Explain how participative management can enhance skill variety, task identity, and autonomy as described in the Job Characteristics Model (JCM).
Skill variety, the degree to which a job requires a variety of different activities so the worker can use a number of different skills and talent, can be enhanced by participative management because it helps the employees view their tasks from a different perspective. It helps them understand why the management requires high productivity and efficiency from them. By learning to think differently, the employees learn different skills at the mental and relational levels.
Task identity, the degree to which a job requires completion of a whole and identifiable piece of work, can be enhanced by participative management by allowing employees to make decisions on the spot without management approval. For example, the woman at the Wegman's bakery that convinced management to let her include a traditional family recipe in the product line will feel a much stronger sense of task identity.
Autonomy, which is the freedom in determining work procedures and carrying them out, is enhanced by participative management because the employee is able to participate in the decision-making process. Having a voice in the process increases the sense of autonomy and control.