The difference between job enlargement and job enrichment is that job enlargement is a job design technique while job enrichment is a management tool.
Job enlargement refers to increasing the tasks, responsibilities, and overall workload of an employee in the same job position. This may be done to increase job satisfaction and productivity or even to avoid boredom and monotony.
On the other hand, job enrichment refers to planning and organizing the tasks, responsibilities, and overall workload of an employee in order to gain more control over the work.
This tool grants more authority and decision-making power to an employee. It acts as a motivation for employees to perform the work with more self-discipline, confidence, and accountability.
Another difference between the two is that job enlargement restructures a job using horizontal expansion while job enrichment uses vertical expansion.
Comparison Table Between Job Enlargement and Job Enrichment
| Parameters of Comparison | Job Enlargement | Job Enrichment |
| Definition | Job enlargement refers to additional tasks, responsibilities, and an increased overall workload at the same job position. | Job enrichment refers to planning and organizing tasks and responsibilities in a way that grants more authority and decision-making power to an employee. |
| Concept | Job enlargement is a job design technique. | Job enrichment is a management tool. |
| Objective | Job enlargement aims at improving the skills and productivity of an employee. It may also be done in times of economic crunches or downsizing. | Job enrichment aims at boosting the morale of the employee to encourage more self-discipline, confidence, and accountability. |
| Core idea | Increasing the quantity of work to expand the scope of a job. | Job enrichment focuses on increasing the quality of work. |
| Expansion | Restructures a job using horizontal expansion. | Restructures a job using vertical expansion. |
| Skill requirement of employee | Motivates unskilled and semi-skilled employees to perform better. | Motivates skilled employees by increasing job satisfaction and boosts morale. |
| Authority and responsibility | The authority of the employee remains the same while the responsibilities increase. | The level of authority as well as the responsibility of an employee increase. |
| Supervision | Demands the supervision of employers. | The employees do not require supervisory control; self-directed. |
| Effects after implementation | The effects on the employee may be positive or negative. | The effects on the employee are positive. |
| Dependence | Job enlargement is not dependent on job enrichment. | Job enrichment is hugely dependent on job enlargement. |
What is Job Enlargement?
Job enlargement is a job design strategy that is used by employers with the objective of motivating the employees. It involves increasing the tasks, responsibilities, and overall workload of an employee at the same job position.
The core idea of job enlargement is increasing the quantity of work for employees to enhance their skills as well as productivity. The technique may also be implemented in case there is an economical downtime or in case of downsizing.
The new tasks given to a worker are similar to the previous ones. Thus, new skills or special training is not required. Even though the responsibilities of the worker increase, the level of authority remains the same. As the workload of employees increases, supervision from the part of employers becomes necessary.
Job enlargement proves to be insufficient when implemented in large organizations. Here, the workload of an employee already tends to be high. Increasing the responsibilities and tasks without increasing the salary can lead to dissatisfaction among employees.
What is Job Enrichment?
Job enrichment is a management tool that employers use to motive employees. It involves granting more authority and decision-making power to an employee in order to boost their morale.
Job enrichment is implemented by planning and organizing the tasks and responsibilities of the workers. This simplifies the work and also improves job satisfaction as it allows employees to focus on their own development and skill enhancement.
Job enrichment allows more authority as well as responsibility. This encourages an employee to practice self-discipline, self-direction, self-control, confidence, and accountability. It also facilitates self-actualization.
Job enrichment, however, cannot be implemented in the case of unskilled or semi-skilled employees. As the workload and power increase, an employee may fall short of the skills and expertise required for the job.
Main Differences Between Job Enlargement and Job Enrichment
- Job enlargement refers to increasing the tasks and responsibilities of an employee at the same job position while job enrichment refers to granting more authority as well as responsibility to an employee.
- Job enlargement is a job design strategy while job enrichment is a management tool.
- Job enlargement aims at improving the skills and productivity of an employee while job enrichment aims at providing job satisfaction and boosting morale.
- Job enlargement can be implemented on unskilled and semi-skilled workers while job enrichment can only be implemented on skilled workers.
- Job enlargement demands the supervision of seniors while job enrichment allows employees to supervise themselves.
- Job enrichment is dependent on job enlargement as the workload of the employee increases. On the other hand, job enlargement has no such dependency.
- The effects of job enlargement may be positive or negative while the effects of job enrichment on employees are always positive.
Conclusion
Both job enlargement and job enrichment are excellent motivation for employees. While job enlargement increases the productivity and skills of workers, job enrichment aims at boosting their morale and increasing job satisfaction.
Job enlargement is perfect for unskilled or semi-skilled skilled workers in small and medium organizations. However, it may increase dissatisfaction as even though the workload is increased, the compensation to the employees remains the same.
Job enrichment is perfect for large and centralized organizations as it grants more authority to employees, making work simpler and more efficient. It also improves job satisfaction and allows employees to focus on their own development.
