Coherence Between Employee Performance and Job Descriptions In
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Signs of Performance Coherence by Dustin L. Parker A Research Study Presented to the Faculty of the Department of Public Policy and Administration School of Business and Public Administration CALIFORNIA STATE UNIVERSITY BAKERSFIELD In Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of MASTER OF SCIENCE IN HEALTH CARE ADMINISTRATION May 10, 2017 Spring Semester Copyright By Dustin L Parker Performance Coherence in the Public Sector, By Dustin L. Parker This thesis has been accepted on behalf of the Department of Public Policy and Administration by their supervisory committee: A...,_ __ A ,~ Tony Pallitto, MSA-HCM Date Second Reader i Abstract California Children’s Services (CCS)—Workflow research embodies the agencies 56 civil servants who function under 18 job titles, providing services to 6000 members. The Workflow research is non-experimental and based on those 56 men and women. The applied research sought to examine coherence between employee’s actual job performance and their job duties described in Essential Functions section of their Class Specification Bulletins (CSB). The studies data collection method consisted of CCS volunteer employees completing a qualitative open- ended survey. Answering in their own words, the studies sample frame, 19 survey respondents wrote about their average daily routines at CCS, the dependent variable. Survey responses were examined through the Keywords and/or Phrase Model adding a layer of scientific reliability. The Essential Functions section of the corresponding Job Title’s CSB document is the independent variable. The Workflow study revealed that 21percent of the surveys that described at least one job duty that was in-coherence. ii Table of Contents Abstract .......................................................................................................................... i Chapter One: Introduction ............................................................................................ 1 History of County Government .................................................................................... 2 Kern County Statistics .................................................................................................. 3 Statement of the Problem .............................................................................................. 5 Purpose and Importance of the Research ...................................................................... 7 Chapter Two: Review of the Literature ....................................................................... 9 Theory ........................................................................................................................... 9 Kern County Policy and Procedures ........................................................................... 12 Historical Evolution of Civil Service .......................................................................... 13 Privilege Stage ............................................................................................................ 14 Patronage Stage ........................................................................................................... 15 Professionalism Stage ................................................................................................. 16 Privatization Stage ...................................................................................................... 25 Partnership Stage ........................................................................................................ 26 Present Day applications in Kern County ................................................................... 26 Merit System ............................................................................................................... 28 Class Specification Bulletins ...................................................................................... 28 Design and Function—Class Specification Bulletin Format ...................................... 30 Organizational Theory ................................................................................................ 34 Systems Theory ........................................................................................................... 36 Contingency Theory as Management Style ................................................................ 37 Chapter Three: Method ............................................................................................... 39 Grounded Theory ........................................................................................................ 39 All Employees as California Children’s Services ....................................................... 40 Survey ......................................................................................................................... 41 Content Analysis ......................................................................................................... 41 IRB Approval .............................................................................................................. 44 Confidentiality ............................................................................................................ 45 Limitations .................................................................................................................. 45 Chapter Four: Results & Discussion .......................................................................... 46 Findings....................................................................................................................... 46 Discussion ................................................................................................................... 47 Theory ......................................................................................................................... 50 Chapter Five: Summary & Recommendations Summation ........................................ 53 Recommendations Recommendation One: Job Duties Log ....................................... 54 Recommendation Two: Conduct a Formal Job Analysis ........................................... 54 Recommendation Three: Implement a Position Reclassification ............................... 55 ii References ................................................................................................................... 57 Appendix A ................................................................................................................. 63 Appendix B ................................................................................................................. 65 Appendix C ................................................................................................................. 67 Appendix D ................................................................................................................. 68 Appendix E ................................................................................................................. 69 Appendix F.................................................................................................................. 70 Appendix G ................................................................................................................. 71 Appendix H ................................................................................................................. 73 Appendix I .................................................................................................................. 74 PERFORMANCE COHERENCE IN THE PUBLIC SECTOR 1 Chapter One: Introduction California Children’s Services (CCS) currently delivers and funds a full range of qualifying medical management services, with approximately 56 employees hired under 18 job titles. Located in Kern County, CCS provides services to 6,000 children with qualifying complex medical conditions living in Kern County, CA. As a County employer in California, CCS is subject to state and federal employment laws and regulations as well as provisions of Civil Service ordinances. The Kern County Board of Supervisors approves all classifications and entitles all County offices and positions by resolution. The County Human Resources Division maintains each position’s salary or pay-range Classification and corresponding Class Specification Bulletin (CSB) (Refer to Appendix A, Figure 1) (Kern County, 2017). Job descriptions, contracts, and salary classifications are key components of civil service appointments that server more than just an advisory purpose (Mayhew, 2017). State, Federal, and County employees have job titles, descriptions, and salary range classifications that are used as organizational tools. Job descriptions feature plain-language explanations of the position’s essential functions, required qualifications, certain tasks and various other information associated with a given occupation. Managers base employee performance evaluations on job descriptions and use them to incentivize employees to pursue career development activities such as classes and seminars with the anticipation of job promotions (Powerhouse HR, 2005). Job Bulletins contain Job Descriptions. In county governments in California, a different terminology is used. Class Specification Bulletins (CSB) advertise salary classifications and a positions Essential Functions, therefore, both share interchangeable content in this research (Refer to Appendix A, Figure 1). Job descriptions provide important information such as a salary classification ranges which are used by human resources to organize and