Job & Org Design: Models, Tech, and Work Behaviour

TAKEAWAYS:

• Job design determines employee satisfaction, productivity, and engagement by structuring tasks, autonomy, and skill variety (e.g., Ncell’s shift from rigid scripts to customer-centric roles).
• Organizational design (functional, divisional, matrix) aligns structure with strategy—e.g., Daraz’s hybrid model for scalability.
• Technology (AI, automation) reshapes jobs (e.g., eSewa’s chatbots replacing manual customer service) but risks deskilling if poorly implemented.
• Work behaviour is influenced by job characteristics (e.g., Pathao’s gig-work autonomy vs. NTC’s bureaucratic roles).
• Case studies (e.g., Himalayan Java’s team-based coffee production) show how design impacts morale and output.
• Exam focus: Link theories (e.g., Hackman & Oldham’s Job Characteristics Model) to real-world examples (e.g., Kathmandu traffic police’s shift from reactive to proactive design).

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1. Job Design: Theories and Applications

Job design refers to how tasks, responsibilities, and relationships are structured to optimize employee performance and satisfaction. Poor design leads to boredom (e.g., assembly-line workers) or overload (e.g., Ncell agents handling 100+ calls/day).

Key Theories of Job Design

Worked Example: Ncell’s Call-Center Redesign

• Problem: High turnover due to repetitive scripts and no autonomy.
• Solution: Applied job enrichment by:
  • Training agents to resolve complaints (skill variety).
  • Giving them customer feedback (feedback loop).
• Result: 30% drop in attrition, higher satisfaction scores.

Ncell’s customer service agent using enriched job roles (Image: FiveOne51, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons)

Advantages/Disadvantages of Job Design Approaches

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2. Organizational Design: Structures and Strategies

Organizational design determines how departments interact, authority flows, and work gets done. Poor design causes silos (e.g., NEPSE’s slow approvals) or inefficiency (e.g., government red tape).

Types of Organizational Structures

Worked Example: Chaudhary Group’s Hybrid Model

• Structure: Combines divisional (retail, manufacturing) + matrix (global teams for supply chain).
• Why? Retail (e.g., Big Mart) needs fast decisions; manufacturing (e.g., cement plants) requires technical specialization.
• Outcome: 20% faster response to market changes.

Factors Influencing Organizational Design

1. Strategy: Aggressive growth (e.g., Daraz’s matrix) vs. stability (e.g., NTC’s functional).
2. Size: Small firms (e.g., local cafés) use flat structures; large firms (e.g., Ncell) need hierarchy.
3. Technology: AI-driven firms (e.g., eSewa) flatten hierarchies; traditional banks (e.g., Nabil) retain layers.
4. Environment: Dynamic markets (e.g., fintech) favor networks; stable industries (e.g., utilities) prefer functional.

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3. Technology’s Role in Job and Organizational Design

Technology automates, augments, or replaces jobs, forcing redesign. Example: Khalti’s API integration eliminated manual fund transfers, reducing errors by 90%.

How Tech Reshapes Jobs

Case Study: Daraz’s Warehouse Automation

• Before: Manual sorting (slow, error-prone).
• After: Robotics + AI for picking/packing.
• Job Design Change:
  • Removed: Repetitive lifting.
  • Added: Supervising robots, quality checks.
• Impact: 40% faster orders, but workers needed retraining.

Risks of Poor Tech Integration

• Deskilling: Employees lose expertise (e.g., NTC’s traffic police relying solely on cameras).
• Job Loss: Automation in call centers (e.g., Ncell’s IVR systems).
• Resistance: Employees may reject tech (e.g., older bank staff avoiding digital loans).

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4. Job and Organizational Design’s Impact on Work Behaviour

Design directly affects motivation, stress, and performance. Example: Kathmandu Traffic Police’s Proactive Design

• Old System: Reactive (fines after accidents).
• New System: Predictive (AI analyzing hotspots + patrols).
• Employee Behaviour:
  • Higher motivation: Sense of purpose.
  • Lower stress: Clearer roles.
  • Better performance: 25% reduction in gridlocks.

Linking Design to Motivation Theories

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5. Real-World Applications in Nepal

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6. Exam Tip: How to Score Full Marks

1. Link Theories to Examples:

   • If asked about job design, cite Hackman & Oldham + Ncell’s call-center case.
   • For organizational design, compare Daraz’s matrix vs. NTC’s functional structure.

2. Use Diagrams:

   • Draw a mindmap for job design theories.
   • Sketch an organizational chart (e.g., Chaudhary Group’s hybrid model).

3. Analyze Real-World Trade-offs:

   • Example: "Explain how job enrichment boosts motivation but requires training costs." Use Herzberg’s theory + eSewa’s agent training.

4. Critique Poor Design:

   • "Why does NTC’s bureaucratic structure cause delays?" → Silos, lack of autonomy (cite sociotechnical theory).

5. Tech Integration:

   • Always mention both benefits and risks (e.g., Daraz’s robots → faster orders but job losses).

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Final Visual Summary: