Job Description

Job Description

Job description is a statement of facts about a particular job, that is,what the job actually involves. Job description outlines the facts compiled from the job analysis, concisely identifying and describing the contents of a job. The statements of facts of a job (I.e job description) guide management in the selection, promotion, or transfer of employees and aid the establishment of comparative wage scales. They are equally used for training schemes.

A job description shows the following:

a) job Factors, that is,

i) Title of job and its location- e.g department and job code number.

ii) Job summary- I.e the duties involved in the performance of the job or the major functions and the tools, machinery or special equipment used.

iii) Job content: The lists of the sequence of operations that constitute the job.

iv) The relation of the job to other closely associated jobs.

v) Training Required: Working hours and peculiar conditions of employment eg very hot or humid.

b) Employee factors,that is sex,age,physical characteristics required e.g size or strength,mental abilities and emotional qualifications needed,cultural requirements, e.g speech,experience and skill needed.

Job description should reflect the duties that are being performed and not what higher management wants performed so that in the evaluation of job the degree of skill exercised and the condition in which the job is being performed can be appreciated. Most managers in charge of job evaluation insist on watching the employee perform the job. The job description is then agreed with the employee and his supervisor. The supervisor is involved because some employees know what job evaluation is about,so,they tend to inflate the importance of their jobs and the supervisors role is that of counter-weight.

Advantages of Job Description

• Job Description is a statement of fact about what a job actually involves.

• Job description outlines the facts obtained from job analysis

• It identifies and describes the contents of a job.

• Job description aids in the establishment of comparative wages and it is useful for training schemes.

• It guides management in selecting,promoting and transferring employees.

• Job description reveals job factors, employee factors.

Job factors

They include:

•  Job title & its location.

• The duties or functions of the job and the tools, machineries, or equipment used.

• Job content

• The job' relationship with other jobs.

•  The training required or working conditions, hours of work etc.

Employee factors revealed include:

• The physical character required; sex,age,size,strength, and mental abilities

• The emotional qualifications required.

• The cultural requirements e.g the speech,experience and skill needed.

• Job description should actually reflect the duties performed so that in evaluation of the degree of skill exercised and the job condition can be well appreciated.