In today’s fast-evolving skilled trades industry, employers are navigating significant challenges, including labor shortages, high turnover rates, and widening skills gaps. To address these issues effectively, companies must prioritize talent management strategies that foster recruitment, retention, and ongoing employee development. A key component of this approach is job task analysis, a systematic process that helps organizations pinpoint the exact skills and knowledge workers need to excel in their roles.
The role of job task analysis in workforce development
Job task analysis is a powerful tool that enables employers to break down each role into specific tasks and identify the knowledge, skills, and abilities (KSAs) required for successful job performance. This detailed understanding not only informs hiring and training decisions but also forms the foundation of professional certification programs that are both relevant and specific to workers.
How companies can conduct a job task analysis
A job task analysis serves as the backbone for creating effective certification programs based on informed insights, diligent research, and subject matter expertise. While this is a standard undertaking for organizations that develop professional certifications, companies can conduct their own job task analyses.
To start, identify a specific role within your organization using various methods, such as conversations with management, employees, or customers. Focus on a role critical to your company’s success and performed by more than one person.
Job task analysis provides employers with a roadmap for upskilling their workforce.
One crucial aspect of conducting a proper job task analysis is compiling relevant data and developing a thorough list of tasks required for the role. In the certification world, this is referred to as a “task inventory.” This process helps companies understand employees’ needs and identify certifications to enhance their education, resulting in a more efficient and productive workforce. While this once took many hours, much of the process can now be completed online or with the help of AI. Reviewing job task analyses from leading certification organizations can also provide helpful insights.
Once you’ve gathered your data, assemble a team of subject matter experts (SMEs) to review the task inventory and formalize it into a comprehensive job task analysis. This team should include staff or individuals with direct knowledge of the role and its responsibilities. For example, at NFPA, we recruit SMEs to form a Certification Advisory Group (CAG). The CAG refines the job task analysis and develops reliable certification exams.
Your team should review the task inventory, retaining tasks that are actually performed and discarding irrelevant ones. They can do this based on their own experience or by consulting others familiar with the role.
High turnover rates in skilled trades cost companies billions annually.
The next step is categorizing tasks into relevant groupings, known as content domains (e.g., electrical tasks or mechanical tasks). At NFPA, we take it a step further by sending the job task analysis as a survey to industry-specific individuals, asking two key questions about each task:
- How often is the task performed?
- How critical is the task?
While companies may not need to send surveys, doing so can provide valuable insights if you have the right audience. When reviewing survey results, remove tasks that are rarely performed or unimportant, and highlight those performed frequently and deemed critical. At NFPA, the CAG uses these results to determine the weight of each task and domain, informing the number of questions on the “exam blueprint.” This blueprint helps create exams that align with the tasks professionals perform and their importance.
Building a talent management strategy
Certified professionals improve efficiency, drive down costs, and enhance customer satisfaction.
Once you have a job task analysis and a list of related certifications, create a talent management strategy around them. A strong talent management strategy is a well-coordinated system that includes the following steps:
- Skills gap analysis: Identify specific skills and education required for the workforce, such as relevant certifications.
- Customized training programs: Determine which training methods work best for your organization—online, in-person, or hybrid learning.
- Financial assistance and incentives: Demonstrate commitment to employee growth by offering financial assistance or incentives for certification programs.
- Track and measure success: Monitor the impact of certification programs through methods such as tracking incidents, productivity, and retention rates.
The role of certifications in job task analysis
Certifications hold tremendous value in real-world applications and job skills. They focus on industry-specific knowledge and best practices, equipping skilled trade workers with the tools needed to meet industry demands.
A comprehensive job task analysis that leverages role-specific data provides employers with a deeper understanding of the certifications required to upskill their workforce. This talent management approach fosters loyalty among workers, helps retain top talent, and reduces costs associated with rework and failed inspections. Certified professionals improve efficiency, increase customer satisfaction, and strengthen your company’s brand.
