Why are Position Descriptions A Lot Like Politicians?
Q. WHY ARE POSITION DESCRIPTIONS A LOT LIKE POLITICIANS?
A. THEY ARE BOTH BORING BUT NECESSARY!
I probably don’t need to spend too much time convincing you that they are both pretty boring as far as topics of conversation go, but you may need a little more convincing that they (position descriptions at least), are necessary.
Put simply, a position description is a document which outlines the key purpose, relationships and responsibilities of an individual role within the business. In most cases it also details the skills and experience that would be required of a person in order to competently perform the role.
So just what goes into a well-written position description and why are they important for your business?
In terms of their benefits, position descriptions (or job descriptions as they are sometimes referred to) provide:
- an opportunity to consider and ultimately be clear about important aspects of all positions within the business, including reporting relationships, key task requirements and expectations relating to behaviour/attitude;
- a good safeguard for you and your business in the event of grievances, disputes, claims of unfair dismissal etc…;
- clarity for staff and supervisors around just who does what within your business, therein reducing confusion and also providing opportunity for greater efficiency and ultimately profit;
- opportunity to reduce the risk of non-compliance with employment-related legislation including Work Health and Safety;
- a sound basis for recruitment and selection, ensuring you get the right person for the job based on their mix of skills, qualifications, experience and demonstrated behaviours/attitudes, and;
- a sound basis for effective performance review and training and development.