Job Descriptions and their Importance – HR Management

This blog post will cover the topic of job descriptions, highlighting the role job descriptions play for employees, HR management, and talent recruitment. One main concept that should be addressed first is that job descriptions are a great form of legal protection for both companies and employees. Providing a document that can be referenced if claims of wrongful termination or discrimination are filed. Although important, legal protection is only part of the story when it comes to job descriptions

Without job descriptions companies leave themselves vulnerable legally and employees can struggle to understand what tasks they should be working to complete. Furthermore, without a job description it becomes difficult to asses employee performance and can make it hard to develop trainings. In order to overcome these obstacles it is important for HR to develop accurate job descriptions that are updated once a year at a minimum. Treating job descriptions as “living documents” helps track job tasks/requirements as they change overtime.

Creating a job description requires HR to analyze the job at hand. Frist, HR must work with employees, managers/supervisors, and conduct survey’s. Then HR can start to understand the tasks required of each job and the skills necessary for success in each position. From this point an initial job description can be made and is often what a person will find in a job posting.

Job descriptions are also important for managing/attracting new talent. Job descriptions provide the frame work to reference a candidates pasts experiences and skills with the tasks/skills needed for the job. The job descriptions is also a way for a company to sell itself and attract employees with the highest potential. (HBR article Definitive times to recruiting in good times and bad)

Overall, job descriptions are a vital source of information that is referenced by HR, employees, and management. Serving as a connection between each part of a company that should be used to analyze performance, develop specific trainings and maintain up to date job tasks/requirements.

Miguel Manaute