Job Descriptions for Management

May 31, 2016 7:13 am

 

When hiring a member of your business team, there is probably some sort of onboarding process that involves a Human Resources component where an employee handbook is reviewed, or at least a job description is discussed. A job description is a document listing the tasks, duties, and responsibilities of a specific job. Seems pretty straightforward right?

This fairly simple document seems like a win-win situation. Employees need to know what the job they are applying for entails, including specific duties, education needed, as well as necessary skills and training for the job. Employers use a job description as not only part of the hiring process but also in the evaluation and management of employees. Let’s examine the components and lasting implications of a job description.

 

Components of a Good Job Description:

  • A summary of the job position as well as a detailed list of duties and responsibilities.
  • The name of a supervisor to report to or where to have questions answered.
  • Evaluation criteria that matches with the job responsibilities. The part that answers the question, “how will the person be evaluated at each review?”
  • A description of how the job fits into the larger scheme of the company.
  • Physical surroundings such as work station or area designated for the employee.
  • Compensation details should also be included in this section.

Implications of the Job Description:

Having up-to-date, accurate and professionally written job descriptions is critical to an organization’s ability to attract qualified candidates, orient and train employees, establish job performance standards, develop compensation programs, conduct performance reviews, set goals, and meet legal requirements. Some of the ways that a job description can help a company run smoothly and accomplish it’s short and long term goals include:

 

  • Identifying training and education gaps for the employee so that all gaps can be covered.
  • Motivate employees to move up the corporate ladder.
  • Develop an equitable salary structure.
  • Evaluate job performance and manage bottom performers as well as retain top performers.
  • Protect the company from legal sanctions or employee suits.
  • Evaluate employee productivity and performance.
  • And, finally, job descriptions can help recruit the best employees for your company.

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