HR: Why Job Descriptions Are Important
A small business was looking for someone to “answer phones and do light typing”. The owner/ managers of the business had limited time and disliked formalities- so they opted not to write a job description for the help wanted ad. A candidate was hired and consequently... let go a few weeks later. The job was not what the employee expected or felt she was hired to do. As a result the company was forced to begin the recruitment process again- incurring additional costs and lost productivity time.
Sound familiar? Many businesses feel job descriptions are unnecessary and may not take the time to develop them. Job descriptions, in fact, can be a very valuable asset to an organization and can help save costs in the long run. They help to place the right people in the right job and later serve as a road map to managing employees. They help sort out tasks, work flow and accountability- enabling businesses to plan how they will operate and grow.
Written job descriptions address many key issues that help to protect a business and their employees, as well. Not only are they an integral part of recruiting and retention, they are also a guide for compensation, staff planning, training, performance appraisals and legal compliance. They provide written evidence that employment decisions were based on a rational, legal basis and serve as documentation to help prevent or defend against discrimination complaints.
Bottom line--- job descriptions not only help organizations hire and retain the “right” employees they can also have a positive affect on productivity and profitability.