Job Descriptions: the GPS to Employee Success
A detailed and accurate job description is key to an employee’s success. While a job description seems like a temporary document, something that is referenced during the interview and first week of onboarding and then discarded as the real work begins, it should be a living and integral document that guides each employee in all they do.
What is a job description?
A job description is a rather simple document. It details the core descriptive elements of a given position, stating what that employee does and what characteristics are required to do those tasks well. It should be straightforward and uncomplicated.
Why are job descriptions so important?
A job description is likely the only document that defines that specific role, the skills required to perform it, and where it fits within the bigger picture of the organization. It lays out the expectations of the job before an employee even fills the role, which demonstrates care for that staff member and sets them up for success.
Not only do job descriptions help identify candidates who are a good fit for open positions, but they hold current employees accountable and shed unbiased light on how well that employee is performing the required essential duties of the position. Updated and accurate job descriptions remove much of the conjecture from performance reviews, giving managers an impartial tool by which to measure how well an employee is actually performing.
What is the danger of an inaccurate or incomplete job description?
It is impossible to lead an employee well without communicating clear expectations. If that employee has no target to aim for, it is guaranteed that they will miss the mark every time resulting in confusion and frustration. Even if a job description exists for a specific role, if not tended to and updated through regular coaching conversations, the rapid evolution of ministry positions can make it quickly irrelevant.
Instead of trying to chase clarity, it is better to be proactive and define the position well from the beginning and with intentional updates, than to have to scramble when issues with expectations or performance arise. Job descriptions can also help greatly in the process of determining reasonable accommodations due to disability if that conversation ever occurs.
Job descriptions are critical HR tools that are used throughout the lifecycle of an employee. Without them, your employees lack the clarity and guidance they need to meet expectations and perform their roles with excellence. If you’re still not convinced, check out this webinar where our team deep dives into how to fully utilize this tool.
Are you convinced of their value but just not sure where to start?
Authored by the HRMS Team, a group of dedicated church HR experts who draw from extensive ministry experience to keep your organization compliant and healthy. Schedule a call and find out how we can help you simplify your organization’s HR here.