Why Are Job Descriptions Useful?

► Job descriptions give you an opportunity to clearly communicate your organization’s direction and where your staff fit into the “big picture”.

Job descriptions not only enable your employees to assess the relative importance of everything they’re responsible for but also give a sense of where their jobs fit into the organization as a whole.

Whether you’re a small, mid-size or a major organization, well-written job descriptions help crystallize the organization structure for your employees. They will help you to align their activities with your goals, vision, and mission. They also clarify the interrelationship between roles – where one person’s job stops

and another one starts.

► Job descriptions lay out clearly what you expect from people.

Very often this is the first place to look if people get the feeling that they aren’t doing what you want them to do. You need to make certain that they clearly understand your expectations and this understanding starts with the job description.

►  Job descriptions help you cover all your legal bases.

You’ll want to make sure your job descriptions are accurate, complete and up-to-date in case you are ever involved in a legal dispute over someone’s job (e.g. an employee who has been terminated, feels it

was unjust, is angry and takes legal action).

►  Whether you’re recruiting new people or promoting from within, the job description tells candidates exactly what you want in the new person.

A clear job description can help you select your preferred candidate, and if necessary, respond to issues and questions raised by individuals who were not selected.

►  A well-written job description helps other staff, who will be working with the person hired, understand the scope and limits of the person’s responsibilities.

Staff who have been involved in the hiring process are more likely to support the success of the new employee or promoted co-worker. Involving them in developing or vetting job descriptions is an easy

way to help them contribute to the success of the new hire.