Writing Position Descriptions
Writing Position Descriptions
Position Description Template
The biggest consistent issue for all my clients is how to clear the way for them to spend less time in their business, knowing their team will look after it. After all, more control over your life and time, free time when you want it, and a valuable business asset that is going to provide for your lifestyle both now and in the future are all rewards that we want and expect from our business.
If you are not yet experiencing those rewards, you need to take some fundamental steps toward changing how you, and your business, operate.
1. You have to change your own Position Description.
For fear of stating the obvious, as your business grows, your role changes. You will also take on more staff, to whom you can delegate. When you have a team of 20, your role is very different from when you had just yourself to do all the work. Recognise that the company has changed, and your role has changed. Give yourself some time to think about the scope of your responsibilities, as they are now, and write your updated Position Description. This is a critical first step. Some of my clients embrace this immediately, others can take up to a year or more. Either way, when they get through this, things start to change for the better.
2. You must have a Vision & Business Goals
Just think of this as the 'game plan'. If you're the Coach, the team can still win without you actually playing in the game. The team cannot win, however, if they don't know what they're meant to do. May sound silly, but if your team is reliant on your regular instructions as to what needs to happen next, without an overall game plan, they're always going to be reliant on you being there. Let everyone know the game plan and their role in it.
3. Recruit good players
If you don't have a good team, you'll always struggle. You will never win. Your goal of spending less time in the business on a day to day business will never work well. What strengths do you need to bring into your business? You were able to grow your business in the first place because you knew what you were doing; imagine how it could grow now with other people who know what needs to be done and how to do it. Be brave, and take this step.
4. Trust and reward your team
Motivate a winning team with recognition and rewards. Set up effective rewards and remuneration systems for their performance and honour them. Discretionary bonuses and salary increases don't add a lot of value to the individual or the company if given without any significant feedback (as often happens). The individual doesn't really know what behaviours or outcomes are being rewarded, there are often discrepancies between employee bonus payments which upset staff (because they always seem to find out), and there is no alignment between company goals and individual performance from one year to the next. Fix that now.
5. Know what you have to measure, and do it
This is about keeping the company and the team on track toward achieving both your strategic goals as well as your operational goals. There are multiple indicators at an operational level throughout the company, which you can measure. You need to know what your key indicators are, measure them, track them and compare them for different periods. Management reports on a regular basis will let you know how well the company is running, and it will also send a clear message of accountability to your team.
These 5 steps may take a while to implement, but they are critical to your own success in having the option to spend less time in your business on a day to day basis.
I've seen many companies over the years that are making money and continuing to grow, without doing much of the above very well, if at all. But, in every single case, the business owner has been tied to the business on a day to day business, until they start to take these 5 steps. If you want to have the freedom, take the first step.
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How to Construct a Job Description
At AssessSystems we field many enquires from managers seeking advice on psychometric profiling and recommended tests to apply. The first question we ask is, “Can you forward us the job description?” This gives us a clear picture of what it takes to be successful in the role, what needs to be tested and on what basis do we form our recommendations once we have test results.
You’d be amazed at the number of businesses, small and large, that have not done a job analysis and have not compiled a job description. Many are also using documents that are hopelessly outdated. People change, jobs change.
Job descriptions – sometimes referred to as a position description - come in all shapes and sizes. One tip I like to stress is to keep them simple and short. I’ve seen job descriptions that run eight pages! Too much detail may add to the syndrome of, “That not my job, that task is not itemised in my job description”.
Analysing the job
How can a hiring manager select the right person for the role if they don’t know what they are looking for? This is like going grocery shopping without a list:
• You don’t get everything you need
• You get things you don’t really need
• You spend more money than you planned
• Spend more time than you planned
• You have to go back and do it again
Before putting pen to paper to craft the recruitment advertisement, do a job analysis. This can be as simple or detailed as the job requires. There are many ways to determine a job’s performance factors. The following are some examples that can be used individually, or in combination:
• Interview current jobholders.
• Consult experts in the particular job field.
• Observe the current workers.
• Start with a master list of performance factors (competencies) and ask all stakeholders to rate the importance of each to the position.
• Use the AssessSystems Job Description Survey
Another helpful tip when compiling a job description it to ask yourself:
• What does it take to be successful in this position?
• Why have people failed in this position?
• What distinguises excellence from average?
Developing your job description
Once you have determined what a person needs (knowledge, skill and experience) and has (the matching personality, mental ability, motivation and values) to do the job it then becomes an easy task to write up the job description. As you are doing this, keep in mind these three key thoughts:
• What do you want them to do?
• How well do you want them to do it?
• When/how will they know (feedback)
Once again, keep it simple, keep it brief. I suggest you develop a template for your organisation. From here you can just fill in the blanks for each role as determined by your job analysis.
Some thought starters for a job description template.
Summary Of Position – Title, purpose, goals and objectives
Reporting Relationship
Duties and Responsibilities
Key Technical Skills, Knowledge and Qualifications
Physical (do they have to lift heavy weights?). Mental Abilities (must do simple math or carry out complex written instructions etc)
Key Performance Factors (Sometimes refered to as competencies) – between 5 and 10 depending on the level of the role. Examples could be, planning and organising, managing people, written communication, coaching and developing, negotiating ability etc. Email us for a copy of our white paper on competency development.
Performance Measures – How will they know how they are going? Feedback mechanisims. Email us for a copy of our white paper on 360 Feedback.
Working Conditions – Works in cold temperatures, exposed to chemicals, works outdoors etc.
Challenges – How will this person make a positive contribution to this role, beyond previous job holders
I trust this article gives you some good ideas to help you construct a job description that is not just a “laundry list” that never gets read or referred to, but becomes a working document that is constantly referred to by managers and staff when selecting, developing and or managing employee performance.
Rob McKay MA(Hons) is an Organisational Psychologist and Director of AssessSystems Aust/NZ Ltd – Leaders in employee assessment for selection, development and performance management. He can be reached at +64 9 414 6030, [email protected] or on the web at assess.co.nz
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