Introduction
Human resource management is an organization’s function that entails all aspects that are associated with the workforce in a particular organization, company or institution. It entails aspects like recruitment, coordination, and control of the people working in an organization.
Some of the issues linked with human resource management include selection, recruitment, and hiring among others. Human resource management is an essential function in every organization as it enhances the overall efficiency and effectiveness of the organization through the smooth running of all the activities and operations that are carried out in the organization.
It falls under one of the major components of the management function which is staffing. Job analysis and description are crucial aspects, and this paper looks at how job descriptions could be maintained in the case study company, InAndOut, Inc.
A summary of the situation
In the company of study, InAndOut, Inc., it is evident that things are not working out properly. The job descriptions present are outdated, prepared about eight years ago, and hence they do not match with the current job requirements. Job positions that have come up after the job descriptions were constructed have no job description, which is risky.
Changes in practices and services in the firm require that new job descriptions are designed and updated frequently. For this reason, I, as an Hr intern, have been hired by the Company to come up with a proposal that can save the situation by enhancing the job descriptions for various employees’ positions.
An Examination of the reasons why it is important to update and write new job descriptions. Job analysis plays a great role in human resource management. Job analysis entails the process of identifying the purpose and responsibilities of a given job position including the tasks assigned to an individual; the methods involved the job qualifications needed as well as the relationship of the job regarding other jobs.
Job descriptions, on the other hand, entail the output or results attained as a result of a job analysis. They are essential in carrying out processes such as recruitment and selection, training of the hired professionals, performance measuring and appraisal as well as compensation. Job analysis has been deemed to be a driving force towards defining job descriptions.
This is because the specifications contained therein are obtained from job analysis and therefore the job descriptions rely heavily on prior job analysis. The processes are interdependent. Job analysis and job descriptions are essential aspects in any organization, and it is, therefore, essential to keep them up-to-date so that they always remain relevant and help an organization to achieve success and prosperity in its activities and processes.
Job analysis and job descriptions should be as practical and dynamic as possible. They should be set in such a way that they allow for flexibility to ensure that employees are encouraged to grow and progress in their career positions and hence make positive contributions towards the organization.
Job descriptions should also be set up in a professional manner and strictly followed without any form of deviation for success to be achieved. Other general reasons for updating job descriptions in the company is the fact that new jobs have been added, others eliminated, and others changed, some of the equipment and practices have been outdated. There could also be upcoming laws that the company ought to comply with (Cultrona, 1999).
A Process That Will Yield Job Descriptions
To come up with a set of thorough and current job descriptions in the company, some issues have to be adhered to. One should ensure that that the job description includes classification data, general description, primary duties and responsibilities, knowledge, skills and abilities, education requirements, work experience requirements as well as a disclaimer statement.
To come up with a current job description, one should collect useful materials that could aid in developing and modifying job descriptions such as prior job descriptions. One should then write style examples and then represent the job and not a person, in its current rather than future state.
Job requirements should then be set carefully to ensure that otherwise qualified candidates are not screened out. The minimum level required should be used, rather than the desired level. The next step is putting it all together by ensuring that things such as language and fairness are checked (Roberts, 1997).
Recommendation of a process
From the above discussion, it is clear that job descriptions are essential tools in an organization and should always be kept up-to-date. This could be achieved through regular review and making of appropriate adjustments. An appropriate process that could be used in the company to periodically review and update the new job descriptions is that of managing employee expectations.
This could be achieved through performance evaluation to ascertain what changes ought to be incorporated to make the employees utilize their potentials fully. This should, however, be carried out in a manner that assures the employees that it is a good practice to carry our evaluation and keep up-to-date job descriptions.
For the existing employees, the description arrived at after the evaluation should be shared with them for the individual good and that of the organization as a whole. This is so because a mutual understanding of the performance objectives in a certain position and the job descriptions have been deemed to play a great role, that of assisting in the maximization of employees performance as well as satisfaction.
In case the updated job description necessitates changes to some jobs, then necessary adjustments should be considered. The updated job description should be used in the process of selection and recruitment of new employees in the company for better performance, which is made possible by ensuring that the best-suited candidates are the ones hired (Mader-Clark, 2008).
It is evident that aspects of human resource management such as job analysis and job descriptions and specifications are very crucial especially in the processes of recruitment and selection. Effective job analysis and descriptions would, for example, bring a lot of change in, InAndOut, Inc through streamlining its operations.
This is because they ensure that the right candidates are hired for different positions and hence various activities and practices are carried out in a professional manner leading to success in an organization for instance in achievement of enhanced productivity and profitability which is in turn linked with efficiency, effectiveness, and economy that go hand in hand with appropriate hiring.
Reference List
Cultrona (1999). Why Job Descriptions Are Changed?
Mader-Clark, M. (2008). The Job Description Handbook. 2nd Ed. New York: Nolo.
Roberts, G. (1997). Recruitment and Selection: A Competency Approach. Britain: CIPD publishing.