If you think job descriptions are just for those who want the job, you’re wrong.
Far too often, businesses write job descriptions with a short-term mentality, thinking it’s all about whoever is next to read them.
However, job descriptions are a precious tool for your team that many businesses simply throw out before discovering how useful they are for your current employees.
Having a detailed job description sets the standard of exactly what you want someone in that role to contribute to your business and the responsibilities they have to live up to daily.
While this does an excellent job of setting the bar for new candidates for open positions, these descriptions should also serve as a frequent reference point for those who already work in those jobs.
This allows you to set a true north star for your employees to shoot for whenever they begin to get off track and gives them standards to strive for. In addition, a job description also protects your employees from being overworked and given tasks that are outside their requirements.
Updating these job descriptions isn’t just needed when a new hire is required. If the responsibilities of any employee or position change, that should adjusted in the written job description.
Treating a job description with the respect it deserves also emphasizes being very specific in what is expected of employees. The more detailed your description is, the better your employees will understand precisely what and how they are to get their tasks done.
Ultimately, a job description should be treated like a written responsibilities contract between an employee and their boss to ensure that each side keeps up their end of the job arrangement.
Don’t let your job descriptions just rot away on LinkedIn. Use them to keep all your employees on the same page with you.