Employers sometimes create job analyses to aid in the return to work process. A job analysis is an in-depth description of a particular job. It breaks down the job’s specific tasks as well as the expectations of and demands on the employee who does it. A job analyse can include detailed information about the job’s tasks, working conditions, and requirements including aptitudes, attitudes, skills, temperaments, as well as physical, psychological and cognitive demands. Job analyses are often created to help in recruiting, training as well as with return to work and human resources planning. In the case of returning to work following disability or illness such as cancer, a job analysis is a useful tool to provide information about a job in order to aid assessing whether someone is ready to return to work or what parts of the job need to be changed to enable someone to work again.
Job analyses are often created by human resources professionals, return to work coordinators, occupational health and safety personnel, disability managers or vocational rehabilitation consultants. Employers may have these professionals on staff or available as consultants. If not, employers can create a job analysis.
Giving a job analysis to the healthcare provider can help as it informs them of the demands of the job including what the employer views as essential duties and what the employer expects before the employee is allowed to return to work. With this information, the healthcare provider can help determine:
- whether the patient’s current work abilities will enable them to fulfill the job demands expected by the employer
- what further rehabilitation may be needed before the employee is ready to return
- if rehabilitation will not likely improve work abilities, what accommodations are needed
For an example of a functional assessment form, see the Treasury Board of Canada’s Functional Assessment Form.
For more information see:
The National Occupation Classification system gives descriptions that can be described in a job analysis.
The Revised Handbook for Analyzing Jobs (PDF; Originally published by the U.S. Department of Labor, Training and Administration, 1991).
Complete a Cancer and Work job analysis
A job analysis is an in-depth description of a particular job and of an employer’s expectations for an employee who fills the job. This analysis can be very helpful in determining when an employee is ready to return to work.
The Cancer and Work job analysis tool can be used to produce one online, perhaps in collaboration with the employee. Please remember that Cancerandwork.ca does not save the information entered on the online forms. The custom-made analysis can be printed or saved and then given to the employee and the healthcare team.
Sample of a completed Cancer and Work job analysis
Click on the following link to view a completed job analysis summary using a food service worker as an example: View sample completed job analysis worksheet (PDF, page 67).
