Job descriptions: more useful than you think!
by Claire Stewart on 07/05/08 at 11:17 am
1 comment
At PeopleWise we create a lot of job descriptions for our clients. Many clients are shocked by how employees’ time is being mis-allocated. One particular client was horrified that his salespeople were spending 40% of their time on admin; time that should have been spent meeting potential and existing clients.
Good job descriptions lay out exactly what you expect from your staff and how they should be doing it.
Used correctly, they should ensure that your employee’s time is used effectively and thus should improve the profitability of your business. It will also result in better customer satisfaction. Job descriptions are vital, no matter how big or small an organisation… as long as they contain the right information.
So, what are the key points in creating a good job description?
1) The job description should always be measurable. Every task that the employee is required to carry out should have a corresponding measure i.e. if the task was carried out perfectly, what would the outcome be?
2) The first draft of the job description should always consist of the employee’s input. Only then should management use the draft to make amendments and additions.
3) Together with your employee you should assign what percentage of your employee’s time should be assigned to various tasks. I generally work it out over a monthly period.
4) You might find that you need to allocate less vital tasks to other employees. This is a major benefit of the job description process to ensure that your organisation is being run as efficiently, and cost- and output-effectively, as possible.
5) The job description should be comprehensive. Comprehensive enough that if the employee was knocked over by a bus it could be used to bring the replacement pretty much up to speed.
6) The job description should be linked to the performance appraisal system. The employee should be given their existing job description and the self appraisal form before meeting with management.
7) Any changes to the job description should be captured as the employee’s job changes and evolves.
If you need any help with developing job descriptions for your organisation just give me a shout [cstewart at people-wise.co.za]. Good luck!
Claire Stewart is the founder of PeopleWise, an HR and Employment consulting service. Like Neo in the Matrix, Claire sees through the convoluted mess of SA employment law and makes sense of it for you, loyal Ideate reader. View more articles by Claire Stewart.
Job Descriptions
Jan 5th, 2010
Claire Stewart its really a very good post and is very helpful.