Both job enlargement and job enrichment are human resource strategies used to
improve employees engagement and increase efficiency that helps to achieve
organizational more effectively. Job enlargement refers to increase tasks and
responsibilities to the existing role of the employees. On the other hand, job
enrichment is a technique of motivating employees by adding extra
responsibilities to make job more challenging and meaningful.
Difference Between Job Enlargement And Job Enrichment
The main dissimilarities between job enrichment and job enlargement are as
follows:
1. Introduction
Job Enlargement: It involves increasing the number of tasks and duties
to be performed by workers to an existing role.
Job Enrichment: It involves increasing responsibilities and content in
the job to increase challenges and scope that provides opportunity for growth.
2. Nature
Job Enlargement: It is purely quantitative in nature because number of
tasks are increased for employees.
Job Enrichment: It is qualitative in nature. It means this technique is
used to increase the content and quality of the job.
3. Objective
Job Enlargement: The main objective of job enlargement is to increase
employee motivation and engagement by decreasing monotony and boredom.
Job Enrichment: The main objective of job enrichment is to promote
growth and development by making jobs more challenging and exciting.
4. Additional Skill
Job Enlargement: It does not require additional skill because tasks are
increased as per the qualification and ability of employees.
Job Enrichment: It requires some additional skills because it involves
new responsibilities that require creativity, decision making and problem
solving.
5. Authority
Job Enlargement: It does not increase the level of authority as it only
increases the number of tasks.
Job Enrichment: It increases the level of authority as per the
creativity and ability of employees.
6. Supervision And Control
Job Enlargement: It requires more supervision, direction and control
because it increases the workload of employees that increases the chance of
errors and mistakes.
Job Enrichment: It requires less supervision and control than job
enlargement because workers exercise self-control.
7. Training Need
Job Enlargement: It does not require additional training because
employees are familiar with the jobs and responsibilities.
Job Enrichment: It may require additional training to empower workers
to increase creativity, decision making and control over the job.
8. Result/Outcome
Job Enlargement: Results may be positive or negative depending on the
motivation level and workload of the employees.
Job Enrichment: Generally, it gives positive result because of
increased morale and self actualization.
Job Enlargement Vs Job Enrichment (Comparison Table)
|
Basis
|
Job Enlargement
|
Job Enrichment
|
|
Nature
|
It is quantitative by nature
|
It is qualitative by nature
|
|
Objective
|
To reduce boredom and monotony
|
To promote growth and development
|
|
Additional Skills
|
Not Required
|
Required
|
|
Increase In Authority
|
No
|
Yes
|
|
Outcome
|
Positive Or Negative
|
Positive
|
|
Supervision And Control
|
Requires more supervision
|
Requires less supervision
|
Distinction Between Job Enlargement And Job Enrichment In Brief
* Job enlargement refers to quantitative expanding of jobs. But job enrichment
is qualitative improvement of the job.
* Job enlargement does not require special training, but job enrichment
requires training and development program to improve the performance.
* Job enlargement requires more supervision than job enrichment
* Job enrichment increases the level of authority but job enlargement
increases the number of tasks only.
* Job enlargement is horizontal expansion of job and job enrichment is
vertical expansion.
* Job enlargement does not promote growth and development but job enrichment
helps in personal growth and career development
