3 Things Job Descriptions are Not
Job descriptions are a vital component of any organization’s foundational documents. Whether their organization actually has them or not, the majority of employers and employees know what a job description is. Right?
“So what is a job description?” It seems like a trick question.
“Well, a description of the job, of course…” Yet job descriptions provide much more value than simply describing a position. While not legally required, failing to have comprehensive and accurate job descriptions for each position within an organization can quickly prove to be a major misstep with potential legal ramifications.
Here is a quick refresher of a few of the reasons why well-written job descriptions are crucial. They:
Provide clarity and direction regarding the position
Aid in the hiring process and establishing parameters for success
Inform performance reviews, evaluations, and compensation discussions
Offer support for employee classifications (i.e., exempt vs. non-exempt)
Help to clarify appropriate reasonable accommodations, etc.
Unfortunately, as with most things in life (and definitely many things in HR) the intended purpose can be distorted, causing unintended consequences. So, what are job descriptions NOT?
Static
First, and possibly most importantly, job descriptions are not static. A job description created 20 years ago is definitely not a realistic picture of the position today. We consider job descriptions to be “living documents” routinely updated and revised, as necessary. We encourage employers to build a review of job descriptions into their annual performance review process ensuring job descriptions are up-to-date and readily available when needed.
All-Encompassing
Second, while job descriptions should be comprehensive, they are not intended to outline every possible duty of the position. When employers or employees believe that a job description is absolute, it can inadvertently harm the organizational culture. For example, many of us may have joked that an undesirable task was “outside my job description”, but when this becomes a mindset, it can be damaging. Employees need to be willing to collaborate and remain team-oriented even if certain tasks are not listed verbatim in their job description.
On the other hand, while ministry requires creativity and, often, many hats, employers must remain aware of the true scope of a position and not place inappropriate duties or overburden employees by relying on caveats like “other duties as assigned” in job descriptions.
Weaponized
Job descriptions are never intended to be punitive or demeaning. They are not meant to be held over an employee’s head. At their core, job descriptions provide foundational information that helps inform or support many other important processes within the employer/employee relationship. Though there are many ways to create “good” job descriptions (and plenty of examples of “bad” ones), a job description is a neutral document outlining the current reality of a position.
Whether your organization is starting from scratch or needing to revamp outdated job descriptions, we fully recognize the process is daunting. That is why we created the Job Descriptions Toolkit – we want to help keep ministry HR simple.
The Job Descriptions Toolkit provides everything that you will need to implement, oversee, and complete the process in a timely manner resulting in comprehensive, accurate, and useful job descriptions for each position in your organization. Click below to schedule a call and learn more.
Click below to schedule a call and learn more about how we help simplify your ministry’s HR with the Job Descriptions Toolkit!
Liz Lindamood is an HR Project Coordinator at HR Ministry Solutions. She has a Master of Science degree in Community Counseling from Southwestern Oklahoma State University, and got her first taste of HR while attending the Joshua Wilderness Institute at Hume Lake Christian Camps. She currently lives in Oklahoma with her husband and two boys.