Why bother with a job description?

Going over Job Description with Employee

9 months ago

If you are a small business, you may or may not have yet created written job descriptions. While the employee handbook is the perfect venue for setting down the terms under which you conduct business related to your employees, the job description sets the terms under which your employees complete their work.

Having a written job description allows the organization to have written expectations for which you can hold your employees accountable. While your employees may have additional goals, they are still expected to complete the duties listed on their job description. Completion of these duties can be used to determine if they will be eligible for a merit increase, thereby tying performance to their income.

While a written job description is NOT a job posting, the job description is often used to help in the creation of the job posting. It delineates the most important duties and expectations.

A written job description is also used to help with benchmarking efforts to determine what percentage of market you are paying compared to other employers, for similar positions. Doing so will help you strategize starting salaries for new hires and pay increases for incumbents.

Also, having a written job description will help you determine the essential functions of the position. This is especially important when you have an incumbent or applicant with a medical condition that may affect their ability to do their job. (Think Americans with Disabilities Act, New Mexico Human Rights Act, or Workers’ Compensation.) It is harder to substantiate your position that an item is an essential function of the job, if you have never delineated the functions of the job. Delineating the essential functions of the job versus other functions will allow you to determine where you can provide accommodation for an employee with a disability or medical condition versus essential functions that must be completed.

If you don’t have the time to set up a job description system, contact us today at Southwestern HR Consulting (SWHRC.com). We can get you on the right track so that you are prepared with the language and a process, saving you time and money in the long run. Contact us today!