Designing a Human-Centered Workplace
Planning for Job Outcomes
Introducing the Job Quality Outcome Maps
Using results from over 3,000 peer-reviewed scientific journal articles, our partners at WORC designed the Job Quality Outcome Maps to visualize ways to make frontline jobs better for competitive advantage. Their analysis identified these five business outcomes that impact organizational performance:
- TURNOVER INTENTION
Whether an employee plans to leave their job - COMMITMENT TO THE ORGANIZATION
How much an employee feels a sense of belonging and dedication to their organization - INDIVIDUAL PERFORMANCE
An employee’s self-assessment of the quality of their work on the job - ENGAGEMENT AT WORK
How much attention and energy an employee dedicates to their work - BURNOUT
How much an employee becomes mentally, physically, and emotionally exhausted and drained by their work
A Closer Look at the Job Quality Outcome Maps
Job design efforts can address common issues related to these business outcomes. The WORC analysis also led to the development of seven job characteristic categories that employers can influence to make frontline jobs better. The Job Quality Outcome Maps show which job characteristics influence which employer outcomes.
Five “Superstar” Levers
The Job Quality Outcome Maps also identify five job characteristics that impact all five business outcomes. These “superstar” levers are ideal for employers who want to see improvement across multiple outcomes. These superstar levers reinforce the value of job design and relationships to thriving organizations.
These job characteristics are associated with all five key outcomes:
Job Design Matters
- Autonomy/control/independence
- Role stressors: conflict, clarity, overload
Relationships Matter
- Perceived organizational support
- Perceived supervisor support
- Perceived coworker support
Once you have a sense of where you want to focus your job design efforts, you’re ready to get started working collaboratively to understand issues and craft solutions.
ACTIVITY
Using the Job Quality Outcome Maps to Focus Job Design Work
Set aside 60 minutes for this activity.
The Job Quality Outcome Maps connect seven categories of job characteristics with five key business outcomes that impact organizational performance. You can use these maps to identify high-potential areas to focus job design efforts based on key outcomes they hope to impact.
This worksheet walks you through how to use the Job Quality Outcome Maps to focus your efforts in three steps:
- Pick the business outcome you want to impact
- Identify key job characteristics that influence your chosen outcomes
- Reflect on how these issues impact your business and what you hope to learn or achieve through your job design efforts