Job descriptions play a pivotal role when the continuously evolving world of work continues to escalate. Defining roles and responsibilities while also shaping expectations, serve as a blueprint for employees and employers alike. However, throughout my experience in the working world – creating, understanding, and maintaining job descriptions isn’t as easy as it seems. This has caused many challenges for myself and others, and failing to address them can have extreme consequences.

The challenges in developing, understanding, and maintaining job descriptions showcases a variety of challenges. These challenges may include how change is constant; workplace dynamic and job roles evolve as things such as new technologies emerge. This makes it incredibly difficult to consistently keep up with this rapid rate of evolution. Considering how drastically it is evolving, implementing job descriptions that coincide with this evolution become an increasing challenge. Other challenges regarding job descriptions involve generic/vague job descriptions and descriptions that misalignment with company goals. This can cause consequences such as employee disengagement and resentment, leading to frustration and confusion that can impact performance and morale. (Branham, 2012)

How do we overcome these evolving and consequential challenges? One of the most crucial aspects to focus on is in communication. Clear communication with transparent communication channels amongst employees can help ensure that job descriptions are easily accessible to all employees and that they understand them. (Branham, 2012). This can be achieved through regular training and clear reorganization attempts to create transparent communication channels for all employees to utilize. Along with this aspect, it can then be communicated to employees to regularly revisit job descriptions and how they align with the company goals.

Altogether, revolutionizing the potential challenges that the working world may face regarding vague and uncommunicative job descriptions can take a lot of effort for company’s to revolutionize. To do this, it is vital to begin with the core issue at hand, being a lack of fundamental communication. Company’s should recognize how communication, especially regarding job descriptions, is vital for development. By recognizing these challenges associated with creating, understanding, and maintaining clear job descriptions, both employees and employers will recognize that implementing these solutions is critical. Evolution and collaboration to overcome these challenges play a foundational role for organizational success.

References:

Branham, Leigh. The 7 Hidden Reasons Employees Leave: How to Recognize the Subtle Signs and Act Before It’s Too Late. AMACOM, 2012.