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Descriptions of job
titles appear in a variety of forms in the workplace. Recruitment ads,
compensation surveys and other benchmarking tools, as well as corporate or
departmental development plans all use some method of describing a job.
The brief
descriptions of highlighted positions that are seen in compensation surveys and
other benchmarking tools are called job descriptors. These outline the major
responsibilities associated with the position that can be applied universally.
These are therefore sometimes standardized. While they may contain details like
exemption status or job location, they are not required to be as specific as job
descriptions.
The human
resources focus
Job descriptions are used for different purposes by the
employee and the human resources department. A human resources office uses job
descriptions for the following purposes.
- As a
definition of the functions and responsibilities of a job.
- As a mechanism for
recruitment.
- For employee
training and development (establishing and updating performance
standards).
- For
succession planning or organizational development (for example, what
additional tasks can be applied for the growth of the organization as a
whole?).
- In establishing
legal defensibility (based on what the potential hire would be
doing).
- For assigning
jobs.
- To
benchmark the company's positions against those described by descriptors
in salary surveys.
The employee
focus
When looking for a job, a candidate can request a copy of the job
description at the interview. The candidate can then do research to benchmark
the position against its placement in the market, in order to participate in an
informed negotiation process. The description should better inform the candidate
about what kind of offer to accept from a potential employer. At the very least,
a new employee should receive a copy of the job description within the first
week on the job.
An employee's job
description should be reviewed at performance review time to make sure it
accurately reflects the employee's current job responsibilities. It should be
used by both employee and manager as a tool for establishing development goals.
When reevaluating a
job description, the employee and the manager can work on renewing it together,
based on the work that has been and needs to be done. The revised description
should then be reviewed by human resources professionals to assure that it is
legally defensible.
The elements of
a job description
Before understanding what a job description entails,
it's important to understand fully the technical definition of a job. A job is a
collection of tasks, duties, or responsibilities assigned to an individual. A
job exists regardless of who performs the functions. Even when no one occupies
the job, it still exists.
A job description
simply describes the job. It should not have language or technical jargon that
is difficult to understand. Every job description should include the following.
- The job
title.
- The
location of the job.
- The job's
Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) status (exempt or
nonexempt).
- A position
summary describing the purpose of the job.
- Major
responsibilities, describing the job as it currently exists and including
the essential duties of the job. These are tasks for which the employee
is evaluated. (Job descriptors outline only a small portion of the
responsibilities for which the employee is evaluated.)
A task is
considered essential if the job exists in order to perform the function. There
are a limited number of people who can perform the duties of a job, and failure
to do so can adversely effect the organization.
A good way to
determine responsibilities is to estimate the number of hours spent in
performing a function within a 40-hour week. The figures should be in
percentages that make a sum of 100 percent.
- Job
qualifications, describing the minimum education, experience, and
skills necessary to perform the job.
The decision
reached in Griggs v. Duke Power Co. established that an employer cannot
require a higher qualification from an applicant than what the job requires in
its description. An employer or an employee may argue that industry standards
require that position to have a more advanced degree, but employers cannot
legally refuse to hire someone because they fail to meet the elevated standard.
- Working
conditions, describing work-related hazards and environmental
conditions that occur while performing the job. These might include, for
example, the presence of loud noises (such as in a manufacturing facility), or
the need to remain on one's feet or even crawl (such as in carpentering).
The Americans with
Disabilities Act established that essential job functions become a legal
standard, in order to fight discrimination against people of certain physical
impairments.
The job description
is not meant to include any judgments. It should not state what is expected in
the future, and it should not discuss how well the job is being performed. It
may be used as a tool for measuring and establishing further career development,
but this should be addressed in the employee's performance management
plan.
Ultimately, when
assessing a job description, the manager must ask: if the specific employee left
the job, would anything in the description change? If not, then the description
is as it should be.
- Erisa
Ojimba, Certified Compensation Professional- Modified
11-15-2004
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