What Is The Five Core Job Characteristics

Submitted By Sally0725
Words: 783
Pages: 4

MGT 2383
Learning Journal #3
Shanyuan Cheng (Sally) A00319996
2013/10/29
My Theory-Job Characteristics
Five core job characteristics-skill variety, task identity, task significance, autonomy, and job feedback-which would make employees are more motivated and satisfied when jobs have a higher levels of these characteristics.

Skill variety refers to the use of different skills and talents to complete a variety of work activities.

Task identity is the degree to which a job requires completion of a whole or identifiable piece of work.

Task significance is the degree to which the job affects the organization and/or larger society.

Autonomy is the degree to which a job gives employees the freedom, independence, and discretion to schedule their work and determine the procedures used in completing it.

Job feedback is the degree to which employees can tell how well they are doing based on direct sensory information from the job itself.

My Experience
I am a waitress in a Chinese restaurant now. I have been working there about 11 months since last December, and I want to keep doing this until I am graduated.

Skill variety: Normally in a restaurant, waitress does not need to do the kitchen help. Because I really like their food, I love staying in the kitchen when I am not busy out the dinner room. Then I learned how to cut potatoes in a thin slices and remembered what kinds of jardiniere does on dish need. Based on this lightly skill, they will ask me to work more hours if the kitchen help is sick.

Task identity: As a waitress in a restaurant, the main purpose is same as the owner's thought: make sure every customer enjoyed their dinner time. Therefore, from the moment they enter the restaurant, until they paid the bill and say goodbye, I need to take good care of their requirement. Like everyone has been to restaurant for dinner, waitress take you to the seat, give you the menu, bring you the drink, take your order to the kitchen, and bring the food to you, at last, give you the bill and take the money. In my restaurant, I need to finish all these things by myself and also including clean the tables. From this task identity, I can know customer's requirement immediately and serve them directly. It can avoid many misunderstanding and save our time.

Task significance: For a restaurant, waitress is the most important way to connect the customer with the restaurant and the food. Waitress communicate with customers face to face, and help them to get what they want. Thus, I know I have to show up in my best form in front of customer. I have to ensure that everything I gave to the customer is clean such as the table, plates, tableware, and most important one, food. To observe the dynamic and response from the customer, I have to provide their need timely. I am not