September 24 Tip of the Week

“The Importance of Job Descriptions”

            When hiring, employers often feel pressure to get jobs posted and to bring people in as soon as possible.  Because of this, they use old job postings or vague descriptions of the position for which they are hiring.  Many employers look to replace positions with individuals who have the same qualifications and characteristics of the person who last held the job and they fail to take the time to reexamine positions – their actual tasks and value to the organization.  Good hires require a lot of ground work, not only in the hiring process but before the job is even posted.   The most important element of this ground work is the job description. 

            A job description is essential in finding and retaining the right person for a position.  A job description is also the best tool to use to ensure that you have the right team to meet your needs.  So often an employee is hired to do a job, but because of the employee’s skills and/or experience the job the employee actually does is different than the job for which they were hired.  Employers should periodically review an employee’s daily tasks and the demands of their job to ensure that job descriptions accurately reflect the work that is expected and the skills and experience needed to perform that work.  Poorly written job descriptions lead to bad hires. 

            One mistake many employers make is to place too much emphasis on education and degrees.  Job descriptions often include a required level of education in a specific area of study.  These types of requirements are problematic for many reasons.  First, an employee learns most of their actual skills on the job and not in an educational program.  The exception to this would be a specific vocational program.  But positions that require soft skills should have a broader set of qualifications; one that allows an applicant to substitute actual work experience for education.  By doing this, employers often open up the candidate pool to include a greater diversity of applicants, including underrepresented groups who may not have had access to a formal education but have great skills sets learned on the job. 

            In fact, during this time of the “great resignation,” many employers are moving toward skill-based hiring.  This involves identifying the skills necessary to perform a job and including those skills in a job description. When interviewing candidates, use tools and techniques that allow them to demonstrate their mastery of those skills; this can include having candidates engage in an activity that they would be expected to perform on the job, such as teaching a lesson or giving a presentation.   Many of the skills that individuals learn in entry level positions are transferable to more advanced positions.  For example, customer service skills are universal to every job – whether it be a doctor and their bedside manner or an attorney and their ability to build a relationship with their client – the ability to get along with others and to put the customer first is important. 

            Job descriptions are also important when it comes to determining whether an individual can perform the essential functions of a job.  The COVID pandemic brought with it a number of challenges, with one of the most difficult being employee attendance.  Exposure to COVID, the quarantine requirement, the lack of child care and in person schools, etc. made it difficult for employees to come to work.  COVID and the rules implemented to address the challenges of COVID made remote working a more normalized practice.  In the past, an employer could require that an employee be present at the employer’s business location to perform their job duties.  Now, with the increase in remote or hybrid working arrangements, an employee can more easily argue that allowing them to work from home is a reasonable accommodation.  To address this, an employer should include in all job descriptions information regarding where work must be performed.  A customer service representative may not be able to effectively do their job if they are not present and working face to face with a customer.  

            Well written, well thought out and comprehensive job descriptions are an essential tool for employers to ensure that they are able to find the right person for the job and to evaluate that person once the employment relationship has been established.  At myHRcounsel, we can assist you in ensuring that your job descriptions meet these standards and position you to maximize the effectiveness of your workforce.