Types of Job Documentation
- Job Analysis Questionnaires (in many cases, completed by incumbents and/or supervisors, may contain more specific and extensive data about a particular job than a formal job description.
- Job family matrices: (information on multiple levels within the same job family)
- Job descriptions (a form documentation of duties and responsibilities as well as job specifications)
Job Descriptions
Summary of most important features of a job. a JD should describe and focus on the job itself and not on any specific individual who might fill the job.
Features:
NATURE of work
-duties
-responsibilities
LEVEL of work performed
-SERWC (skill, effort, responsibility, working conditions)
SPECIFICATIONS for the job
-employee characteristics required for competent performance of the job. what is expected in the role.
Role of Job Descriptions in Pay Programs
Evaluate content of a job in relation to other jobs in the organization.
- developing a job worth hierarchy
- identification of performance standards
- organizational design uses
- salary survey exchanges
- legal defenses
- job assignments
- selection/recruitment
- establishment of career paths and succession planning
Job Description Format/Components
- Job title
- job group category
- Reporting relationship
- General summary
- Principal duties and responsibilities
- Job specifications
- Working conditions
- Disclaimer statement
- Dates and approvals
Job Titles
use titles which describe general nature and level of work performed
- Indicate general nature of work, the duties etc: Clerk, Instructor, Analyst, Mechanic
- Indicate other components: Senior, Specialist, Lead
- Avoid titles that imply sex or age. EX: Stewardess, waiter, junior, etc.
- Avoid unnecessary inflation
- Consider internal and external status issues (MD vs VP)
- Consider HRIS limitations & capabilities
Job Group Category
Criteria for Exemption (FLSA)
Exempt examples:
- Officers
- Managers
- Administrative mangers
- professionals
- outside sales
Nonexempt examples:
- paraprofessionals
- technicians
- clerical staff
- skilled or unskilled trades
Reporting relationships
- indicate the job title of the supervisor
- indicate the titles of any employees supervised by this job
- address dotted line reporting relationships and informal lead duties in duties section
General Summary
- no longer than 4 sentences and should provide a general overview of the job in as few words as possible
- state the general nature, level, and purpose of job
- information on the responsibility level of the job is indicated by the incumbents freedom to act (independent work or close supervision). Especially important for describing non-supervisory jobs.
Principal Duties and Responsibilities
- include current duties and/or responsibilities, not aspirational. any duties performed more than 5% of time.
- arrange duties in logical order, so sequence in which duties are performed, order of important, amount of time that incumbents devote to each item.
- use standard writing format: use clear/concise language, present tense/action verbs, avoid unnecessary words, replace proprietary names with generic terms, avoid gender based language
- identify essential functions in the job to meet legal requirements: reason job exists, limited number of employees available to perform function, functions are highly specialized and require expertise.
- include secondary and peripheral job functions, not essential but are part of the job
Level Cutters
When describing jobs having a similar nature but a dissimilar level of work. indicate the different levels through the use of appropriate modifying words or phrases.
Education/training Work experience Computer skills Mental effort Direction received Contracts with others Working conditions
Job Specifications
Identify the knowledge, skills, abilities, and behaviors necessary to perform the job competently
- vocational/special training/license
- work experience
- analytical/interpersonal skills
- physical or mental abilities
- demonstrated competencies
Bona fide occupational qualifications (BFOQ): an employer may not refuse to hire an individual because of their religion, sec, national origin unless that limitation is reasonably necessary to the normal operation of the employers business.
Race can never be a BFOQ
-be specific and realistic to ensure defensibility
-relate job specifications to what, why, and how work is done
-guard against inflated specifications initiated by incumbents or supervisors
-qualify that the requirements are imposed on all employees equally
-ensure applicable legal and regulatory requirements are met
Working conditions
Describe the physical environment in which the work is performed:
- hazardous or dangerous environment (working with chemicals)
- adverse conditions (temperature extremes)
- unpleasant environment (strong or unpleasant odors)
Describe working conditions in the following terms:
- level/intensity
- frequency
- duration
Disclaimer statement
use a disclaimer statement to point out that JDs typically do not include every duty or responsibility that a job incumbent may be asked to perform.
some additional nonessential functions may be covered by disclaimer statements
Examples:
- may perform other duties as assigned
- the above statements are intended to describe the general nature and level of work being performed by people assigned to this job. they are not intended to be an exhaustive list of all responsibilities, duties, and skills required
Approvals and Dates
Approvals:
-Manager - the managers approval signifies that the JD is an accurate representation of the job and requirements
HR - the HR dept review indicates that the job has been reviewed for exemption status as well as generally accepted standards
Dates:
- indicate date of each signature
- including dates on JDs will provide an accurate record of the review dates.
JD Preparation
Who should write JDs?
- job analyst from HR
- incumbent in job / team members
- supervisor of job
Guidelines for JDs:
implement after any planned reorganization has actually occurred
-unbiased relative to a preconceived outcome or market data
(kept free from hidden agendas, such as perquisite or bonus program eligibility)
-kept up to date to make a proper contribution to employee compensation programs
Q: Identify the principal types of job documentation
……….
Q: Identify and describe common uses for job descriptions in pay programs
………..
Q: Describe the types of information that should be included in job descriptions and the importance of each component
……………..
Q: Identify appropriate job description formats for different job levels and guidelines for preparing effective job descriptions
………….
Quiz: What are the principal types of job documentation? A) Employee handbooks and job posting data files. B) Job analysis questionnaires, job family matrices, and job descriptions. C) market based and job content based
The principal types of job documentation are:
- job analysis questionnaires
- job family matrices
- job descriptions
Quiz: Which of the following is the most appropriate use for a job description? A) to assist with exit interviews. B) to train temporary workers. C) to evaluate job content. D) to eliminate level cutters.
to evaluate job content
Quiz: What would typically be included under “nature of work” on a job description? A) Knowledge, skills, abilities. B) effort and behaviors. C) duties and responsibilities. D) working conditions.
duties and responsibilities
Quiz: Which of the following best characterizes job descriptions? A) a summary of the most important features of a job. B) a requirement for the implementation of a pay program C) a universally accepted style and format. D) a tool used to eliminate redundant positions.
a summary of the most important features of a job
Quiz: How should duties and responsibilities be described on a standard job description? A) at a 12th grade reading level. B) in past tense and passive voice. C) with words that have multiple meanings. D) with generic terms rather than proprietary names.
with generic terms rather than proprietary names
