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Job Descriptions: Why Effective Job Descriptions Make Good Business Sense
Tips About Job Descriptions
Effectively developed, job descriptions are communication tools that are
significant in your organization's success. Poorly written job descriptions,
on the other hand, add to workplace confusion, hurt communication, and make
people feel as if they don't know what is expected from them.
Job descriptions are written statements that describe the duties, responsibilities,
required qualifications, and reporting relationships of a particular job.
They are based on objective information obtained through job analysis, an
understanding of the competencies and skills required to accomplish needed
tasks, and the needs of the organization to produce work.
Job descriptions clearly identify and spell out the responsibilities of
a specific job. They also include information about working conditions,
tools, equipment used, knowledge and skills needed, and relationships with
other positions.
Still uncertain about the value of job descriptions? Consider these tips
about employee job descriptions.
Positives About Job Descriptions
Job descriptions provide an opportunity to clearly
communicate your company direction and they tell the employee where he
or she fits inside of the big picture.
Whether you're a small business or a large, multi-site organization, well-written
job descriptions will help you align employee direction. Alignment of
the people you employ with your goals, vision, and mission spells success
for your organization. As a leader, you assure the interfunctioning of
all the different positions and roles needed to get the job done for the
customer.
Job descriptions set clear expectations for what you expect from people.
You need to make certain that they clearly understand your expectations.
This understanding starts with the job description.
Job descriptions help you cover all your legal bases.
As an example, for compliance with the Americans With Disabilities Act
(ADA), you'll want to make certain the description of the physical requirements
of the job is accurate.
Whether you're recruiting new employees, posting jobs, or utilizing
Produce Careers, job descriptions tell the candidate exactly what you
want in your selected person. Clear job descriptions can help
you select your preferred candidates and address the issues and questions
of those people who were not selected.
Well-written job descriptions help organization employees, who
must work with the person hired, understand the boundaries of the person's
responsibilities.
People who have been involved in the hiring process are more likely to
support the success of the new employee or promoted coworker. Developing
job descriptions is an easy way to involve people in your organization's
success.
Warnings About Job Descriptions
That said, for an effective organization in this decade, job descriptions
can slow you down. Job descriptions can strangle your success and put
people back into the organizational chart boxes you've been asking them
to break out of for years.
The goal? Job descriptions that provide the positive impact discussed
in the first part of this article, without these potential negatives.
You can create the balance that allows job descriptions to inform, communicate,
and align performance without damaging your speed, flexibility, and forward
motion.
Negative Potential of Job Descriptions
Job descriptions become dated as soon as you write them in a
fast-paced, changing, customer-driven work environment.
You must supplement job descriptions with regularly negotiated goals and
developmental opportunities, at a minimum, quarterly, preferably monthly.
This requires the employee to meet with the boss or the team to establish
the next set of specific, measurable objectives.
This meeting must also be realistic. If the employee receives new goals
and is still responsible for every task listed on the original job descriptions,
this is unfair.
Especially, if the goals and job accomplishments are tied to salary or
bonus, you must take a look at where the employee is investing his time.
If the job descriptions provide a wrong picture, change the job descriptions.
Make certain job descriptions have enough flexibility so individuals
can "work outside of the box."
And, no, I don't mean to equate "other duties as assigned by the
manager," with creative thinking. Job descriptions must be flexible
so that employees are comfortable cross-training, helping another team
member accomplish a task, and confident they can make appropriate decisions
to serve their customers.
You want people who are comfortable taking reasonable chances and stretching
their limits. You don't want to encourage people to think, "That's
not my job."
For effectiveness, you must regularly look at and use job descriptions
as part of your day-to-day work.
In addition to the updating of regular goals and objectives suggested
above, job descriptions are an integral part of the performance management
and evaluation system. They are used to determine salary increases and
bonus eligibility.
They are a job reference for determining how an employee spends her time
at work. They provide a measurable focus for energy and attention. If
not, I agree with Dr. Sullivan. Eliminate job descriptions.
Job descriptions that sit unused in a drawer, or worse, filed
in the HR office, is a waste of time; they must be integral in your hiring
process.
Take the actions discussed in the first part of this article, and make
job descriptions an integral part of your hiring and selection process.
Use job descriptions to obtain employee ownership and support for the
position and to trace the parameters of the skills and abilities you seek
for the position. In hiring, well-written job descriptions can help you
make good hiring decisions. And hiring the right team is critical for
your future success.
Produce Careers Inc
122 Le Point St, Suite 202
Arroyo Grande, CA
(805) 481-3200
www.producecareers.com
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