Human Resource Manager in Development

I found that there were several challenges to developing and maintaining job descriptions within the reading. However, there were three that stood out to me, the first being failing to keep job descriptions up to date. Then, issues regarding what the job truly entails due to an employee manager disconnect. Finally, legality and compliance risks can be difficult to navigate through. 

It’s important to keep job descriptions updated because neglecting to do so can lead to outdated information that doesn’t truly reflect the presented role. Therefore, in order to overcome this challenge it would be beneficial to establish a policy where job descriptions are updated and reviewed annually. The reading Definitive Guide to Recruiting in Good Times and Bad emphasizes the importance of keeping job descriptions up to date as they believe it is crucial in recruiting the right candidates for company needs (See Appendix for direct quote). 

Oftentimes HR managers might have not worked the job they are creating the description for therefore, this can lead to a disconnect between what they believe the roles of the job are and the reality of the job roles. In order to combat this challenge HR managers might want to include insight from employees and other day-by-day managers in order to get a more accurate picture of the roles of the job. The article Jobs Worth Doing: Update Descriptions emphasizes this point as it acknowledges the need and the want for these employees and managers to participate in the development of these descriptions (See Appendix for direct quote). 

Job descriptions that are written poorly or outdated can lead to legal risks, this is especially true when it comes to complying with labor laws such as The Fair Labor Standards Act and the Americans With Disabilities Act. Therefore, to ensure the legality of job descriptions HR should make an attempt to audit job descriptions or at least use a template to assist with the matter. The article Jobs Worth Doing: Update Descriptions emphasizes this point as they elaborate on the type of issues you might encounter if these descriptions are inadequately out together (See Appendix for direct quote). 

Sources 

Fernández-Aráoz, C., Groysberg, B., & Nohria, N. (2009). The Definitive Guide to Recruiting in Good Times and Bad. In Harvard business review (Vol. 87, Number 5). Harvard Business Review.

Kathryn Tyler. (2013). Job worth doing: Update descriptions. SHRM.

Appendix 

Infrequent updates 

“What specific capabilities will this job require over the next few years? Will the focus be on growth or on engineering a turnaround? Does it require someone who is fundamentally an entrepreneur, a manager, or a leader?” (Fernandez-Araoz, 2009). 

Employee Manager Disconnect 

“‘Employees can vouch for what they actually do and should have input into their descriptions,’ McCarthy agrees. ‘However, the manager must also be a part of this process to ensure that the responsibilities and requirements are aligned with actual activities.’” (Tyler, 2013). 

Legality Issues 

“With the compliance environment and legal implications, the stakes are a lot higher for job descriptions to be crystal clear with essential responsibilities. If you have a measure of performance that doesn’t appear on the job description and you have a case brought against you… there could be punishment.” (Tyler, 2013).

It’s no surprise that there would be similarities between companies within the Fortune 100 Best Companies to Work For as they established themselves among this list for a reason. However, it’s interesting to see that there can be common themes in HR practice among vastly different fields of work. I chose to look into four different companies among this list, Kimpton Hotels and restaurants, Capital One, KPMG LLP, and Accenture. Analyzing comments by employees and additional information provided by the website I found that these companies chose to structure their businesses around empowering their employees and embracing their individualism as a strength (see Appendix for employee comments). Focusing more on what your employees can do instead of their weaknesses allows each individual to maximize their potential and productivity for the company. 

I’d like to be a manager that other employees enjoy conversing with, a manager who is very open minded and embraces the strengths of the employees that I work with. I think it would be very beneficial to be a manager who can determine opportune times for employee empowerment and employee guidance. In the article How Google Sold Its Engineers on Management by David A. Gavin, they emphasized or at least showcased one of the key things Google managers do, which was being able to empower the team and not micromanage. I found this point quite compelling because not only does it increase effectiveness and efficiency within the business but it makes you more enjoyable to work with.

After reading the first chapter of First, Break All the Rules by Marcus Buckingham and Curt Coffman, I felt that the most challenging part of a manager’s job is battling the contradictory or being able to identify and pursue the silver lining within managing or influencing the employees you oversee. In the second to last paragraph of this chapter the authors outline the struggle of these apparent contradictions that arise when you are in pursuit of “5’s” to all the presented questions throughout the chapter. 

References 

Buckingham, M., & Coffman, C. (2001). First, break
all the rules: What the world’s greatest managers do differently. Simon
& Schuster.

Fortune 100 best companies to work for® 2020. Great
Place To Work®. (2020).
https://www.greatplacetowork.com/best-workplaces/100-best/2020

Gavin, D. A. (2013, December). Review of How Google sold
its engineers on management. Harvard Business Review, 74–82.

Appendix 

What employees are saying about their companies 

Kimpton Hotels and restaurants 

“A great, inclusive and diverse culture. Always seeking ways to improve and develop new efficient ways of doing things. No such thing as a bad idea here. Hard work is noticed and praised. I can be myself and am encouraged to be myself.”

Capital one 

“I love that the company allows individuals to be exactly that: individuals. We are free to express ourselves in unique ways and are not expected to conform to any specific standard.”

KPMG LLP

“It is a diverse company that allows thoughts and ideas to be shared by everyone. Every voice is heard and given appropriate consideration when tackling issues as a team.”

Accenture 

“We are setting a public example for how corporations should embrace diversity, very inclusive of all races, genders/sexual preferences, and disability. All of us are encouraged to give back to the community.”