Hackman and Oldham

Dimensions of Motivating Potential

Hackman and Oldham (1975) divided the first Loci of Work Satisfaction -
intrinsic factors (The job itself) − into five dimensions. Any given job can be
analyzed, utilizing these five dimensions for its motivating potential. The job
can then be redesigned to eliminate what workers do not like.

HACKMAN & OLDHAM'S FIVE DIMENSIONS OF MOTIVATING POTENTIAL

1. Skill variety - the degree to which a job requires a variety of challenging

skills and abilities.
2. Task identity - the degree to which a job requires completion of a whole
and identifiable piece of work.
3. Task significance - the degree to which the job has a perceivable impact
on the lives of others, either within the organization or the world at
large.
4. Autonomy - the degree to which the job gives the worker freedom and
independence in scheduling work and determining how the work will be
carried out.
5. Feedback - the degree to which the worker gets information about the
effectiveness of his or her efforts, either directly from the work itself or
from others.

Herzberg advocated the creation of "good" jobs, and Richard Hackman and Greg
Oldham added to that concept by attempting to refine our understanding of
what a "good job" actually looks like. In other words, what are the
characteristics of motivating jobs? Further, they also suggested that different
workers react differently to specific jobs (not quite the universal reaction
posited by Herzberg).

Hackman and Oldham's research led them to conclude that five key
characteristics could be used to describe the motivating potential of a job. As
noted above, these characteristics include:

• skill variety,
• task identity
• task significance
• autonomy; and
• feedback
In addition to the five dimensions, they found that workers who possessed what
Hackman and Oldham called "high-growth needs" responded positively to high
motivating potential jobs, but those with low-growth needs did not.

Motivating Potential

Hackman and Oldham sought to "measure" the motivating potential of jobs. In

other words, to measure the extent that a job exhibits the five characteristics
listed above.

Their research found that jobs scoring high on a combination of the five
dimensions resulted in higher job satisfaction and productivity than jobs
scoring low.

For a job to be intrinsically motivating, all five dimensions must be

simultaneously present, to some extent.

Skill Variety

Skill variety describes the degree to which a job requires the exercise of a
number of different skills, abilities, or talents. Such activities must not merely
be different, but they must be distinct enough to require different skills.

Task Identity

Task identity defines the extent to which a job requires completion of a whole
and identifiable piece of work.

Task Significance

Task significance refers to the importance of the job; the degree to which the
job has an impact on the lives of other people, the immediate organization or
the external environment.

Autonomy

Autonomy is the degree to which the jobholder is free to schedule the pace of
his or her work and determine the procedures to be used

Feedback

Feedback involves the degree to which the individual doing a job obtains
information about the effectiveness of his/her performance. Feedback does not
only refer to supervisory feedback, but also the ability to observe the results of
the work.

Hackman and Oldham’s research led to the conclusion that "to the
extent that a job contains these five characteristics, three psychological states
are produced: experienced meaningfulness of the work, experienced
responsibility for outcomes of the work, and knowledge of the actual results of
the work activities. To the degree that these psychological states are present,
high internal work motivation exists" (Cotton, 1993: 149-50).

Hackman and Oldham assert that four main beneficial effects may result
from well-designed jobs. These include internal work motivation, including
feelings of satisfaction after performing well, organizational commitment as
manifested by low turnover and absenteeism, work satisfaction, and
performance quality.

Hackman cautions that job enrichment programs may not always achieve
the desired effects. He found, for example, that reported increases in work
quality have only occurred when productivity was low to begin with or when
hidden inefficiencies previously existed in the system. After completing his
research, Hackman concluded that failures in job redesign are almost as
frequent as successes, mostly due to the complexity of the issues involved and
the companies’ unwillingness to fully address the many prerequisites and
constraints that can threaten the programs.

Cotton, I. L. (1993). Employee involvement: Methods for improving performance

and work attitudes. Newbury Park, CA: Sage.