Best Practices In Job Description Design and Management

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Best/Next Practices in Job Description Design & Management

About Don Berman Professional Services Leader - HRTMS

Since 1989, Don Berman has spearheaded the introduction and adoption HR and talent management applications and technology driven best practices at large and mid-sized companies throughout the U.S. As co-founder and Professional Services Lead, Don has helped guide HRTMS Talent Management solutions toward a new Job Description-centric model that resulted in HRTMS Jobs--the leader in Job Description Management.



Best/Next Practices in Job Description Design & Management

presented by Don Berman



Why Managing Job Descriptions Is the Single Most Critical Issue for Strategic HR

A clear understanding of the Job is Required to: Recruit the right people

Evaluate employee productivity & performance

Protect your company from regulatory

sanction

Identify and retain top

performers

Identify and manage bottom

performers

Benchmark/Evaluate jobs to compensate

employees fairly

Develop an equitable salary

structure

Protect your future with effective succession plans

Motivate employees with engaging Career Paths

Identify Employee Training Gaps



Are Your Job Descriptions Ignored?



Why Job Descriptions Lag Behind • People think of them as documents/paper • No one person can complete them

– HR knows how to write them – Comp/Compliance have concerns – Managers/Stakeholders know the

details of the job

• People don’t know where to start – Especially for new Jobs – Lack of content

• No Structured way to go about it – Different formats/focus

• Everything else is more important – Recruiting, Performance Reviews,

Compensation, Market Pricing Despite the fact that none of these can be done well without an effective Job Description



Job Data Central to HR/Talent Management

• A Robust up-to-date job description repository can ensure that all aspects of your HR and talent management activities are reading from the same hymn book.

• So the top talent you hire, thrive and produce to grow your business while insuring compliance with regulatory bodies.

Job Description

ATS/Recruiting Process

Performance Management

System/ Process

Career Pathing Succession

Training

Compliance FLSA, ADA, FDA, Joint

Commission

Compensation Plans & Salary

Structure

Corporate Culture

Future Plans









About This Presentation • Although we provide recommendations -- Not an Ivory Tower • Based on what our clients are doing

– Components they are using – What they are using them for – Samples/Guidelines – Statistics – Screenshots/document snippets for context





We See Job Descriptions Differently • Job Descriptions

Cater to the lowest common denominator Consist of blocks of dense, opaque text

• Job Repository Leverages conversations with Stakeholders

• Collects all the info you need • Controls who can see what

Provides information to those that need it • Folks in other roles, hiring managers, recruiters, Compensation, OD • Other systems: ATS, Performance Management, HRMS

Turn blocks of text into Data Points • That you can search/query/interface with other systems

• Change the way you think about Job Descriptions





Looking for a cookbook? • Not One Size Fits all

• What’s in your Job

Description depends on:

Job Description

ATS/Recruiting Process

Performance Management

System/ Process

Career Pathing Succession

Training

Compliance FLSA, ADA, FDA,

Joint Commission

Compensation Plans & Salary

Structure

Corporate Culture

Future Plans





The Agenda • General Guidelines • Legal Consideration • Job Description Elements– What/How/Why • Competencies, Skills, and Essential Functions • Collaboration • Content • Job Descriptions and Job Posting • FLSA Determination • Reusable Components (Inheritance) • Organizing Job Descriptions • Similar JDs/Consolidation • Access • Historical Job Descriptions





General Guidelines - Job • It’s about the Job

Everything in your JD must be about the Job Resist using JD to describe an individual or personality traits

• Upbeat personality • Excellent customer services skills

For ADA Include only relevant necessary requirements • If the item is not absolutely necessary to do the job

– Leave it out – Include it as a Non-Essential function

Future of the Job • Look forward to the what may be needed down the road





• Clear Avoid flowery overwritten and vague verbiage:

• “…responsible for communicating any internal issues of importance to any of the constituencies involved in the company’s day-to-day happenstances, in formats including, but not limited to daily updates, weekly publications, annual reports.”

Vague, Confusing, Does not describe what the person will actually do • “Handles internal communications regarding company decisions and

accomplishments on an as needed basis”

• Reasonable/Truthful Avoid Hyperbole “On call 24/7” Don’t Glamorize the JD

General Guidelines - Language





• Use language that points to desired results • That indicates how success can be measured • Without exaggeration uses powerful/influential

language “Through the use of direct marketing, candidates must be

able to build and measurably grow sales to a sustainable client base.”

General Guidelines – Language cont.





• Don’t discriminate by: Age “…Youthful energy…” Race/Religion “Must be able to work on Yom Kippur” Marital Status “Travel Requires unmarried…” Gender Specific “Previous experience as a waitress”

• Don’t undermine at will employment “This is a permanent Position” Don’t Mention unless Temp “…prides itself on employee retention” Omit. Implies ongoing employment

• Don’t make promises you can’t keep “…performance will be rewarded” “…will lead to training opportunities” “…supervises a staff of trained professionals”

Legal Considerations





• Don’t violate Applicants Privacy “…Ability to function without sleep…” “…single able spend full energy on the job” “…must have “blue state” mentality” “…candidate must not have other work commitments”

• Don’t create FLSA Classification Problems – JDs are not required but essential function are usually central in any

dispute “…Supervise 2 employees/can hire and fire” “…Will supervise department” “Eligible for overtime pay” Omit. “This is an exempt position” Don’t use these terms or “…Salaried position” Discuss this topic

Legal Considerations cont.





