Say Goodbye to Job Descriptions

Published in HC Magazine

Shifting towards a performance-focused work culture hinges on ditching traditional ‘narrow’ job descriptions in favour of broader role descriptions linked to value-adding behaviour. One of the drivers of individuals success in the modern workplace is a paradigm shift from one of ‘entitlement’ to one of ‘adding value’. In other words, employees who constructively contribute beyond the narrow confines of their job description are likely to be more valued by the progressive company.

Job descriptions typically focus on limited set of behaviours or characteristics required to proficiently perform a specific set of taks. While there is a trent towards implementing competency models, job descriptions continue to be defines primarily by the explicit featres of each job, most likely due to the need to create a legally defensible performance-appraisal system.

However, work performance is two-dimensional, composed both of work required by a company and by discretionary employee work behaviours.

Job descriptions tend to encompass the work required, but rarely cover optional employee work activities, such as the continuous improvemtn of systems and processess and proactive team work.

Managers must establish criteria to identify and reward such value-adding behaviours.

Shift from job to role
The first step in moving towards a performance-focused culture is to change job descriptions to role descriptions for all employees.

Role descriptions define the performance criteria of the job in the context of the business, and define the organisational role of the individual and link these with KPIs.

A ‘role’ is a more generalised desciprtion that addresses end accountabilities and identifies the groups or areas theat each position serves.

It compels employees to behave in original way - in both their own jobs and on behalf of hte entire organisation - and links rewards and incentives to training and career development. Team, career, and innovator toles, should be taken into consideration in an up-to-date performance model.

And the same role description, can apply to a number of different jobs (where the inputs required are essentially the same), significant;y streamlining documentation.

The role document focuses on role simularities, rather than job differences, and provides more flexibility for both the individual and the organisation.

Employees are allowed the scope to take on new tasks within the same or a similar role, and employers have the flexibility to chop and change their workforce in response to changing market trends.

How to Write a Role Description
The key to successfully writing an accurate and effective role description is a collaborative approach between managers, workers and all other stakeholders within the business.

Collaborative approaches include the:

• Dynamic duo method - two employees who perform a similar role are chosen to complete a questionnaire on role responsibilities and performance expectations. The role description is subsequently written to reflect both perspectives, and then modified in consultation with the employees and line managers.
• Team method - three or four employees who perform the same role are chosen to complete the questionnaire and develop the document. This method is particularly useful when a role has many incumbents, or when the role can be found in several departments, calling for multiple viewpoints. However, teams should be relatively small to ensure the process remains efficient and a consensus is reached.
• Supervisor-incubent method - A supervisor works with a single employee to complete role documentation. This method is effective when an employee is new to a role, where there are particulat concerns about performance or role clarity, or where the role is undergoing major changes.
• Single employee method - A single employee or manager completed the questionnaire. For role with only one employee, or for a vacant/new position, this may be the only method available, but it is the least collaborative, and therefore, the least preferred.

This is an extract from Dr Tim Baker’s latest book: ‘The 8 Values of Highly Productive Companies: Creating Wealth from a New Employment Relationship’.