Job descriptions are the first communication between a company and their potential future employees. It’s defined as “a written statement that describes the duties, responsibilities, required qualifications, and reporting relationships of a particular job”. The goal is for job applicants to be informed of the responsibilities and duties of the job they are applying for. It is usually written by the person who is responsible for the selection process, along with the HR department. Yet, most companies fail to realize the importance of writing good job descriptions. Not only do they have to be informative, but they also need to be up-to-date and maintain relevance during employment. That’s right, job descriptions are not just for open positions. It’s also for all employees currently holding a position in the company. And their job descriptions are very likely to not be the same as when they were hired.
So, job descriptions are very important and should have a high priority within a company. That is why we at Moyyn wrote down the 4 most important reasons why companies should write, maintain, and keep their job descriptions up-to-date. If you are looking for your next big talent, check out our website. Once you share a job with us, we post it for free in all relevant social channels and job boards such as LinkedIn, Indeed, XING, Glassdoor, etc. So make sure you check out these 4 reasons in order to understand why an excellent job description matters to your company!
1. Attract the best candidates
The most obvious reason for writing a good job description is to ensure that you recruit the best candidates. As I mentioned earlier, the job description is the first communication between your company and potential new hires. Therefore, it is important to make sure that you are on the same page. First, a good job description will attract the best qualified candidates for the position. Second, a detailed description will also ensure that the candidates know whether or not it is a good fit. 90% of Millennials prefer benefits over high salaries, and a well-written job description can help present the company and all its benefits. Consequently, a detailed and descriptive job description will help you attract and retain the best possible candidate who fits the job and the company. And by doing so, you will lay the foundation for a successful hire.
2. Establish and meet your expectations
For a candidate to meet your expectations, you first have to establish them. A well-written and detailed job description will help setting expectations which the company will communicate to their employees. Having a complete and concrete understanding of one’s responsibilities, employees will be able to work better in their role, both effectively and efficiently. This will not only help employees understand their role in the company; by making your employees more aware of the expectations you have, it will be easier for you to evaluate their work performance later. Therefore, by establishing your expectations from the start, employees will have an easier time meeting them, and you will have an easier time seeing if they were met.
3. Employee accountability
Much like establishing and meeting your expectations, a job description should support employee accountability. When a job description is well written employers can more easily maintain accountability, especially when it’s time for an evaluation or performance review. If the description is well written, the needs and demands for the position will be clear, and employees can be held accountable for meeting these demands. On the contrary, when a job description is open to interpretation, or vague, the review will be more difficult. Addressing areas of improvement or even lack of performance is only possible when everyone is clear on what was asked for. A well-written job description will therefore help when it’s time to review or give constructive criticism. Something both parties will benefit from.
4. Encourage productivity
When writing a job description, you have the chance of promoting greater productivity amongst your employees. A job description will help employees understand the specific demands that their position has. When employees understand what is asked of them, chances are that their productivity will increase. Just like you can hold them accountable, they will hold themselves accountable. The sense of achievement is a strong incentive amongst employees. Therefore, the key to employee motivation and workplace happiness can be found in a well-written job description. A happy employee is also a productive employee, who will go above and beyond to accomplish their tasks. When you find a perfect fit for the job, who knows exactly what needs to be done in order to achieve greatness, they will do everything in their power to achieve said greatness.
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