A number of companies opt not to have formal, written job descriptions for their employees on the basis of ”it’s just easier not to have any” or “it’s less complicated” or even “the employees will only do the work set out in their job descriptions, nothing more”. However, the complete opposite is true.  Job descriptions play an important role in an employee’s understanding of exactly what he/she has been appointed for.

A job description can be defined as a “written statement that describes or explains the functions of a position, the duties, responsibilities, qualifications required and the reporting relationships of a given job. “

Employees like to know what is expected of them, as well as the criteria against which their performance will be assessed. If staff members are not completely aware of what their duties and responsibilities are or have a vague idea of what their job entails, how could be determined if they are meeting performance standards, if there are skills gaps that require training and development, or just simply, if they are doing their job? Job descriptions help employees to identify organisational directives, procedures, methods and techniques that can be used to achieve both organisational and personal goals.

Job descriptions not only assist employers in determining how crucial a particular job is to the company, they also provide a basis against which comparisons can be drawn amongst other jobs within the company.

Joubert & Associates strongly believes in having well-written, formal job descriptions for each job at every level in an organisation, regardless of the size of the organisation. Here are some of the reasons why:

• Job descriptions allow for precise and thorough recruitment strategies to be developed where applicants can be assessed based on the specific roles and responsibilities detailed in the job description.
• Job descriptions assist in the alignment of staff duties and responsibilities within the overall company vision and objectives.
• With accurate job descriptions, employees are aware of what their particular roles and responsibilities are within their own division/department and within the company as a whole.
• Job descriptions provide the criteria against which a performance management system is developed and performance discussions are facilitated.
• Job descriptions clarify expectations of both the employer and the employees.
• It allows for the development of accurate remuneration strategies and measurement of compensation against the performance management system, the employee’s level of expertise, qualifications and responsibilities.

Joubert & Associates understands that writing job descriptions may not particularly interest you or seem essential to your line of work. That’s perfectly okay. You do not need to write them, merely have them. Writing job descriptions is our “thing” at Joubert & Associates! If you need new job descriptions or need to refresh some old ones, don’t hesitate to contact us! We’ll do all the hard work for you!