The poor job description - no one gets excited about making you, or keeping you updated, but you are the foundation for so many HR/people operations activities.
Without you, we couldn’t effectively communicate to people what is expected of them, we couldn’t make sure that our work and activities are managed effectively, we couldn’t make sure that we are supporting people with disabilities, and we couldn’t keep managers and team members on the same page.
Whoa! That’s a lot. Let’s shine the light further on this foundational gem.
5 ways that job descriptions can save the day:
- Getting the team member and manager on the same page - Nothing is worse than an employee and their manager not understanding job expectations. By clearly documenting what needs to be done, the description can help them avoid frustration.
- Getting the organization on the same page - Sharing job descriptions so that everyone can see everyone else’s job description helps to identify areas of overlap - which can lead to frustration and/or accountability issues. It can also identify what might be slipping through the cracks.
- Helping new employees hit the ground running - When someone joins an organization, it is helpful for them to have a roadmap or checklist, so that they understand what is important. They don’t know what they don’t know!
- Making it easier to grow - As your organization grows and evolves, it is much easier to use the job description as a starting point if you need to divide the activities into multiple new positions, making sure that all critical tasks and activities have a home.
- Promoting health and safety - Outlining the essential functions of the position gives clarity when it comes to providing accommodations and knowing when people can return to work after a medical issue. This can help prevent discrimination, and help create a more inclusive work environment.
Despite these star-quality factors, the process to create or update job descriptions can cause anxiety.
Some people feel that isn’t worthwhile. Some people feel that employees will use it as an excuse to say, “It isn’t in my job description” and narrowly define their roles. Other people dread having to chase everyone down to try to get them to pay attention to something that is on the bottom of their to-do list.
Thus, here are some tips to make the process more efficient, and less tedious and stressful for everyone.
|
Process Step |
Traditional Way |
Efficient / Fun Way |
|
Gather job duties |
Observe people to see what they are doing, and/or have them write the job description. The request to do so is often ignored, despite HR's best attempts at wrangling. |
Host a team lunch. Prior to lunch, put together draft descriptions based on ChatGPT. When you gather, with tasty food at hand, ask everyone to spend 15 minutes reviewing and updating the draft. |
|
Confirm physical environment, travel requirements and other factors |
Same as above. You are left feeling ghosted. |
Put together an electronic survey (thank you Google Forms) that can easily be completed by just checking buttons. |
|
Manager review |
Send the request into the black hole of a manager’s busy inbox. |
Set up a review meeting with the manager and talk about team development planning, and organization structure at the same time. |
Want to dive deeper?
- Job Description whitepaper - Ask us about this complimentary short read that includes an overview of the job description process.
- Job Description template - We will provide you with an MS Word version so that you can update your job descriptions. How’s that for a great New Year's resolution?
Need more support?
- Check out our Job Description Special, good through January 31, 2024. If you are ready to work on your job descriptions, we can help. We will provide you with a questionnaire to complete, draft the job description, and schedule a 30-minute review meeting with the manager to make updates. The fee for this offer is $200 per job description.
Book an appointment to discuss your HR or recruiting needs, or feel free to reach out at (734) 747-2936 to schedule a conversation about building better teams for your organization!
Stay tuned!
Next month I’ll be musing about Interviewing! Yes, I know that you are going to be sitting at the edge of your seat for this one. Do you have a question that I can answer - send it to me at Amy@AmyCellTalent.com.
- Also, mark your calendars for an interviewing skills workshop on Friday, January 26, 2024 at 3:00pm.
