Working in the electrical and plumbing trades taught me that there’s often a wide gap between what’s written on paper and what actually happens in the field. One of the biggest disconnects is the illusion of a “40-hour workweek.” In service work, that doesn’t exist. A “two-hour job” can easily turn into six when you’re troubleshooting in a crawl space, dealing with unexpected code issues, or trying to reach a client who forgot to mention the locked gate.
That’s where the importance of accurate job analysis comes in. A well-written job description doesn’t just list the routine, it prepares people for the outliers too. For example, in plumbing, it’s rare to work in attics, but it happens. Leaving that out gives new hires a false sense of what the work really demands. According to our SHRM reading, updating job descriptions should be a continuous process, because the smallest details, like tools, materials, or customer expectations, can change how the job is done.
In my experience, the foreman usually understands the job best. HR plays an important role, but they aren’t the ones on-site talking to clients or figuring out how to run conduit through an old building with no crawl space. That’s why HR should stay closely connected with field workers when developing or revising job descriptions. It’s not about criticism, it’s about collaboration.
A key takeaway for me is how much communication and planning affect both the tradesman and the client. If HR or dispatch underestimates the scope and time of a job, it throws off the entire schedule and frustrates customers. In short, job descriptions aren’t just paperwork, they’re promises. And in the trades, keeping those promises depends on how well HR listens to the people doing the real work.
References
Tyler, K. (2023, December 21). Job worth doing: Update descriptions. Welcome to SHRM. https://www.shrm.org/topics-tools/news/hr-magazine/job-worth-update-descriptions
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