Job descriptions

job descriptions
writing job descriptions and examples, job descriptions duties, directors responsibilities
Job descriptions are essential. Job descriptions are required for recruitment so that you and the applicants can understand the role. Job descriptions are necessary for all people in work. A job description defines a person's role and accountability. Without a job description it isnot possible for a person to properly commit to, or be held accountable for, a role.
As an employee you may have or be given the opportunity to take responsibility for your job description. This is good. It allows you to clarify expectations with your employer and your boss.
The process of writing job descriptions is actually quite easy and straight-forward. Many people tend to startoff with a list of 20-30 tasks, which is okay as a start, but this needs refining to far fewer points, around 8-12 is the ideal.
Smaller organisations commonly require staff and managers to cover a wider or more mixed range of responsibilities than in larger organisations (for example, the 'office manager' role can comprise financial, HR, stock-control, scheduling and other duties). Thereforein smaller organisations, job descriptions might necessarily contain a greater number of listed responsibilities, perhaps 15-16. However, whatever the circumstances, the number of responsibilities should not exceed this, or the job description becomes unwieldy and ineffective.
Any job description containing 20-30 tasks is actually more like a part of an operational manual, which serves adifferent purpose. Job descriptions should refer to the operational manual, or to 'agreed procedures', rather than include the detail of the tasks in the job description. If you include task detail in a job description you will need to change it when the task detail changes, as it will often do. What would you rather change, 100 job descriptions or one operational manual?
Similarly, lengthydetails of health and safety procedures should not be included in a a job description. Instead put them into a health and safety manual, and then simply refer to this in the job description. Again, when your health and safety procedure changes, would you rather change 100 job descriptions or just one health and safety manual?
A useful process for refining and writing job descriptionsresponsibilities into fewer points and ('responsibilities' rather than 'individual tasks'), is to group the many individual tasks into main responsibility areas, such as the list below (not all will be applicable to any single role). Bold type indicates that these responsibility areas would normally feature in most job descriptions:
Bold type indicates that these responsibility areas wouldnormally feature in most job descriptions:
communicating (in relation to whom, what, how - and this is applicable to all below)
planning and organizing (of what..)
managing information or general administration support (of what..)
monitoring and reporting (of what..)
evaluating and decision-making (of what..)
financialbudgeting and control (of what..)
producing things (what..)
maintaining/repairing things (what..)
quality control (for production roles normally a separate responsibility; otherwise this is generally incorporated within other relevant responsibilities) (of what..)
health and safety (normally the same point for all job descriptions of agiven staff grade)
using equipment and systems (what..)
creating and developing things (what..)
self-development (normally the same point for all job descriptions of a given staff grade)
plus any responsibilities for other staff if applicable, typically:
recruiting (of direct-reporting staff)
assessing (direct-reporting...