Selection. Human resource selection deals with identifying the most qualified applicants for employment. To identify which applicants are most qualified, it is first necessary to determine the tasks that will be performed by the individual hired and the knowledge, skills, and abilities the individual must have to perform the job effectively. This information is gained through job analysis.

Performance Appraisal. Performance appraisal deals with getting information about how well each employee is performing his or her job in order to reward those who are effective, improve the performance of those who are ineffective, or provide a written justification for why the poor performer should be disciplined. Through job analysis, the organization can identify the behaviors and results that distinguish effective performance from ineffective performance.

Training and development. Almost every employee hired by an organization will require some training in his or her job. Some training programs may be more extensive than others, but all require the trainer to have identified the tasks performed in the job to ensure that the training will prepare individuals to perform the job effectively.

Job Evaluation. The process of job evaluation involves assessing the relative worth of each job to the organization to set up internally equitable pay structures. If pay structures are not equitable, employees will be dissatisfied and quit, or they will not see the benefits of striving for promotions. To put values on jobs, it is necessary to get information about different jobs to determine which jobs deserve higher pay than others.

Career Planning. Career planning entails matching an individual’s skills and aspirations with opportunities that are or may become available in the organization. This matching process requires that those in charge of career planning know the skill requirements of the various jobs. This allows them to guide individuals into jobs in which they will succeed and be satisfied.

Work Redesign. As previously discussed, job analysis and job design are interrelated. Often, a firm will seek to redesign work to make it more efficient or effective. To redesign the work, detailed information about the existing jobs must be available. In addition, redesigning a job will, in fact, be similar to analyzing a job that does not exist.

Human Resource Planning. In human resource planning, planners analyze an organization’s human resource needs in a dynamic environment and develop activities that enable a firm to adapt to change. This planning process requires accurate information about the levels of skill required in various jobs to ensure that enough individuals are available in the organization to meet the human resource needs of the strategic plan.