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Developing a job description 
A job description helps articulate the most important outcomes needed from a particular job. It is also a tool that tells co-workers where their job finishes and the job of another starts. So a well-written job description tells an employee where their job fits within the department and the company. Finally, the job description is an integral piece of the performance development planning process.
A job description helps a company’s recruitment process in several ways:
- It causes the manager of the vacant position and any other employees already performing the job to review and agree on the responsibilities and scope of the position.
- It helps the recruitment agency (if one is being used) to understand the need for the knowledge, skills, education, experience, and capabilities sought for in the new employee which shapes the recruiting plan.
- It informs candidates about the duties and responsibilities of the position for which they are applying.
In preparing for interview, the description helps the interviewers select meaningful questions to ask candidates and to define what qualities they seek in the new employee. This formal documented planning can protect against cases of discrimination brought by disgruntled ex-candidates as it can be demonstrated why the candidate selected for a position was the most qualified.
Gather the appropriate people for the task.
Developing a job description may be led by the manager to whom the position will report or an HR specialist but other employees who will be working with the job holder can contribute to the discussion leading to the job description, especially if it is a new position. Everyone will then feel much more committed to their new colleague when they start with the company.
How to perform a job analysis
The job analysis may include the job responsibilities of current employees, internet research, sample job descriptions, highlighting similar jobs; and lastly an analysis of the work duties, tasks, and responsibilities that need to be accomplished by the employee filling the position.
Write the job description.
The company may have a format for job descriptions so start there.
These are the normal components of the job description:
- Overall position description with general areas of responsibility listed.
- Essential functions of the job described with a couple of examples of each.
- Required knowledge, skills, and abilities.
- Required education and experience.
- A description of the physical demands.
- A description of the work environment.
Companies and their processes vary, but these components give the employee clear direction. An effective job description establishes a base so that an employee can clearly understand how and where they need to develop personally to contribute effectively to the organisation. The well-written job description provides employees with a compass and clear direction.
Employment Costs
If you are new company just starting out or about to take on your first employee, it's really important to consider the hidden costs which you will incur. This may come as a shock, but the true cost of a new employee is likely to be more than 150% of their gross salary.
Consider that you will have to pay employers NI at 12.8%, probably a pension contribution of around 5% and providing 'soft benefits' such as medical insurance, club memberships, PC’s, mobile phones, company cars etc. The average worker is absent for 53 days out of 252 for annual leave, training, sick leave, jury service, funerals and the like.
Other costs may include a bonus scheme, death in service insurance costs, maternity and paternity leave. Letting employees know what they really cost can help them appreciate the true worth of being employed by the company and also increase their self esteem and contentment.
Selling the job to an interested candidate
At the time of writing (December 2008) good candidates are scarcer than usual. People who normally would be considering their next move putting ambition and long term career goals to one side and seeking security from their proven competence, experience and length of service. So if you get the chance to hire a really good candidate it is vital to make sure the offer is pitched correctly, understood and its true worth appreciated.
Obvious benefits aside, such as salary, car etc. think about the intangible advantages of the job and what your company has to offer. Its incredible how many employers forget to talk about the softer benefits they offer such as above average annual holiday entitlement, flexible working hours, childcare allowances, share options, free gym membership and free parking. Free parking at work could be worth £1600.00 pa gross pay to someone currently paying £5.00 a day to park in town and work for your competitor
Think about the career development you can offer such as professional courses leading to national qualifications, or tailored job related personal development programmes.
Alternatively the candidate may be hooked by something low key that demonstrates a nice place to work; for example; employees to taking their birthdays off without affecting their holiday entitlement or free fresh fruit to eat at work. A good candidate usually has more than one offer and it can be the smallest thing that swings it your way. Candidates will always be partly motivated by money but in the long run money does not compensate for a bad tempered office manager or unhappy atmosphere.
Successful recruiters will have a sound plan in place which ensures candidates are moved through the interview process quickly are kept fully in the picture and are not kept waiting for weeks on end before they are asked back for a second interview. Once you have made your verbal offer, ensure it is sent out in writing within 24 hours – a candidate can be lost to a competitor by delaying a written offer.
How to manage miserable people
Some people exude negativity, they don’t like their jobs or they don’t like their company. They think they are always treated unfairly, their bosses are idiots, and the company is in terminal decline. Most organisations have someone like this, and as a manager you could minimize their impact on you by placing them out of earshot. However this is hardly fair on your colleagues or on the unfortunate employee who is probably not going to fulfill their potential if the problem is not addressed.
Sometimes people who are normally positive become negative and sometimes their reasons for negativity may be entirely reasonable and understandable. Therefore the employee must be made aware that they are perceived as being unduly pessimistic and then the manager should probe the reasons why they feel the way they do. It may be a symptom of bullying at work or a problem at home or work that the company can help to solve or alleviate.
Follow these steps:
- Listen to your employee until you are certain that they feel they have been heard and understood. Sometimes people repeat negative sentiments over and over because they don’t feel like you have really listened to them. Ask questions. Clarify their statements. Make sure you have actively listened.
- Decide if you believe they have legitimate reasons for their negativity. If you decide affirmatively, ask if they’d like your help to solve the problem. If they ask for help, provide advice or ideas for how they can address the reason for their negativity. If the reasons involve other staff and their attitudes do not try to solve the problem without consulting HR, your superior or outside specialists to ensure you do not make the problem worse.
- Short term advice that points a person in a positive direction is welcome. But, your role is not to provide therapy or counseling. Nor, is your role to provide comprehensive career advice or long term recommendations. Point them to helpful books, seminars, or the Human Resources Department to solve their problem.
- If decide their concerns are not legitimate, practice personal courage and tell them what you think and why. Tell them you care about their concern and about their happiness at work, but you disagree with their assessment of the situation as it is now. It may be that they are letting a personal slight long past and forgotten by most people sour their life. If all else fails, talk to your own supervisor or HR about the challenges you are experiencing in dealing with the negative person. Persistent and unjustified negativity, that impacts on the whole office is a work behavior that may well require disciplinary action.
The Top Five Reasons for Miserable Staff
A study, conducted by Towers Perrin and researchers Gang & Gang, surveyed a randomly selected group of 1,100 employees and 300 senior Human Resources executives working for mid-sized and large-sized companies to discover the reasons for employee negativity. The five top causes were:
- An excessive workload
- Concerns about management’s ability to lead the company forward successfully
- Anxiety about the future, particular longer-term job, income and retirement security
- Lack of challenge in their work, with boredom intensifying existing frustration about workload
- Insufficient recognition for the level of contribution and effort provided, and concerns that pay isn’t commensurate with performance.
Staff Retention
Research shows that giving someone a pay rise has an effect on how they feel about their job for just FOURTEEN days.
The danger zone is the "7 month itch"; the time when the honeymoon period has worn off and work frustrations plus office politics have started. The best defence is to understand what motivates each employee and to involve them in the company's decision making process. Giving your workforce stake in their collective future will ensure emotional buy-in. Another important factor again involves treating your staff as individuals, and find solutions to the "push" elements in their jobs. For many, flexible hours will be far more important than money. The ability to choose holiday patterns and find child care may also help.
Hopefully we can help you retain your staff - and if one of your team moves on, we can certainly help you with the recruitment process. Feel free to get in touch for an informal chat to see how we can help.
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