Spell Out Staff Tasks
Newcastle Herald
Monday January 19, 2004
A COMMON issue I find when talking to business owners is that they feel their staff aren't doing what's expected or accepting responsibility for their job.
When I ask them for a job description for the person's role they often don't have one.
In most sporting teams there are specific positions. In rugby league you have front-rowers and halfbacks, in netball you have goal attacks and goal defences, and so forth. Each has a completely different role.
If these players did not clearly understand their role in the team then they would not be as effective. The same goes for staff. Unless both the owner/manager and the staff are clear about what is expected of the role then too much can be left to individual interpretation. This is where uncertainty and conflict can occur.
A job description should describe the day to day tasks required of the role and be completed for every role in the business, including the owner.
Job descriptions outline the following:
1. Tasks to be undertaken and the time frame.
2. Employee responsibilities.
3. Who the employee reports to.
4. Describe the expectations of the employer.
These allow you to compare a person's skills to the job requirements, identifying potential training needs.
Here are some key points to help you develop a job description.
It is important to involve the employee/s who doing the job. It gives them responsibility/empowerment.
If there is more than one person in the role at your office, get them to do separate lists. Comparing these lists can be enlightening.
Start with the objective of the role, making it as clear and concise as possible.
List tasks in point form. Don't go into too much detail on the job description save that for the procedures manual.
Include an open statement at end such as:
``And other tasks as delegated to the employee as required."
Supervisor should prepare a list of key expectations.
Sit down with employee/s, discuss and finalise list.
Ask for their commitment and get them to sign the form as acceptance of their responsibility for their role. This is very powerful!
It's important that everyone realise that it will be a working document that may need to be reviewed and amended periodically.
Ian Mallett is a business coach at Aim Business Solutions. Telephone 49426624.
© 2004 Newcastle Herald