Job descriptions can be a valuable tool for management. They help in
determining an applicant's qualifications during the recruitment process, serve
as a basis for developing a formal compensation program, communicate work
expectations to employees, and help establish standards by which performance can
be measured. However, as with any tool, they must be properly designed and used.
There was once a time when job descriptions seemed to require everything from
emptying the waste baskets to saving the world. They covered all the minuscule
things an employer might expect an employee to do in a job, and then included
that great all-purpose phrase "and other duties as assigned" just in
case the employer missed something. With the advent of the Americans With
Disabilities Act (ADA), this all-inclusive approach to the job description needs
rethinking.
Duties of a job fall into two basic categories essential functions and
marginal functions. The essential functions are those duties that must be
performed in a job, while the marginal functions are those duties which a
particular employee may perform and that are a benefit to the employer but which
are not the reason for the existence of the job. Job descriptions have generally
included both essential and marginal functions.
The ADA does not require employers to have job descriptions nor does it
restrict the content for those employers that do have them. However, under ADA,
an employer can only evaluate a person's qualifications for a job based on his
or her ability to perform the essential job functions. If the marginal functions
appear to be essential functions on a job description, otherwise qualified
disabled applicants may be rejected for consideration. Preparing job
descriptions is a four step process - gathering information, preparing the
initial drafts, reviewing those drafts, and writing the final job descriptions.
Information gathering is an extremely important part of preparing job
descriptions. If the initial information gathered is complete and accurate,
there will be little need for adjustments from the initial draft to the final
copy. The normal methods of gathering information include observation,
interviews of both employees and supervisors, and questionnaires completed by
employees and supervisors. The initial draft is prepared from the information
gathered and then it is sent back the supervisors and employees for review. The
final job description is prepared from any corrections that are identified from
this review.
The content of the first section, identifying information, varies based on
the nature and size of the employer. Examples of information normally contained
in this section include: job title; job number; department and section; title of
immediate supervisor; titles of positions supervised; work schedule; and FLSA
status.
The next section is a list of example duties performed in the job. Each duty
should start with an action verb followed by additional information which
further describes the duty. Examples of action verbs include types, files,
drives, repairs, reviews, assembles, operates, etc. In listing job duties, you
should be as specific as possible.
What about the all-purpose phrase mentioned above? It is a good idea to put
one in but it should not be as broadly stated as the one earlier in this
article. "Other duties as assigned within the scope of responsibility and
requirements for the job," would be a better statement.
In the physical requirements section, the actual physical actions necessary
to perform the essential job functions are listed. To help ensure compliance
with ADA, it is best to be specific in the physical requirements. For example,
rather than just showing "lifting" as physical requirement, a better
statement would be "lifting 50 pound sacks of sand to height of three
feet."
The working conditions section includes the environmental and other
conditions which might affect the desirability of the job. Exposure to hazards,
adverse weather conditions, odors and other unpleasant surroundings, frequent
overtime, extensive travel, and other such conditions need to be shown in this
section.
The qualifications section covers prerequisites an individual must have to be
considered for the job. Qualifications fallinto two categories -
"required" and "preferred." Required qualifications are the
minimum qualifications an individual must have for the job. Preferred
qualifications are those qualifications that the employer would like the
employee to have, but failure to have them will not necessarily disqualify an
applicant from consideration.
Many job descriptions also contain a section oncontact with others. This
information is often important where the job requires a high degree of
interaction with others, both inside and outside the organization.
It should not be assumed that, once written, job descriptions will not
change. Many factors may make it necessary to update job descriptions. Job
descriptions should also be reviewed periodically for current accuracy. While
initially preparing a set of job descriptions is a big project, they are not
hard to maintain once they are developed, and the benefits they provide to
managers and supervisors make them well worth the effort.
