

These outcomes will have a positive influence on organisational performance as the more motivated the employees are the better they perform in the organisation.

Hackman and Oldham's Job Characteristics Model, StudySmarter

Advantages of the Hackman and Oldham Job Characteristics Model

• The model provides a clear and simple structure of the job characteristics that can be easily applied and implemented into the job design. Human Resource (HR) managers can use these job characteristics as a checklist when designing a new job.

• This Hackman and Oldham’s model has a clear connection between the job characteristics and outcomes of employees’ satisfaction at work.

• This job characteristics model communicates how to design jobs in the way that they are motivating, engaging and challenging for employees. Therefore, organisations can design any job to be more motivating for employees.

• This job characteristics model can influence improved employees’ performance. As if employees are more satisfied with their tasks included in the job role they are more likely to perform better.

Limitations of Hackman and Oldham's Job Characteristics Model

• Firstly this model is outdated as it was created in the 1970s, at that time jobs designs were fixed therefore Hackman and Oldham’s model assumed that all organisations should incorporate similar job characteristics in their job designs. However, now organisations design jobs based on their core competencies and each job design includes different features to be effective. The job characteristics model follows the ‘one fits all approach’ this approach to job design may not be effective in today’s world.

• This model does not take into account that not all employees require these job characteristics to be fulfilled in their jobs. Some employees may not desire to have job characteristics incorporated in their jobs such as flexibility of organising their work or be required to have a variety of skills to perform a job. This may even cause employees burdensome and dissatisfaction.

• Hackman and Oldham’s model does not address the individual employee’s needs. Meaning that this model can not predict what requires to be included in the job design to maximise job satisfaction regarding individual employees.