• Protect against FLSA wage and hour lawsuit In an article, Beware 'Misclassification Creep' in Employee Exemption, Littler Mendelson shareholder and co-chair of the firm’s wage-and-hour practice group, Lee Schreter states, “It’s easy enough for companies to ask their employees to sign off on their job descriptions during their periodic performance reviews, so there is both mutual understanding and, for the employer, well-documented proof that the employee knows where they stand. That kind of evidence, I believe even the courts will be hard-pressed to dismiss.” Compliance - Job Description Acknowledgement

• Healthcare (Joint Commission) • All Companies (FLSA) • Bio Tech (CFR Part 11)

Legal Considerations cont.

http://www.law.com/corporatecounsel/PubArticleCC.jsp?id=1202625620590&Beware_Misclassification_Creep_in_Employee_Exemption&slreturn=20131007143504#ixzz2jgpXwbCj





Job Description Elements • Job Attributes

Job Indicative Information Organization Information

• Description/Summary • Essential Functions • Qualifications • Physical Demands/Working Conditions • Competencies • Scope





Job Attributes

• Indicative Information Typical Elements Job Code Job Title FLSA Classification Grade Date Created/Revised Reviewed by





Job Attributes

• Organizational Information – Business Unit/Region/Division, etc. Reports To Locations Departments Supervision Exercised/Received Managers/Employees





Description/Summary Overview of Job, used as a synopsis, for market pricing and recruiting. Used as a hook to draw in the reader. • Sample Guidelines

Short statement that states why the job exists Short statement that describes the role and how it supports the

company’s key objectives using specific measures of success Elevator Pitch for the job





Description/Summary Concerns for Description/Summary • Blank Page Syndrome • War and Peace Syndrome Remedies • Feedback/Revision Process • Text Limits (75 words) • Spell Check • Leverage Content





Definition of terms: Essential Functions, Skills and Competencies

• You have competencies (measurable/acquired over time) Knowledge, behavior, characteristics, aptitudes and/or strengths

that are needed to perform and excel. e.g., Problem solving

• That allow you to learn Skills (acquired quickly) Something tangible you can know or learn e.g., Event Planning

• That you can apply to accomplish Essential Functions Daily tasks that need to be performed. e.g., Manages logistics for major corporate events. These include:

“town hall” meetings and webcasts, investor relations…





Essential Functions • AKA Duties, Responsibilities, Accountabilities… • Used for:

Performance appraisal. ADA – Can an employee with a disability perform these

functions; if not, what accommodation can be made? Recruiting/posting FLSA, Affirmative Action and Joint Commission





Essential Functions • Sample Guidelines

What they do, not how they do it. If it’s less than 5-10%, should not include unless it is a highly critical function

Statements that describe the main areas in which the role holder must produce results in order to achieve the purpose of the role. They start with a verb and describe the end results rather than duties or activities or broad, vague statements. These responsibilities should be limited to the six or seven most important ones and put in descending order of importance.

Begin each task statement with an action word (verb), which describes a specific kind of behavior. Then describe what, how and why each task is performed.





Essential Function (More…) Template for Building Essential Function Statements Result To Be Achieved

“Control Expenses BY” Action (using Action verb)

“Analyzing department budgeting and accounting reports” Means to measure success

“To keep monthly expenses below 10% of Revenue”





Essential Functions • Information captured

Description of Essential Function Also

• Percent of Time • Frequency • Level • Weight

These can affect FLSA Determination





Essential Functions Other options for Essential Functions • Additional Responsibilities

Used to generalize JDs Used to define responsibilities that may not be used for all

employees in a job e.g. Work Nights/weekends, perform a location/business unit

specific task

• Entity Specific Functions • Required Responsibilities

For All Jobs Mission/Vision





Qualifications • Used for recruiting, career pathing and compliance • Sample Guidelines:

“We educate our managers that they need to determine the minimum and preferred education/certification, skills, and experience required for the job so that HR can legally defend why an applicant is or is not hired. ”





Qualifications • Most Common Information captured

Education Experience Skills Licenses/Certifications (Joint Commission)

• Also Captured Technology/

Software Skills Languages





Qualifications

Category Item Details/ Other

Required/Preferred

Proficiency Other % Using

Education Level X X ~ 100%

Experience Level X X ~ 100%

Skills Skill X X X ~ 90%

Lic/Cert Lic/Cert X X Timeframe ~80%

Technology Tech Skill X X X ~ 10%

Languages Language X X X ~ 10%





Physical Demands/Working Conditions Used for ADA situations to determine if an employee is capable of performing in the job • In conjunction with Essential Functions • Used to determine what

accommodations can be made • Most Common Information captured

Physical Demand/Working Condition Description

Frequency Weight (for weight related items)





Physical Demands/Working Conditions Process for determining physical demands/working conditions Items • Industry specific

Corporate/Healthcare/Manufacturing • Often culled from disability claims over time • Reviewed periodically to evolve over time with

changes in job equipment and ADA.





