Maintaining Job Descriptions at InAndOut Incorporation Case Study

The management team of InAndOut Incorporation is committed at ensuring that the firm attains an optimal market position. One of the ways through which the firm intends to attain this is by ensuring that it has a strong workforce. According to Heneman and Judge (2009, p.45), staffing is an important element in a firm’s effort to develop a strong workforce.

In its hiring process, it is important for the firm to ensure that it develops an effective job description. This will enhance its ability to offer its customers high quality products and services. This paper evaluates InAndOut Incorporation’s efforts to maintain an effective job description in its operation.

Current Situation at InAndOut Incorporation

InAndOut Incorporation is facing a challenge in its human resource management. The challenge arises from the fact that the employees do not have a clearly outlined job description. For example, there is no clear description regarding the employee work shifts. As a result, there are some situations when the employees are required to work for long hours without any breaks.

Some employees are also forced to work in other job shifts which are not within their job description. This has led to emergence of conflicts between the management team and the employees. Additionally, the firm has not updated its job description for a number of years. This limits the employees’ ability to deal with the dynamic nature of the customer’s needs.

In order to achieve operational efficiency, the firm has to ensure that its workforce is effective in executing their duties. One of the ways through which the firm can achieve this is by enhancing and maintaining the employees’ job description. Maintaining an effective job description will ensure that the employees have a comprehensive understanding of their duties. The resultant effect is that they will be able to execute their duties more effectively.

Importance of updating the job description

Considering the dynamic nature of the business environment, it is critical for firms to ensure that their workforces are effective in executing their duties. This can only be attained if there is a clear job description in place. Job descriptions are an important component in a firm’s effort to achieve effective human resource management.

This arises from the fact that job descriptions outline a number of issues related to the employee. Some of these issues include the employee duties, remuneration, safety and other collective bargaining agreements. Job descriptions also stipulate how the employees’ performance will be evaluated.

Job description should be updated from time to time to ensure that they are in line with the changes in the business environment. Additionally, maintaining an updated job description contributes towards improvement in the employees morale. This arises from the fact that the employees have a clear understanding of their duties which limits conflicts with other employees. Nankervis, Compton and Morrissey (2011, p.37) are of the opinion that updating job descriptions contributes towards a firm reflecting the actual job requirement.

Updating job description is also important in that it contributes towards development of an open communication between a firm’s management team and the employees. This arises from the fact that the employees are able to pass their opinion regarding workplace issues to the top management. This further enhances the top management’s effectiveness in improving the job description.

According to Nankervis, Compton and Morrissey (2011, p.37), organization management teams should involve the employees in the process of updating the job descriptions. This will play a critical role in ensuring creation of an environment conducive for working. The resultant effect is that the employees’ morale will be enhanced. Updating job description is also critical in a firm’s effort to reduce the rate of employee turnover. This is due to the fact that an organization is able to make the job more satisfying to the employee.

If a firm’s job description is outdated, there is a high probability of its competitiveness in the market being adversely affected. This arises from the fact that the employees’ will not be able to perform their duties effectively. For example, lack of a clear job description with regard to shifts in InAndOut Incorporation can lead to some employees being overworked.

This may hamper their level of morale and hence their productivity. Additionally, failure to update its job description may also contribute toward the firm being unable to meet its client’s demands. The long term effect is that its profitability potential will be negatively affected.

How to develop accurate job description

A job description should act as an employee’s guide in executing his or her duties. To enhance its employees’ efficiency in executing their duties, the management team of InAndOut Incorporation should ensure that it has a well designed and accurate job description.

In developing the job descriptions, InAndOut’s management team should gather the appropriate personnel. The personnel involved in developing the job description should be composed of both the lower level employees and the managers to whom the employees will be required to report to.

Inclusion of the managers will aid in ensuring that the job description is designed in such a way that it reflects the organization’s expectations. On the other hand, giving the employees an opportunity to be involved in the development of the job description will aid in ensuring that the employees’ expectations regarding the job are taken into consideration. The resultant effect is that their morale will be enhanced.

Secondly, a comprehensive job analysis should be conducted. The job analysis should take into consideration the various job responsibilities to be assigned to the employees. The firm can undertake the job analysis by searching and comparing sample job descriptions. The analysis should also take into consideration the employees tasks and duties. Additionally, the personnel charged with designing the job description should outline the expected outcomes.

The third step entails writing down the job description in accordance with the company’s format. All the job descriptions in the company should be uniform.

Some of the key components that should be taken into account when writing down the job description includes an overall description of the job position, the core functions to be performed, the skills, knowledge and abilities that the employee must possess. A

dditionally, the employees’ level of education and experience should also be stated. Other components that should be taken into account include a comprehensive description of the required physical demands and work environment.

Fourthly, the organization should review the designed job description from time to time. The objective of reviewing the job description is to ensure that it effectively reflects the expected results. The organization should use the designed job description as a tool to plan for employee development.

Process to be used in reviewing and updating job descriptions

To update its job descriptions, InAndOut Incorporation should take into account the following process.

1. The firm’s management team should identify the job description that requires to be updated. In this stage, the organization should take into consideration a number of elements which include the employee in the current position, the department in which he or she is positioned and to whom the employee reports to.
2. Secondly, the management team should note of the changes that have occurred within the organization, for example changes in organizational features and functions.
3. The third step entails identification of changes that have occurred with respect to the particular job. Some of these changes may relate to increment in the amount of responsibilities.
4. The fourth step entails evaluating the various tasks associated with the particular job position that are no longer important. These tasks should be marked to ensure they are removed.
5. The organization should consider both the short term and long term progression that should be undertaken with regard to the particular job description. A list of the tasks that should be undertaken by a particular position both in the short term and long term should be developed.
6. The organization should also evaluate the current and future skills that are necessary in the firm’s operation. Finally, an establishment of the reporting relationship and comparing whether the updated job description is in line with the organizations strategic plan should be undertaken.

Reference List

Heneman, H., & Judge, R. (2009). Staffing organizations. Boston: McGraw-Hill. Nankervis, A., Compton, R., & Morrissey, W. (2011). Effective recruitment and selection practices. North Ryde, N.S.W: CCH Australia.