Final answer:
Job evaluation is the HR activity that assesses the relative worth of each job within an organization, distinct from performance appraisals which assess individual performance.
Step-by-step explanation:
The HR activity that assesses the relative worth of each job within an organization is known as job evaluation. Job evaluation seeks to compare the position's duties, responsibilities, and requirements to assess its overall importance to the organization. This process is different from performance appraisal, which evaluates an individual employee's job performance and effectiveness. While performance appraisals can contribute to job satisfaction by providing feedback and identifying areas for growth, job evaluations are used for designing compensation plans and establishing salary scales that reflect the relative worth of different jobs within the company. Elements such as work-content factors, which include job variety, difficulty level, and role clarity, have been found to significantly predict job satisfaction levels, more so than compensation alone. Surveys and questionnaires, including Likert scales, are commonly used to measure job satisfaction. These assessments can play a role in helping organizations improve their management models and overall workplace environment.