Physical Demands/Working Conditions

Category % Using

Physical Demands ~ 100%

Working Conditions ~ 100%

Physical Demands with weight requirements ~80%

Coordination/Visual Acuity <10%

Essential Physical Requirements <10%

Bloodborne Pathogens <10%

Cognitive Requirements <10%

Emotional Effort <5%





Competencies • Measurable/score-able • Used for performance reviews • Most use in conjunction with Essential Functions • Corporate – Behavioral • Healthcare - task related due to regulatory requirements • Number Limited





Competencies

Category % Using

Core Competencies ~20%

Departmental Competencies ~50%

Position Specific Competencies ~60%

Leadership Competencies ~40%

Customer Service/others <10%





Scope • Generally, help gauge impact of the job on an

organization • More specifically

Job Evaluation Grading Compensation Participation in bonus plan Aid in FLSA determination





Scope Some examples are:

• Freedom to Act • Problem Complexity • Impact • Supervision Exercised/

Received • Financial Responsibility • Budget Responsibility





Scope • Job Evaluation - Factors used for leveling are dictated by the

leveling methodology various IPE(s), Hay or homegrown Excel Point Factor System

• Some examples are: Nature/Area of Impact Creativity Internal/External Contacts Project Management Business Expertise Leadership





Collaboration • Collaboration is the key to effective job descriptions because the

knowledge needed is embedded in multiple Stakeholders. • Typical participants are:

Hiring Manager HR Generalists Compensation

• Track changes paradigm





Collaboration • Collaboration must be flexible, allowing stake holders to reach out to

other contributors on the fly: Upper-level Managers Department/Entity/Location Leaders Other SME’s

• Ad hoc Reviews Provide simplicity/flexibility





Collaboration Best Practice – Stake Holders

Manager Selects Descriptions HR/HR Business Partner Mark-up Process

Keep it Simple • Allow managers to make requests simply from their perspective • Empower HR Business partners to route for further approval





Collaboration Best Practice - Oversight

© 2013 HRTMS, Inc. All Rights Reserved www hrtms com

Step 2 Reviewer(s) Step 3 Reviewer(s)...

HR/Compensation Final Approval

Step 1 Reviewer(s)





Content • Sources of Content

Stakeholders Client Job Descriptions HRTMS Content Library Client libraries/data from other systems

• Content Applied to Summary Essential Function Competencies Skills Less often,

Qualifications





Content-Search • Search Content

By Job Description By Job Family/Function By Occupation By Saved List Standard Statements





Content-Promoting Consistency • Standard Statements • Reusing/Refining Existing Content





Job Descriptions and Job Posting • Low hanging fruit for integration • Automate or cut and paste • Attended/background integration





FLSA Questionnaires • DOL Questionnaires • State or other Questionnaires





Inheritance Inherit Data from Parent Job Descriptions • Typically Essential Function, Skills, Certifications, Competencies • But could be any Job Description Element Changes to Parent auto populate to children





Inheritance - Uses • Generic Jobs

Nurses, Accountants, etc.

• Entity Department, Division, Business Unit, Location etc.

• Job Classification Job Family/Function Exempt/Non-Exempt, EEO Arbitrary Classification





Organizing Job Descriptions (View) • Filter JDs By Entity/Other attributes

Business Unit, Department, FLSA/EEO Classification, Job with openings, etc.





Organizing Job Descriptions (Job Families) • By Job Family/Function • Career Paths • Related Jobs

• Side-By-Side Views Career Matrix Qualifications Comparison Scope Factor Analysis





Organizing Job Descriptions (Analysis) • Best Practice – Matrix Explorer





Organizing Job Descriptions (Consolidating) Relationship between Job Codes(HRMS) to Job Descriptions • Many (Job Codes) to one Job Description

Often Driven by concerns due to Legacy JD Management Facilitated by entity specific Elements

• One (Job Code) to One Job Description Best Practice for Repository

But Some Clients want a 1:1 ratio of JDs to employees





Similar Jobs/Identification • Identify jobs that are similar enough to be candidates for

consolidation





Similar Jobs/Consolidation • Consolidate Job Descriptions/Create Parent Job Descriptions





Access • Provide access to:

HR/Compensation Managers Employees

HR/Comp Only

Managers Stakeholders

Employees Employees

Managers Stakeholders

Employees

5%

95%

50%





Keep a Record of Historical Job Descriptions • Defend Hiring Decisions • Protect yourself against Regulatory Audit





Wrap up

If you stop thinking of a Job Description as being limited by the restrictions imposed by documents:

• You’ll see that a Job Description Repository can: Drive Performance, Compensation, Recruiting, Succession, and

Training Job Descriptions are the logical centerpiece of your Talent

management Landscape





What Did We Miss?





Questions





How To Contact Us

Don Berman [email protected]

Ashley Robinson

[email protected]

919.351.JOBS (5627) www.hrtms.com

mailto:[email protected]

mailto:[email protected]

Recruiting & HR

Best Practices In Job Description Design and Management