Job descriptions should be straightforward. You should list the duties, set the expectations, and go about your business. But in reality, they are one of the trickiest aspects of human resource management to create and maintain. Part of the complexity is that jobs never remain static. With the current labor shortage and often shifting organizational priorities, employees are frequently asked to do more than what’s included in a job description. If the job description isn’t revised, it quickly becomes irrelevant and ignored. Another complexity involves determining the level of specificity. If too precise, it can easily constrain employees. If too general, it can lead to uncertainty in what an employee is accountable for. For many managers, focusing on the outcomes rather than a rigid task list is a better way to motivate. This may work well for motivation and morale but can be troublesome if a manager needs clarity for hiring, training, or evaluations. All these factors make job descriptions easy to avoid. Not having good job descriptions can lead to an entirely different set of problems. Recruiting efforts can become inefficient if prospective candidates don’t have a clear understanding of what a particular job entails. Evaluating staff can sometimes seem arbitrary if expectations for performance were never clearly articulated in the beginning. Employees can also face frustration or even burnout if they are expected to do more and more but no one wants to revise their job description. In this time of labor shortage, many organizations have made a practice of blurring the lines on job descriptions. But if they are not revisited, this strategy can lead to overload and heightened turnover rates. This complexity doesn’t have to come with the territory of job descriptions, though. They can be done to create realistic expectations for employees while benefiting organizations. Focusing on core functions rather than an exhaustive list of duties can also keep them flexible but relevant. If well-maintained job descriptions can be kept current and accurate, they can benefit everyone involved.
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