Associate Professional in Human Resources 2025 – 400 Free Practice Questions to Pass the Exam

In job design, horizontal loading primarily focuses on expanding task responsibilities. This approach involves adding variety to an employee’s role by increasing the range of tasks that they perform at the same level of complexity, rather than simply increasing the depth of the job or hierarchy.

By broadening the tasks that an employee can undertake, horizontal loading can enhance job satisfaction, reduce monotony, and encourage employees to develop new skills. This can lead to greater engagement and a sense of ownership over one’s work.

For instance, instead of having an employee perform only a narrow set of duties, horizontal loading allows them to engage in multiple related tasks, thus promoting a more fulfilling work experience and potentially improving overall productivity. This approach is essential for fostering a more versatile workforce that can adapt to various roles as needed.

In contrast, minimizing the number of tasks assigned would reduce responsibility, improving output speed does not directly relate to how tasks are designed, and increasing hierarchical levels typically refers to vertical loading, which involves increasing the levels of responsibility rather than expanding the breadth of task responsibilities.