The first step in ensuring a productive workplace is to define your employees’ roles and responsibilities. A job duties policy, also known as a job description policy, outlines the expectations and requirements associated with each position. Should your company use one? What benefits can it offer? Here’s what you need to know.
What is a Job Duties Policy?
It defines the roles, responsibilities, and expectations associated with each position within an organization. It serves as a reference point for employees, managers, and HR personnel to understand the essential functions, tasks, and qualifications required for each job role.
By clearly articulating job duties and expectations, this policy helps align individual contributions with organizational goals, facilitates performance management and evaluation, and minimizes misunderstandings or disputes regarding job responsibilities.
Does My Company Need a Job Duties Policy?
Having one can offer some benefits. First, the policy provides clarity by defining the roles and responsibilities associated with each job role. This ensures that employees understand their duties and how they contribute to the organization’s objectives.
Second, it facilitates performance management by establishing clear expectations, enabling managers to evaluate employee performance objectively and provide constructive feedback. Having documented job descriptions can also help ensure compliance with employment laws and regulations, such as the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), which requires employers to provide reasonable accommodations based on the essential functions of the job.
Job descriptions can serve as valuable tools for recruitment and onboarding processes, and in cases of disputes or misunderstandings regarding job duties, having a documented policy provides a reference point for resolving conflicts and clarifying expectations.
What Should be Included in a Job Duties Policy?
Here’s what your job description policy should include:
- Job title and position summary: Clearly state the job title and provide a brief overview of the position’s primary purpose, objectives, and reporting relationships.
- Essential functions and duties: Outline the essential functions, duties, and responsibilities associated with the job role. This may include specific tasks, projects, or activities that the employee is expected to perform regularly.
- Qualifications and requirements: Describe the qualifications, skills, education, experience, and certifications required for the position. This helps ensure that candidates possess the necessary competencies to perform the job.
- Physical and environmental requirements: Describe any physical or environmental conditions associated with the job role, such as lifting requirements, exposure to hazardous materials, or the need to work in outdoor or extreme weather conditions.
- Supervision and collaboration: Clarify the level of supervision, autonomy, and collaboration expected for the position. This may include interactions with supervisors, colleagues, clients, and other stakeholders.
- Performance expectations: Define the performance expectations, goals, metrics, and standards that employees are expected to meet or exceed in their roles. This provides a basis for performance evaluations and feedback.
- Compliance with policies and procedures: Specify the requirement for employees to adhere to company policies, procedures, and code of conduct in performing their job duties.
Be sure to establish a process for reviewing and updating job descriptions periodically to ensure they remain accurate, relevant, and aligned with organizational needs and changes.
Create Your Own Job Duties Policy with SixFifty
By clearly defining job duties, qualifications, and performance expectations, a policy offers clarity, accountability, and in some cases, necessary legal compliance.
Whether you’re a small startup or a large corporation, you can easily create your own Job Duties Policy with SixFifty.
