Carol Morris

HR in the Windy City

Job Descriptions: Helping You Get Started

Are you confused about writing a job description?  

Many employers find it difficult to develop job descriptions. For one, they don’t know all the components or elements to include. 

Job descriptions help employers by serving important and useful business purposes such as the following:

• Recruiting and hiring the right people for positions
• Orienting employees on their first day
• Communicating expectations and responsibilities to employees
• Evaluating employee performance
• Reassigning or terminating employees who cannot meet the requirements
• Preparing for the future
• Documenting and minimizing legal liabilities

Perhaps the most useful purpose is preparing for the future. Developing a job description forces you to examine your workforce needs and evaluate the skills, talents and abilities required to meet those needs.

To help you get started in developing a job description, HR best practices recommend that you consider the following four elements:

1. Job Summary: this element is comprised of one or two lines of an overall view of the job. What is this job all about? A person reviewing a summary can quickly assess if they want to go on and read the remaining elements of the job. This summary is often used for a recruiting advertisement, as well.
2. Job Functions: this element describes the primary tasks and responsibilities of the job. Are tasks performed daily, weekly, monthly, annually or on an interval basis? Here is where you want to add the phrase “other duties as assigned” because employers cannot anticipate everything that comes up during the work day or week. Especially in today’s dynamic work environment, things can change on a daily basis.  Some businesses want their employees cross-trained as employers and employees have to be flexible and nimble to meet the needs of our fast-changing business world, including customer demands.
3. Job Requirements: this element includes a number and variety of considerations. You will want to specify the working hours and any travel requirements. Is overtime work necessary and/or required?  Do employees need a vehicle to perform their job? You don’t want any surprises and you want to be clear so the employee can determine if their personal situation can accommodate the requirements of the position. Are computer skills required? You also want to specify the education and background qualifications. How about language or math skills? It is very important to list all requirements.
   
   If certificates, registrations or licenses are required, you will want to list those. Some jobs have lifting or other physical requirements, including minimum vision or hearing abilities that can also be safety related. Be specific. For instance, does this position require a lot of standing, walking, sitting, reaching, hand motions or physical activities of this nature? It is important to understand that some of these areas fall under federal and state anti-discrimination laws, so employers should consult with counsel to avoid legal problems. For example, the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) enforces the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). Employers must be clear about what a position’s physical requirements are in order to avoid any potential discrimination charges.
4. Other Areas of Importance: this element is a “catch all” for other competency areas, such as supervisory responsibilities. For instance, competencies can include intellectual, interpersonal, leadership, organization, and self-management proficiencies. More can be added depending on the position. Additional responsibilities may include covering for other employees such as the receptionist. Some jobs have environmental conditions such as noise levels or exposure to chemicals. People with allergies may not be capable of working in an environment where chemicals are involved. Again, it is important to be specific and open about what is required so there are no surprises.

As you can see, a well-crafted job description is a valuable communications and planning tool. It is important to provide as much information as possible and to be truthful and straight forward. This approach helps you avoid and prevent problems, including legal liabilities that can result from misinformation, misunderstandings or misinterpretations. No one benefits when that happens.  Again, employers will want to consult with counsel about any legal concerns, including applicable federal and state laws.

The information contained in this document is for general, informational purposes only and is not intended to be legal advice. This information is not a substitute for the guidance of a professional and should not be relied upon in reference to any specific situation without first seeking the advice of a qualified HR professional and/or legal counsel regarding applicable federal, state or local laws. HRTools, Insperity and their respective employees make no warranties, express or implied, and make no judgments regarding the accuracy of this content and/or its applicability to a specific situation. A reference or link to another website is not an endorsement of that site or service.