Job Descriptions in HR Strategy
By Frank Marquardt
WetFeet, Inc.
Source: http://www.wetfeet.com/employer/articles/article.asp?aid=369&atype=screen
Writing job descriptions may not seem like the sexiest part of your job, but it's sure important. In fact, job descriptions can provide the foundation for an entire HR strategy. And if you don't devote time and resources to developing good job descriptions, you'll leave yourself vulnerable to charges of discrimination from the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC).
How to Think About Job Descriptions
A job description defines a job. It's not the job itself. That's a fine but important distinction, particularly in a startup, where the actual responsibilities of a given job are likely to shift like the sands of the Sahara.
Nevertheless, by carefully creating and maintaining job descriptions, you can track changes in your organization and the development of your people, and identify what staff needs you must meet to achieve your overall goals.
What the EEOC Wants
The EEOC wants job descriptions to identify the essential functions of a job. There are a number of functions that can be considered essential to a given job, among them:
? Functions specific to the position (for example, the person is hired to write press releases, so writing press releases is an essential function)
? Functions that other employees could or do perform, but don't have the time to perform to the level you require (for example, responding to customer e-mails is an essential function even though there are two other people in the customer service depa ...