What is Job Depth?

Job depth is the amount of authority and responsibility associated with a job. Increasing levels of authority and responsibility give an employee more control over how decisions are made and the manner in which work is performed. This approach is most successful when accompanied by ongoing feedback regarding a person’s performance. For example, a production worker can develop alternative ways to manufacture a product.

Advantages of Increased Job Depth

A high level of job depth typically leads to enhanced worker satisfaction, which in turn reduces employee turnover. This can trigger a substantial decline in hiring costs, since fewer new employees need to be hired. It also increases the level of employee knowledge retained within the company (which can increase efficiency), since fewer people are leaving.